Secret climate history: The Arabian desert was once so green!

Secret climate history: The Arabian desert was once so green!

New studies of the Arabian Peninsula's climate history show that the area was wetter more than 11 million years ago than it is today. Loud Small newspaper A study by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, in which geologist Alexander Budsky from the State Museum of Carinthia was involved, revealed that rainy periods on the Arabian Peninsula were recorded longer and further north than previously assumed.

The findings are based on the examination of stalactites (stalagmites and stalactites) from caves northeast of Riyadh. These natural archives are essential because stalactites only grow when there is rainfall and thin vegetation. An improved uranium-lead dating method has been developed that provides precise insights into climatic conditions over the last 600,000 years.

Climatic changes over the last million years

The results show that there were five identified moisture phases over a time frame of 8 to 2 million years. As early as 1.5 million years ago, the frequency and duration of wet phases decreased and became increasingly drier. These changes are significant because they affected the migration of mammals and human ancestors.

A significant connection is that repeated wet phases were observed in the southern Arabian desert between 130,000 and 80,000 years ago. These phases allowed Homo sapiens to cross the peninsula on their way north. In contrast, rainfall was significantly absent between 80,000 and 11,000 years ago, creating a biogeographic barrier.

These climatic changes can be placed in a larger context, as shown by the connection between volcanism and climate change. One example is the eruption of the Laach volcano, whose effects were visible as far away as northern Italy and Scandinavia. These findings, the Archeology Online documented, make it clear that large volcanic eruptions can cause climate-sensitive changes.

Volcanic eruptions and climate impacts

Research shows that the influence of such volcanic eruptions on the climate can vary greatly. In particular, eruptions in the tropics have a significant impact on the global climate by releasing large amounts of gases and particles that can cause temporary climatic changes. The cooling effect of large eruptions can last for several years. This was also in Euronews which examines how climate change itself could influence the effects of volcanic eruptions.

However, the interactions between volcanism and climate systems are complex. Geochemical residues in natural archives such as stalactites and ice cores help to better understand these relationships. The conclusions from these studies offer valuable perspectives for future climate developments and provide a deep understanding of the climatic processes of the past.