Element Geochemistry of Lake Sediments from L07-10 in the "Great Ear" Area of Lop Nur and Its Significance for Climate Variation Change with ICP-OES.

ABSTRACT

Spectral analysis techniques were applied to geochemical element analysis to provide additional environmental data about evolution of salt lakes and climate change. The elements composition of lake sediments from L07-10 in the "Great Ear" Area of Lop Nur was analyzedby using Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometer (ICP-OES )and from 14 C carbon dating by using the EN accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS).This paper estimated the climate change in this region since 16.34 ka BP. Results demonstrate that the geochemical characteristics of major elements at all sediment levels can indicate environmental change sensitivity, and element composition is more sensitive to climate change. Overall, climate succession since 16.34 ka BP had been warm-wet, warm-dry, cold-wet and warm-dry. From 8.09~6.34 ka BP，the climate obviously heated up and was warmer and drier, which is consistent with global and regional climate change estimates from other studies. By about 2 ka BP, the climate becomes warmer and drier and the water carrying capacity of this lake was reduced.