Contrasting late Miocene to present weathering regimes across the Khangay Mountains, Mongolia

Research reveals that the Khangay Mountains in central Mongolia experienced warmer and slightly more humid conditions from the late Miocene to Pliocene compared to today, aligning with long-term paleoclimate records. This finding was derived through an analysis of geochemical data from paleosols buried beneath basaltic lava flows, using indices like the Chemical Index of Alteration (CIA) and Plagioclase Index of Alteration (PIA). The study provides insights into landscape development and weathering regimes in this upland intracontinental setting, contrasting chemical and physical weathering processes over million-year scales. This work contributes to understanding late Cenozoic climate transitions and their impacts on terrestrial landscapes.

Bayasgalan, G., Wegmann, K. W., & Bayasgalan, A. (2022). Contrasting late Miocene to present weathering regimes across the Khangay Mountains, Mongolia. Journal of Asian Earth Sciences: X, 8, 100113. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaesx.2022.100113