Table 1 Detailed information on the proxy records used in this study

West Mediterranean

Pollen 

Padul

37.01

-3.60

IntCal13

^21,55

Pollen

MD95-2043

36.14

-2.62

Marine04

^7,24,56

Pollen 

ODP-976

36.2

-4.3

Marine98

^23,57

West Africa 

Dust % 

GeoB7920-2

20.75

-18.58

Marine09

¹⁵

Dust %

GeoB9508-5

15.50

-17.95

Marine09

¹⁵

Dust % 

GeoB9526-5

12.43

-18.06

Marine09

¹⁵

²³⁰Th-normalized dust flux 

MD03-2705

18.08

-21.15

Marine13

⁵⁸

²³⁰Th-normalized dust flux 

OC437-7-GC27

30.88

-10.63

Marine09

⁵⁹

²³⁰Th-normalized dust flux 

OC437-7-GC37

26.82

-15.12

Marine09

^59,60

²³⁰Th-normalized dust flux

OC437-7-GC49

23.21

-17.85

Marine09

^59,60

²³⁰Th-normalized dust flux 

OC437-7-GC66

19.94

-17.86

Marine09

⁵⁹

²³⁰Th-normalized dust flux 

OC437-7-GC68

19.36

-17.28

Marine09

^59,60

²³⁰Th-normalized dust flux 

ODP-658C

20.75

-18.58

Marine13

⁶⁰

δD leaf waxes 

GeoB9508-5

15.50

-17.95

Fairbanks et al. (2005)

⁶¹

δD leaf waxes 

OC437-7-GC27

30.88

-10.63

Marine13

¹⁶

δD leaf waxes

OC437-7-GC37

26.82

-15.12

Marine13

¹⁶

δD leaf waxes 

OC437-7-GC49

23.21

-17.85

Marine13

¹⁶

δD leaf waxes 

OC437-7-GC68

19.36

-17.28

Marine13

¹⁶

δD leaf waxes 

ODP-659

18.08

-21.03

Marine04

^62,63

Humidity Index

GeoB7920-2

20.75

-18.58

Peak-to-peak correlation with MD95-2042

⁶⁴

West-Central Africa 

Pollen 

Bambili

5.93

10.24

IntCal13 and peak-to-peak correlation with GIK 16856-2 and GIK-15856-2

³⁵

Pollen

Barombi

4.66

9.40

IntCal09

^{65,66,67,68,69}

Pollen 

GIK16856-2

3.52

5.57

Bard et al. (1990)

⁴⁰

Pollen 

KW31

4.80

3.40

Marine98 and peak-to-peak correlation with GRIP ice-core

⁷⁰