Timing and spatial distribution of mid-Holocene drying over northern China: Response to a southeastward retreat of the East Asian Monsoon

To determine the timing and spatial distribution of mid‐Holocene drying over northern China, the mineralogical and oxygen isotopic composition of authigenic carbonate from a closed lake at Bayanchagan, southern Inner Mongolia, were measured. Further analysis and synthesis of the spatial geological data were performed. Results from Lake Bayanchagan show a significant drying at 6000 calendar years (cal years) B.P., indicated by dolomite precipitation and a striking rise in δ18O values. The synthesis of spatial data reveals a zonal distribution for timing of drying over northern China in the mid‐Holocene, which began at 9000–7000 cal years B.P. in deserts of north‐central China. At 7000–5500 cal years B.P., drying extended into the desert‐steppe transitional zone and at ∼4500 cal years B.P. into northeastern and south‐central China. This pattern indicates that the east Asian summer monsoon has significantly retreated southeastward since the mid‐Holocene, which may be related to orbitally induced Northern Hemisphere insolation changes. A retreat of ∼400–550 km is inferred for the front of the summer monsoon from 6500 to 4500 cal years B.P.