Paleoclimate Records from the Lake Baikal Sediments and Lava Formations of the South Baikal Volcanic Area

Five boreholes, drilled in different geological structures of Lake Baikal by the International Baikal Drilling Project, allowed us to obtain unique paleoclimatic records, which can be regarded as being representative of continental Asia. One of the most sensitive paleoclimate proxies in the sedimentary core is the number of diatoms, and correspondingly the amount of biogenic silica. The major and trace elements, the magnetic susceptibility, the clay mineral composition, and a number of other parameters also reflect changes in the environment and the climate.