On the discharge of bottom waters of the Northern Caspian into Derbent Depression through paleochannels.

Data of seismoacoustic survey of a paleochannel, discovered on the northwestern slope of Derbent Depression, and the results of observations of currents on the bed of this channel were used to show that cold water of the Northern Caspian discharges into Derbent Depression via this paleochannel, thus avoiding the transit along the western coast of the Middle Caspian. Tentative estimates show the water discharge through the channel into the bottom zone of the sea to amouns to ∼12 km/year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]