Late quaternary sediments, minerals, and inferred geochemical history of Didwana Lake, Thar Desert, India

Geochemical signatures of Late Holocene paleo-hydrological changes from Phulera and Pokharan saline playas near the eastern and western margins of the Thar Desert, India

“…Higher inflow to Lunkaransar during ca. 7.2-4.8 ka cal BP (Enzel et al, 1999) and high lake stand at Didwana between 6.9 and 4.7 ka cal BP (Wasson et al, 1984) have been related to strengthening of both summer and winter monsoon. Lueckge et al (2001) also noted dominant summer monsoon activity between 5.0 and 3.9 ka cal BP characterized by higher fluvial input to the north-eastern Arabian sea off Pakistan.…”

“…Earlier paleo-hydrological reconstructions by Wasson et al (1984), Singh et al (1990), Enzel et al (1999), Deotare et al (2004), Sinha and Raymahashay (2004), Roy et al (2006), Sinha et al (2006) suggest that most of the playas were hyper saline during the last glacial maximum (LGM) and until 13-15 ka cal BP and fluctuated between hypersaline and fresh water conditions during 13-7 ka cal BP. Some of the western playas dried around 5-6 ka cal BP, but the eastern playas remained fresh and perennial between 7 and 5 ka cal BP and re-establishment of ephemeral saline conditions occurred after ca.…”

Landscapes, soils, and mound histories of the Upper Indus Valley, Pakistan: new insights on the Holocene environments near ancient Harappa

“…Recent studies have consolidated information about the climatic and environmental changes across South Asia, with particular emphasis on the critical Early-Middle Holocene period [37]. Key data sets for the Upper Indus Harappan regions include the Ghaggar-Hakra plain for aeolian, and alluvial sequences [10]; Thar Desert paleolake chronologies [12,30,39,46]; and laminated (varved) sediments from marine cores off the Makran Coast [45]. The present study is one of the few based on paleosol chronologies.…”

Natural Variability of the Asian, Indian and African Monsoons over the Last 130 KA

“…The Holocene phase is characterized by an hydrological optimum dated 9.3-7.4 ka to 6 ka at Lake Didwana, followed by an increase of aridity with a new wetter episode peaking at 4.2 ka (Wasson et al 1984). Recent work confirm permanent freshwater conditions between c. 9 and 6 ka (Singh et al 1990).…”

“…The first effects of deglaciation are recorded at 12.8 ka, followed by a short arid episode during the Younger Dryas (Wasson et al 1983(Wasson et al , 1984.…”