Study of Sediments in the Yutian‐Hotan Oasis, South Xinjiang, China

Abstract  Based on investigation of sediments in the Yutian‐Hotan Oasis at the southern margin of the Tarim basin, 14C ages and grain‐size and chemical element analyses, the following views are put forward in this paper. Sediments in the Yutian‐Hotan Oasis are composed chiefly of “oasis soil”, similar to the recent oasis soil, i.e. brown desert soil, which was formed due to pedogenesis after aeolian sand (sandy loam) and dust (loess) of 3.32–6.64ϕwere deposited. The ancient Yutian‐Hotan Oasis represented by oasis soil was formed at 13000 a B.P. During the cold period of the past 13000 years, this region is characterized mainly by accumulation of sand and dust storms, and sandy oasis soil was developed in this region due to pedogenesis in an oasis environment; during the warm period, dust falls predominated along with certain current concomitants (lacustrine facies), and silty oasis soil was formed by pedogenesis. Owing to fluctuations of cold and warm climates since 13000 a B.P., sandy oasis soil was deposited alternately with silty oasis soil and lacustrine soils. Nevertheless, the Yutian‐Hotan Oasis has been preserved and developing continuously towards the contemporary time. At the latest, the oasis became an important site of human inhabitancy at 10000 a B.P., and since then it has been an important base for the propagation and activity of local people in the Tarim Basin.