Geomorphological evidence of Lake Ladoga Holocene regressions after the Baltic Ice lake drainage (derived from sediment echosounder data)

Abstract

Abstract. Lake Ladoga has been experiencing frequent water-level fluctuations during the Holocene. Plenty surveys about reconstructions of lake level were published during the last century. They focused on the onshore transgressive sediments and landforms, while a regression below present level was only an assumption. Here for the first time, we present indications of lake-level lowstands by means of sediment echosounder data collected within the PLOT-project . Three types of landforms of coastal and terrestrial origin are detected in the basin. These are coastal bars, erosional terraces and buried erosional valleys. Three paleo-shorelines were determined at depths of 13, 21 and 40-42 m. The first two shorelines are identified by the presence of the coastal bars, while the level of maximum regression is obtained from erosional marks. Reported landforms are assumed to be formed in the Early Holocene following the Baltic Ice Lake drainage.