On the origin of the depression west of Baikal

Abstract

The paper discusses the problem of the origin of a large depression west of the Baikal Lake. It is argued that the depression was not due to tectonics (the earthcrust down-warping) but resulted from karst processes and the loss of soluble matter (halyte) from the sedimentary cover, which brought about the sediments shrinkage and the surface lowering, the deep depression thus being formed.