Late Quaternary Dust, Loess and Desert Dynamics in Upwind Areas of the Chinese Loess Plateau

As a key global climate and dust archive, the nature of Chinese loess generation, transport deposition remains debated. The lack consensus on dynamics from sources to leeward regions fundamentally limits interpretation preserved past record. Here, we investigate chronostratigraphic variability aeolian deposits in upwind modern Loess Plateau (CLP) attempt understand that potentially affects downwind. strata consist alternating layers typical loess, well-sorted sand, sandy with obvious unconformities occurring at transitions sand. We suggest pre-existing northwest CLP was eroded by wind, providing significant source homogeneous for sand interbedded study sites suggests proximal deserts have greatly expanded contracted repeatedly prior Holocene. However, spatial extents deserts, as inferred sections here, not markedly diminished after major expansion during Last Glacial Maximum. Such pattern desert plays an important role regulating emission transport, strongly affecting sequences CLP. Our results complex scenario least over Late Quaternary; involved processes be considered when using conventional proxies recover history changes.