High-resolution isotopic evidence for a potential Saharan provenance of Greenland glacial dust

Dust concentrations in Greenland ice show pronounced glacial/interglacial variations with almost two orders of magnitude increase during the Last Glacial Maximum. Greenland glacial dust was previously sourced to two East Asian deserts: the Taklimakan and Gobi deserts. Here we report the first high-resolution Pb and Sr isotopic evidence for a significant Saharan dust influence in Greenland during the last glacial period, back to similar to 31 kyr ago, from the Greenland NEEM ice core. We find that during Greenland Stadials 3-5.1 (similar to 31 to 23 kyr ago), the primary dust provenance was East Asia, as previously proposed. Subsequently, the Saharan isotopic signals emerge during Greenland Stadials 2.1a-2.1c (similar to 22.6 to 14.7 kyr ago) and from the late Bolling-Allerod to the Younger Dryas periods (similar to 13.6 to 12 kyr ago), coincident with increased aridity in the Sahara and efficient northward transport of dust during these cold periods. A mixing isotopic model proposes the Sahara as an important source, accounting for contribution to Greenland glacial dust of up to 50%, particularly during Greenland Stadial 2.1b and the late Bolling-Allerod to the Younger Dryas periods. Our findings provide new insights into climate-related dust provenance changes and essential paleoclimatic constraints on dust-climate feedbacks in northern high latitudes.