Quaternary sediment sources and loess transport pathways in the Black Sea - Caspian Sea region identified by detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology

Constraining the controls on distribution of sediment at a continental scale is critical step in understanding long-term landscape and climate evolution. In particular, role rivers wider routing impacts aeolian loess formation remains limited. Extensive Quaternary deposits are present East European Plain Black Sea - Caspian region associated with major draining numerous surrounding cratonic orogenic hinterland areas. Coupled this, complex changes local global sea level have affected extent drainage Sea, glaciations impinged northern margin Plain. This suggests that may show patterns controls. Here, we apply UPb dating detrital zircons from fluvial, marine (dominantly loess) sedimentary records region. shows strong control large sediments region, through long-distance transport several 1000 km, sourced mountain glacier areas prior to or atmospheric reworking transportation. Strong spatial variability zircon data reveals multiple diverse sources different individual sections, whereas no significant temporal source detected during Late Pleistocene Lower Volga South Russia. While supply glacial via plays an important for provenance deposits, our indicate stark diversity often driven by input sources. Similar loess, basins also variability. controlled bathymetry seas, leading intermixing currents within, but not between separated basins. A direct comparison same depositional site although both dominantly river containing far travelled material, play more many deposits.