The Quaternary mapping of central North Iran has provided the first documentation
of the loess deposits of the area. The loess is derived from the adjoining flood
plains and has been transported by winds over relatively short distances at low
altitudes. An accumulation rate of about 12 cm/1000 years has been assumed which
implies that the investigatedNowdeh loess section, Mazandaran province, spans the
last 208000 years. Paleoclmatic evidence indicates the loess of central North Iran
was deposited under cold, dry and windy conditions interrupted by short, war~
periods represented by paleosol formation.
The loess-paleosol sequence of the Nowdeh section corresponds to the Riss
Glaciation, Riss-wilrm interglacial, wilrm Glaciation and the present interglacial.
The reflection of world-wide paleoclimatic fluctuations in the loess record is
demonstrated by a fairly good correlation with deep sea core data. Both the loesspaleosol
stratigraphy and the reconstructed kd/cl (coarse silt/ clay ratio) curve seem
to reflect the 20/000-year and the 100/000-yearcycles which, tentatively, permit the
prediction that the inception of the next windy, cold and dry phase will be in
approximately 6/000 years time, while its major peak will be in 56000 years time.