Radiocarbon chronology of the late Pleistocene-Holocene paleogeographic events in Lake Baikal region (Siberia).

Abstract

New radiocarbon dates obtained from Late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits of the southern, eastern, and northern shores of Lake Baikal in 1995-2001 are presented, and the most important results of paleoenvironmental studies based on (super 14) C data are discussed. The following paleogeographic events were verified with the help of (super 14) C dating: 1) first Late Pleistocene glaciation (Early Zyryan); 2) Middle Zyryan interstadial; 3) loess formation during the Late Zyryan (Sartan) deglaciation; 4) warm and cold events in the Late Glacial; and 5) vegetation changes and forest successions during the Late Glacial and Holocene.