Calcite Mg and Sr partition coefficients in cave environments: Implications for interpreting prior calcite precipitation in speleothems

Abstract Trace element to Ca ratios in speleothems have emerged as important proxies that reflect local environmental conditions. However, interpretations of speleothem trace element records can be challenging due to various processes. Positive correlations between speleothem Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca have often been interpreted to reflect prior calcite precipitation (PCP), a process potentially modulated by rainfall variability. For quantitative interpretation of PCP, the distribution coefficients for Mg and Sr (DMg and DSr) are required. Here, we use ten cave monitoring calcite and drip water datasets to investigate the influence of temperature and drip water and calcite Mg/Ca and Sr/Ca ratios on s…