Late Quaternary Lacustrine Storm Deposits: Sedimentological Properties and Regional Significance (Lake Van Basin-Eastern Turkey)

Abstract

Coastal environments are exposed to frequent and intense storm events which are one of the most important elements of sedimentation dynamics in nearshore environments. However, lacustrine storm deposits are rare Late Quaternary sediments of the Lake Van Basin, Turkey, which allow to analyse that kind of storm deposits in a closed lacustrine basin. The storm-induced sedimentary structures evaluated in these deposits reflect erosional and depositional storm processes and encompass erosional surfaces, graded bedding, wave-ripple crossbeds, parallel bedding, shell beds and biogenetic escape structures. They are present in both marginal and relatively deeper lacustrine facies. Evaluations of sedimentological and palaeontological features of storm deposits together with modern storm records of the Lake Van indicate intense storm effect on sedimentation.