Seismic investigations of lakes sediments as the basis of paleogeographic and paleoclimatic reconstructions

Abstract

© SGEM2019. Seismic studies are used to solve a wide range of different tasks, such as studying the bottom profile of water bodies and bottom sediments, detecting sunken objects, designing various structures (pipelines, port facilities, etc.), estimating the thickness of sapropel deposits, calculating their reserves, etc. In terms of paleoclimatic reconstructions the importance of such studies is increasing. Lake deposits are sensitive archives that provide continuous and high-resolution records of environmental change. In the process of sedimentation, the bottom sediments of modern lakes react very sensitively to climate changes due to changes in the nature and speed of terrigenous material, changes in the lake level and its area, and changes in its biological productivity. More detailed studies of paleoclimatic processes and events are usually carried out on bottom sediment columns, which are analyzed using various laboratory methods: Biological, petrophysical, chemical and isotopic measurements etc. Formation of deposits, even in small lakes, occurs when a multitude of factors overlap. In order to obtain core sediments that allow to get the most complete and reliable results of paleoclimatic and paleogeographic studies, it is necessary to choose the core sampling points reasonably. Preliminary seismic studies can successfully solve such problems. This study presents a detailed analysis of the seismic sections of the different lakes located in the Volga Region and South Ural Region (Russia).