Mediterranean-Paratethys connectivity during the Messinian salinity crisis: The Pontian of Azerbaijan

Prior to the onset of the Messinian Salinity Crisis, a connection was established between the Mediterranean Sea and the Paratethys region to the north. Rivers currently draining into the Caspian Sea thereby became important for the Mediterranean hydrological budget. The role of this connection and the influence of the Paratethys on the hydrological budget of the Mediterranean Sea during the Messinian Salinity Crisis is however poorly understood because of a lack of records in the Paratethys with a high-resolution (cyclostratigraphic) age model. Here, we present a high-resolution integrated stratigraphic study of a key section in the Caspian Sea region (Azerbaijan), to assess the connectivity of the Caspian Sea during the salinity crisis. The studied section spans the time interval between ~ 6.16 Ma and