%0 Journal Article %A CHUN Xi %A CHEN Fahu %A FAN Yuxin %A XIA Dunsheng %A ZHAO Hui %T Evidence of Palaeolake Existence in Ulan Buh Desert and Its Environmental Evolution %D 2009 %R 10.11821/xb200903009 %J Acta Geographica Sinica %P 339-348 %V 64 %N 3 %X

There are numerous dry salt lakes in the hinterland of the Ulan Buh Desert and around them are lakeshore terraces at different heights. The Herom Xil spit discovered in extensive field investigation is the most typical among them. The spit falls from northwest to southeast with elevations ranging between 1052-1035 m a.s.l. and has a length of 11 km. This is an important evidence for the existence and development of the palaeolake. The spit was formed during the period 8.6-7 ka B.P. in early Holocene, based on the OSL dating on beach sediment. The period was coincident with the moist environment observed in many deserts of western China. The strong palaeowind, rich lake sediment sources and currents of Jarantai and Hetao palaeolakes led to the formation of the spit. According to the elevation of the spit, we estimated that in the Ulan Buh Desert hinterland developed a relatively large palaeolake which extended to Jarantai basin westward and to Hetao basin eastward, and thus formed Jarantai megalake in Holocene. With the intensification of dry climate, the palaeolake level declined and the area shrank. Furthermore, numerous lakes remained and evolved into salt lakes in the hinterland of the Ulan Buh Desert. The sands around the palaeolake might have resulted in the formation of the present Ulan Buh Desert.

%U https://www.geog.com.cn/EN/10.11821/xb200903009