High-amplitude lake-level changes in tectonically active Lake Issyk-Kul (Kyrgyzstan) revealed by high-resolution seismic reflection data

A total of 84 seismic profiles, mainly from the western and eastern deltas of Lake Issyk-Kul, were used to identify lake-level changes. Seven stratigraphic sequences were reconstructed, each containing a series of delta lobes that were formed during former lake-level stillstands or dur- ing slow lak...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Climate of the Past
Main Authors: Gebhardt, Andrea Catalina, Naudts, Lieven, De Mol, Lies, Klerkx, Jan, Abdrakhmatov, Kanatbek, Sobel, Edward R., De Batist, Marc
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:unknown
Published: 2017
Subjects:
Online Access:https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/43226/
https://epic.awi.de/id/eprint/43226/1/Gebhardtetal2017.pdf
https://doi.org/10.5194/cp-13-73-2017
https://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.49787
https://hdl.handle.net/10013/epic.49787.d001
Description
Summary:A total of 84 seismic profiles, mainly from the western and eastern deltas of Lake Issyk-Kul, were used to identify lake-level changes. Seven stratigraphic sequences were reconstructed, each containing a series of delta lobes that were formed during former lake-level stillstands or dur- ing slow lake-level increase or decrease. The lake level has experienced at least four cycles of stepwise rise and fall of 400 m or more. These fluctuations were mainly caused by past changes in the atmospheric circulation pattern. During periods of low lake levels, the Siberian High was likely to be strong, bringing dry air masses from the Mongolian steppe blocking the midlatitude Westerlies. During periods of high lake levels, the Siberian High must have been weaker or dis- placed, and the midlatitude Westerlies could bring moister air masses from the Mediterranean and North Atlantic regions.