Astronomically forced saline lake deposition and paleoclimatic response in the Huanggang Basin during the Paleogene, Eastern China

•The duration of the Middle and Upper Dawenkou Formation is 6.5 ± 0.4 Myr.•Halite-gypsum mudstone-mudstone rhythms are paced by astronomical forcings.•Halite deposits occurred during periods of minima short eccentricity.•Warm/dry winters and cool summers led to halite deposition.