Elemental geochemistry and paleoenvironment evolution of Shell Bar section at Qarhan in the Qaidam Basin, China

Based on the analyses results of the major and trace elements of the acid soluble (AS) and insoluble (AI) fractions of the Shell Bar section from the Qaidam Basin(QB) in the NE Tibetan Plateau(TP), and the correlations between the related elements and their ratios, the depositional environment of the section was discussed. The results show that the major and trace elements and their ratios of AS are good proxies of the salinity, redox condition and the temperature of lake, and the elements and their ratios of AI were related with source material and chemical weathering. According to these proxies and analyses results, we reconstructed the paleoclimate and water level fluctuation history during the high lake level period lasting between 43.5 and 22.4 cal. ka BP.