Thermoluminescence from marine carbonate is found to be sensitively responding to the earth climate change of glacial-interglacial stage,which implies a novel proxy for paleoceanography.Yet it is to be confirmed by studies as to whether it is suitable for the terrestrial sediments.In this study,thermoluminescence and oxygen isotopic composition have been carried out on stalagmite CX-1from Chuanxin cave,Qingjiang valley,Hubei Province,China,to determine the physical links between the climate and thermoluminescence intensity.It is found that thermoluminescence glow in air environment is mainly contributed by chemiluminescence derived from oxidation of the organic matter from stalagmite carbonates.Therefore,thermoluminescence is closely related to organic matter content of stalagmite derived from the degradation of organic matter in soil and the degradation rate is related to soil temperature controlled by the insolation.The variations of TL(total luminescence intensity) anddelta18 O show similar features which can reasonably be associated with climate change.Therefore,stalagmite thermoluminescence can act as a new proxy for terrestrial paleoenvironment.