Sediment flux to Lake Baikal (Siberia, Russia): Modeling approach

Preliminary results of modeling of annual variability in suspended particle matter (SPM) in Lake Baikal are presented together with outline of major present-day sedimentary environments, and variation in sedimentation patterns in drilled sections (spanning several million years) from the lake. The model predicts the SPM concentration, sedimentation, resuspension, mixing and mineralization in the lake on a monthly basis, using parameters describing the lake geometry and the climate in the catchment. Results of the modeling are generally in agreement with empirical data and indicate that the model accounts well for the relatively large volume and variable conditions occurring in Lake Baikal. The model also seems to have large potential in predicting variability of sediment flux and mass balance in the lake in the past.