Interpretation of past climatic changes around Tsokar Lake, Ladakh for the last 33 ka on the basis of chemical data

Abstract

Environmental changes during Late Quaternary for Tsokar Lake, Ladakh, J & K have been inferred based on the variations of K, Na, Mg, Fe and Mn, organic and mineral matter and authigenic phosphorus contents in sediments and 14C dates. The climatic conditions around Tsokar Lake, Ladakh has been deduced as dry arid immediately prior to 31·4 ka and alternated from dry arid to brief amelioration of climate till the beginning of Holocene The climate amelioration of Tsokar Lake around 16.8 ka correlates with the end of Philipi interstadial around 16 ka in Greece. The climatic amelioration around the last 10 ka also correlates with the infilling of lake basin of Rajasthan and Southern Ethiopia.