Late Pleistocene cryogenesis in the Lower Volga River region
Abstract
The article presents the results of studying the evidences of cryogenesis in alluvial and loess-soil deposits of the Lower Volga River region. Four stages of the development of permafrost processes during the Late Pleistocene were newly recognized for the region through the example of the Srednyaya Akhtuba reference section. The processes of cryogenic transformation of sediments under seasonal freezing and the existence of perennial permafrost during the Late Pleistocene predetermined the composition, structure and properties of loess and paleosoils. Cryolithological, particle size and micromorphological analyzes of mineral matter were carried out for each horizon and the evidences of cryogenic processes were described to evaluate the paleogeographic conditions of their formation. The age of the main stages of cryogenic processes in the Lower Volga River region was determined by the optically stimulated luminescence method. The fourth stage of cryogenic processes took place during MIS-4 under the Atelian regression of the Caspian Sea. The third stage is expressed as large wedge-shaped structures (pseudomorphoses) on the border of loess and alluvial horizon; their formation relates to the degradation of ice wedges. During the first and second stages of freezing plastic deformations of sediments occurred.
Keywords
loess,
paleopermafrost,
cryogenic weathering,
coefficient of cryogenic contrast,
luminescent dating,
wedge-like structures,
pseudomorphs
Supporting agencies: The study was financially supported by the Russian Science Foundation (project no. 16-17-10103 – field works and absolute dating) and the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (projects no. 18-05-00376 – lithological studies, and 18-35-00619 – cryolithological studies).
About the Authors
V. V. Rogov
Lomonosov Moscow State University;
Earth Cryosphere Institute
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Faculty of Geography, Department of Cryolithology and Glaciology, Professor, D.Sc. in Geography;
Tyumen Scientific Centre SB RAS, Laboratory of Cryotraceology, Senior Scientific Researcher
I. D. Streletskaya
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Faculty of Geography, Department of Cryolithology and Glaciology, Associate Professor, PhD in Geography
N. A. Taratunina
Institute of Geography RAS;
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Departament of Quaternary paleogeography, junior, researcher, no academic degree;
Faculty of Geography, Laboratory of Recent Deposits and Pleistocene Paleogeography
A. N. Kurchatova
Earth Cryosphere Institute
Russian Federation
Tyumen Scientific Centre SB RAS, Laboratory of Cryotraceology, Senior Scientific Researcher
Russian Federation
Tyumen Scientific Centre SB RAS, Laboratory of Cryotraceology, Senior Scientific Researcher
R. N. Kurbanov
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Russian Federation
Faculty of Geography, Laboratory of Recent Deposits and Pleistocene Paleogeography, Senior Scientific Researcher, PhD in Geography
T. A. Yanina
Lomonosov Moscow State University
Russian Federation
Faculty of Geography, Department of Geomorphology and Paleogeography, Professor, D.Sc. in Geography
Russian Federation
Faculty of Geography, Department of Geomorphology and Paleogeography, Professor, D.Sc. in Geography
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Review
For citations:
Rogov V.V., Streletskaya I.D., Taratunina N.A., Kurchatova A.N., Kurbanov R.N., Yanina T.A. Late Pleistocene cryogenesis in the Lower Volga River region. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 5, Geografiya. 2020;(6):73-85. (In Russ.)
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