HYRCANIAN EPOCH IN THE LATE PLEISTOCENE HISTORY OF THE MANYCH DEPRESSION

Studying of the cores of two boreholes (40 and 42 m in depth) from the central part of the Manych depression by the complex of methods (granulometric, faunistic, sporous and pollen analyses, radiocarbon and optic-luminescent dating) contributed to the solution of aproblem of existence of the Hyrcanian passage during the late Pleistocene. The beginning of the period (interglacial epoch, MIS 5e) was characterized by deep penetration of an ingressive gulf of the Black Sea Karangatian transgression into the Manych depression. Its waters were rather saline (not less than 18–20‰), thus supporting a rich Black Sea complex of mollusks. The transitional stage to the glacial epoch (MIS 5d) led to a gradual retreat of the Karangatian gulf waters from the Manych depression to the Black Sea one. The stage is dated by OSL method as 119±7 thousand years and it ended with the development of the Hyrcanian passage of the Caspian Sea. The passage had brackish Caspian waters (8–7‰). Its faunistic profile was dominated by mollusks D. cristata, D. hyrcana, D. subcatillus, Monodacna caspia, Dreissena polymorpha. The bottom of the passage in the central part of the Manych depression had absolute elevations of –13 to –9 m. Sedimentation in the passage was smooth, obviously due to its considerable width in the central part of depression. Landscapes of the central part of the Manych depression were in line with the interstadial climatic conditions (rather cool, with smaller seasonal contrasts and higher moistening than today). OSL dating received for the first time for the Hyrcanian deposits (middle part of the stratum) is 107±7 thousand years, thus relating the existence of the passage to MIS 5c-a epoch. The marine period of development of the central part of the depression was followed by a long-term lacustrine phase (the Burtass lake) in the second half of the Late Pleistocene.

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