The ‘Mid-Brunhes Climatic Event’ in the Tasman Sea

A major climatic event (the exact nature of which is uncertain) at 350 ky is seen in the record of a core from the Tasman Sea covering the last 1 million years. The flux of dust from Australia and the median aeolian grain size, carbonate accumulation rates and changes in the magnetic mineral assemblage all record the change in the climatic pattern which occurred in isotope stage 10. These synchronous changes in the continental, shallow marine and deep marine environments are thought to be an expression of the ‘Mid-Brunhes Climatic Event’ which was of global extent. Other records from the region, both marine and continental, appear to record the same event yet the various climatic proxy records point to changes of conflicting nature. The event is an important stage in the development of the modem climate of Australia.