Plio-Pleistocene establishment of Irtysh River in Junggar, Northwest China: implications for Siberian-Arctic river system evolution and resulting climate impact

Ma, Y., Zheng, D., Zhang, H., Pang, J., Wang, W., Wang, Y., Wu, Y., He, H., Stuart, F. M. and Xu, S. (2021) Plio-Pleistocene establishment of Irtysh River in Junggar, Northwest China: implications for Siberian-Arctic river system evolution and resulting climate impact. Geophysical Research Letters, 48(12), e2021GL093. (doi: 10.1029/2021GL093217)

Abstract

The influence of Siberian freshwater input to the Arctic Ocean on Northern Hemisphere ice-sheet expansions remains poorly known due to the incomplete geologic record of Siberian-Arctic river systems during the late Pliocene. The Irtysh River is a major Siberian river, rising from the Altay Mountains, northwestern China, and flowing 4,282 km before joining the Ob River. Here, we present new field evidence and chronological data from a combination of cosmogenic 21Ne and 26Al/10Be measurements that constrain the establishment of the Irtysh River to ca. 2.77+0.39/-0.33 Ma. These first quantitative chronological results, together with previous sedimentological, geomorphological, and geochemical evidence, support a young Siberian-Arctic river system. Its coincidence with the late Pliocene ice-sheet expansions in the Northern Hemisphere implies a profound impact of Siberian freshwater input to the Arctic on the major ice advances that significantly affected global oceanographic and climatic systems.

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Xu, Dr Sheng and Stuart, Professor Fin
• Authors: Ma, Y., Zheng, D., Zhang, H., Pang, J., Wang, W., Wang, Y., Wu, Y., He, H., Stuart, F. M., and Xu, S.
• College/School: College of Science and Engineering > Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre
• Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters
• Publisher: Wiley
• ISSN: 0094-8276
• ISSN (Online): 1944-8007
• Published Online: 13 June 2021
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2021 American Geophysical Union
• First Published: First published in Geophysical Research Letters 48(12):e2021GL093
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher