What are the drivers of Caspian Sea level variation during the late Quaternary?

Quaternary Caspian Sea level variations depended on geophysical processes (affecting the opening and closing of gateways basin size/shape) hydro-climatological water balance). Disentangling drivers past variation, as well mechanisms by which they impacted is much debated. In this study we examine relative impacts hydroclimatic change, ice-sheet accumulation melt, isostatic adjustment change. We performed model analysis hydroclimate compared these with newly collated published palaeo-Caspian sea data for last glacial cycle. used palaeoclimate simulations from a global coupled ocean-atmosphere-vegetation climate model, HadCM3, ICE-6G_C model. Our results show that meltwater during cycle played vital role in variations, agreement hypotheses based information. The effect was directly linked to reorganization expansion palaeo-drainage system resulting topographic combined contributions runoff expanded area were primary factors transgression deglaciation period between 20 15 kyr BP. Their impact evolution lasted until around 13 Millennial scale events (Heinrich Younger Dryas) negatively surface budget but their influence variation short-lived outweighed massive contribution over basin.