Formation mechanisms of the Caspian transgressive seas in the Pleistocene

Abstract

The basis of the theory of evolution of transgressive the Akchagyl Sea is based on the hypothesis that the transgression was created by water coming from an as yet unidentified ocean. This causes some doubt due to the fact that in the Akchagyl time the ocean level was about 100 m below sea level. The article calculates changes in salinity in the sea. A comparison of the results of calculations with geological data shows that in reality the salinity of the water entering the sea was 2–3 orders of magnitude lower than the salinity of ocean water. Theoretically, only in 1000 years, the salinity of seawater was supposed to increase to 120‰, and geological studies showed that during the whole time of transgression the salinity of the water was not higher than 25‰. This indicates that during the transgression the water came not from the ocean, but from melting glaciers, i.e. water theoretically could not flow upwards, and it never really flowed upwards.