Darhad paleolake and Darhad glacial megafloods in the context of catafluvial events in North Asia in the Late Pleistocene

A set of geomorphological and geochronological studies was carried out aimed at determining the reasons for the formation of the periglacial Darhad paleolake and the age of the Darhad megafloods (glacial superflood). The main landforms and sedimentary strata from the Darhad Basin to the Western Sayan Ridge, formed in the zone of dynamic influence of the glacial superflood, are characterized. Based on analysis, satellite images, digital elevation model, mapping and reconstruction, new data were obtained on the conditions for the formation of the glacier dam in the valley of the Shishkhid-Gol. The confluence of the large glaciers Khara-Baryangiin-Gol and Ikh-Dzhams-Gol below the mouth of the Tengisiin-Gol formed a backwater of the Shishkhid-Gol with a height of 300 m. The presence of ancient coastlines up to an altitude of 1713 m in the immediate vicinity of the newly identified glacial dam indicates its dominant role in the formation of the Darhad paleolake. Within the Darhad Basin, as a result of an analysis of the absolute heights of the highest coastline of the Darhad paleolake, downward tectonic deformations were revealed over the last 18–23 ka with an amplitude of 27 m. As a result of field research and cosmogenic dating (10Be), the first dates were obtained for the exposure of boulders within four fields of gravel dunes, as well as an erratic boulder exposed within a bar in the valley of the Kaa-Khem. The age distribution of 14 samples showed a scatter of dates within the range of 38–18 ka, which have three peaks. Two of them correspond to two megafloods of 38–36 ka and 23–18 ka and one, intermediate, associated with intermittent exposure resulting from the impact of a second megaflood on boulder exposure within gravel dunes.

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