Paleogeography of the Late Pleistocene Caspian Basins: Geochronometry, paleomagnetism, paleotemperature, paleosalinity and oxygen isotopes

The sequences of various facies of Upper Khazarian sediments on the right bank of the Lower Volga south of Volgograd were dated using four independent dating techniques: Thorium–Uranium, thermoluminescence, electron spin resonance, and paleomagnetism. A reliable correlation of the Late Khazarian Basin with MIS 5 was obtained: the transgressive phase corresponds to MIS 5.5, and the regressive to MIS 5.4–5.1. Quantitative estimations of paleotemperature and paleosalinity for the Caspian Late Pleistocene basins show the highest salinity values correspond to the transgression maxima. The highest (summer) paleotemperatures were also recorded in the maximum phases of the Late Khazarian and Early Khvalynian transgressions. The isotopic composition of water oxygen in the Late Khazarian, Early and Late Khvalynian basins was estimated.