Cosmogenic nuclide and uranium-series dating of old, high shorelines in the western Great Basin, USA

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2011 Cosmogenic nuclide and uranium-series dating of old, high shorelines in the western Great Basin, USA Gabrielle Kurth; Gabrielle Kurth * 1Department of Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Tech, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, New Mexico 87801, USA *Current address: O'Reilly, Talbot & Okun Associates, Inc., 293 Bridge Street, Springfield, Massachusetts 01375, USA. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Fred M. Phillips; Fred M. Phillips † 1Department of Earth and Environmental Science, New Mexico Tech, 801 Leroy Place, Socorro, New Mexico 87801, USA †E-mail: phillips@nmt.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Marith C. Reheis; Marith C. Reheis 2U.S. Geological Survey, MS 980, Box 25046, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225-0046, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Joanna L. Redwine; Joanna L. Redwine 3Desert Research Institute, 2215 Raggio Parkway, Reno, Nevada 89512, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar James B. Paces James B. Paces 2U.S. Geological Survey, MS 980, Box 25046, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225-0046, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (2011) 123 (3-4): 744–768. https://doi.org/10.1130/B30010.1 Article history received: 14 Jan 2009 rev-recd: 04 Feb 2010 accepted: 09 Feb 2010 first online: 08 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Gabrielle Kurth, Fred M. Phillips, Marith C. Reheis, Joanna L. Redwine, James B. Paces; Cosmogenic nuclide and uranium-series dating of old, high shorelines in the western Great Basin, USA. GSA Bulletin 2011;; 123 (3-4): 744–768. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B30010.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Closed-basin pluvial lakes are sensitive recorders of effective moisture, and they provide a terrestrial signal of climate change that can be compared to marine and ice records of glacial-interglacial cycles. Although the most recent deep-lake cycle in the western Great Basin (at ca. 16 ka) has been studied intensively, comparatively little is known about the longer-term Quaternary lacustrine history of the region. Lacustrine features higher than those of the most recent highstand have been discovered in many locations throughout the western Great Basin. Qualitative geomorphic and soil studies of shoreline sequences above the latest Pleistocene level suggest that their ages increase as a function of increasing altitude.The results of cosmogenic nuclide dating using chlorine-36 depth profiles from three sites in Nevada (Walker Lake, Columbus Salt Marsh, and Newark Valley), combined with uranium-series and radiocarbon ages, corroborate the geomorphic and soil evidence. The 36Cl results are consistent with available 14C ages and together indicate that the most recent highstands of all three lakes occurred ca. 20–15 ka, late in marine isotope stage (MIS) 2, as shown by previous ages. The 36Cl ages indicate that older lakes in all three basins reached highstands between 100 and 50 ka, and most likely during MIS 4. Shorelines of this age are at about the same or higher altitudes as the younger, MIS 2 shorelines in those basins. The 36Cl results combined with uranium-series ages and one tephra correlation obtained on shorelines higher in altitude than those of MIS 4 and 2 lakes suggest that there were also major lake highstands in the western Great Basin at ca. 100–200 ka, likely corresponding with MIS 6, and during at least two older periods. From these results, we conclude that the preserved shorelines show an apparent decrease in maximum levels with time, suggesting long-term drying of the region since the early middle Pleistocene. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.