The Absolute Age and Conditions of Formation of the Ridge Deposits of the Tobol-Ishim Interfluve

The purpose of the work is the origin of the ridges of the Tobol-Ishim interfluve, linearly elongated, subparallel landforms, oriented from northeast to southwest, formed on different elements of the ancient relief. This topical issue has been the subject of discussion in the fields of geomorphology and paleogeography for many years. In order to achieve this, it was necessary to reconstruct the conditions of formation and age of the ridge deposits using field and analytical methods (granulometry, morphoscopy, specific magnetic susceptibility and cryogenic contrast coefficient). The ridges are everywhere composed of yellowish-brown, low-sorted fine sand with a large proportion of clayey and silt components. This indicates their accumulation in uniform aeolian conditions. This is confirmed by the results of morphoscopy of quartz grains (the proportion of particles with traces of aeolian action ranges from 68–72 to 100%), enveloping parallel layering, constant values of specific magnetic susceptibility according to the profiles of ridge sections, the same orientation of ridges, the rare occurrence of paleontological remains, and blowing basins. The ratio of blowing basins with the crests and hills located to the east of them reflects the predominance of westerly winds during their formation. The upper part of the ridge sections is a facies difference of cover loess-like sediments, with a sharp lower boundary overlying the underlying sediments of different origin and age. The ridge strata differ from inter- and extra-ridge sediments due to the different dynamics of sedimentogenesis and hypergenesis. In the upper parts of the ridge sections, the effect of cryogenesis on sediments is especially noticeable. The proportion of quartz grains with traces of cryogenic impact ranges from 36–68 to 64–96%. During the formation of ridges, the climate changed from moderately humid to cold arid. Low cryogenic contrast coefficient values are indicators of seasonal permafrost and positive average annual soil temperatures. Single high cryogenic contrast coefficient values are witnesses of continuous permafrost, low soil temperature, the existence of landscapes of cold semi-deserts and deserts. By the method of optical-stimulated luminescence from ridge sediments, dates in the chronointerval from ~34 to ~26 thous. years ago were obtained.

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