ORIGIN OF PLEISTOCENE-HOLOCENE ASHES OF THE RUSSIAN NORTHEAST BASED ON TRACE AND RARE EARTH ELEMENT DATA

Abstract

Within the framework of a Joint Russian–German project, sediments of Lake El’gygytgyn were studied to determine paleoclimatic changes in the Pleistocene and Holocene. A 13-m-thick upper section of the bottom sediments was recovered. The thickness of bottom sediments in the lake caldera is 350–400 m. Ashes found in the borehole at depths of 2–3 and 7–8m were referred to the upper Pleistocene based on the composition of diatomaceous algae. The upper and lower horizons correspond to intervals of 40–60 and 160–180 ka ago.