Resolving regional controls on dust flux: High-resolution chronostratigraphy of Carpathian loess

Loess-palaeosol sequences (LPS) are vital among terrestrial archives for reconstructing Quaternary palaeoclimates and environmental change. Their extensive distribution across continental mid-latitudes and high sensitivity to atmospheric and surface processes make them indispensable records of past dust cycles, wind regimes, and regional ecosystem dynamics. However, the reliability of these reconstructions, particularly quantitative measures of dust flux variability, is intrinsically limited by the resolution and accuracy of the underlying geochronological framework. Our research directly addresses this chronometric challenge by applying refined luminescence dating techniques and Bayesian age-depth modelling to loess profiles across the Carpathian and Wallachian Basins. This methodological approach enables the construction of high-resolution, probabilistic chronologies that are essential for robust palaeoenvironmental interpretation. The central outcome of this work is a significantly improved, regional reconstruction of dust flux variability. Our integrated analysis demonstrates that dust mass accumulation rates (MARs) across the basins do not conform to a simplified model of peak deposition solely during glacial maxima (MIS 2). This pattern indicates that dust influx was not driven exclusively by global ice volume but was significantly intensified during specific phases of regional climatic amelioration. These findings compel a reinterpretation of regional atmospheric and sediment dynamics. The high dust fluxes during MIS 3 highlight the critical influence of regional controls, such as changes in palaeowind intensity and pathways, episodic sediment supply from major river systems, and the variable dust-trapping efficiency of sparsely vegetated, dynamic landscapes. This underscores the necessity of disentangling the effects of global climate drivers from those of local environmental and geomorphic settings when interpreting the LPS record. The broader objective of this synthesis is to establish a robust, integrated stratigraphic and chronological framework that enables detailed correlation and comparison of loess-derived palaeoenvironmental proxies across the Carpathian and Wallachian Basins. By doing so, we provide new insights into the timing, magnitude, and climatic forcing of past atmospheric dust activity, challenging purely glacially-driven models and contributing to a more nuanced understanding of Quaternary environmental dynamics in Central and Eastern Europe.