At a coarse level of time resolution, episodes of speleothem growth record relatively wet periods in semi-arid climates or relatively warm periods in cool temperate climates.
- Precise dating of speleothems allows them to be used to test Milankovitch theory and to calibrate the timing of Paleoclimatic fluctuations.
- Counting of physical and chemical laminae allows the duration of climatically significant intervals to be determined.
- Directional sense of Calibration :
- Laminae thickness for temperature and rainfall
- del18O, for temperature or rainfall
- del13C, for type and amount of vegetation or degree of cave air circulation
- Mg and /or Sr for aridity
- 87Sr/86Sr for rainfall or changes in aeolian activity or source
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