The late Quaternary development of the Lower Volga region of Russia is characterized by an alternating influence of marine and continental environments resulting from fluctuations in Caspian Sea level during the last glaciation. However, sediments deposited under continental conditions have received very little research attention compared to the under- and overlying marine deposits, such that even their origin is still in debate. Detailed magnetic mineralogical analyses presented here show clear similarities to loess. The results suggest that climate during the time of loess deposition, the Atelian regression (27–80 ka, MIS 4–3), was dry and cool, similar to the modern-day Northern Caspian lowland. The magnetic properties recorded in the loess-paleosol sequences of the Lower Volga also point to short episodes of potentially more humid and warmer climate during the late Atelian. The new findings in regard to the local Caspian climate and environmental evolution support decreased river discharge from the Russian Plain and Siberian Plain as the dominant factor causing the low Caspian sea level stand during the Atelian, although local-regional climate changes might have had an additional influence.

中文翻译：

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俄罗斯下伏尔加黄土层序晚第四纪环境演化的环境磁学研究

俄罗斯伏尔加河下游地区晚第四纪发展的特点是由于末次冰期里海平面的波动导致海洋和大陆环境的交替影响。然而，与海底和上覆的海洋沉积物相比，在大陆条件下沉积的沉积物很少受到研究关注，因此甚至它们的起源仍然存在争议。此处介绍的详细磁性矿物学分析显示与黄土有明显的相似之处。结果表明，在黄土沉积期间，Atelian回归（27-80 ka，MIS 4-3）的气候干燥凉爽，类似于现代北里海低地。记录在伏尔加河下游黄土-古土壤序列中的磁性也表明在阿泰利安晚期可能出现更潮湿和更温暖的气候的短暂事件。关于当地里海气候和环境演变的新发现支持俄罗斯平原和西伯利亚平原的河流流量减少是导致阿泰利安期间里海海平面低的主要因素，尽管局部区域气候变化可能有额外的影响影响。