Orbital signals found in physical and chemical properties of bottom sediments from Lake Baikal

Physical and chemical properties of two 100 m sediment cores (BDP-93-1, 93-2) obtained from the Buguldeika saddle of Lake Baikal in the eastern Siberia and a 14C-based age scale for the core show that the core bottom is about 400 000 years ago and that the changes in the sedimentological environment of the area during the interval were that comparatively coarse and high C/N ratio sediments accumulated in the lake during interglacial periods, and fine material and low C/N ratio during glacial periods. The tentative age scale suggests that the first excursion in the earth's magnetic field at about 26 m (BDP-93-1 and 93-2) from the sediment surface corresponds to the Blake event. Statistical analyses of the data-sets for the some properties show that the fluctuations have distinct periods; 20000 years, 40000 years and 100000 years, that are related to the Milankovitch parameters and support that the tentative age scale is approximately acceptable.