Stalagmite as paleoflood archives – Last Millennium paleoclimate and cave paleoflood reconstruction based on stalagmites from South-Eastern Brazil

To better comprehend the impacts of climate change and extreme events, this study addresses the limitations often posed by historical data. It achieves this by examining speleothem records from cave galleries subjected to recurrent flood events associated with extreme rainfall. Specifically, detrital layers within stalagmites, deposited during flood recessions, are utilized as archives to reconstruct the frequency of cave paleofloods beyond the pre-industrial era and, ultimately, as proxies for extreme rainfall events. Speleothems from Malfazido Cave in south-eastern Brazil provide insights into cave paleoflood frequency over the last millennium. A robust chronology is established through precise U/Th age methods. Stable isotopic analyses allow us to assess atmospheric circulation conditions, while trace elements analysis (LA-ICP-MS) provides a perspective on local hydrological conditions. Employing a multi-proxy approach, this study aims to understand how changes in the mean climate state can influence the occurrence of extreme rainfall events.