Low-temperature thermal history and landscape development of the eastern Adirondack Mountains, New York: Constraints from apatite fission-track thermochronology and apatite (U-Th)/He dating

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2011 Low-temperature thermal history and landscape development of the eastern Adirondack Mountains, New York: Constraints from apatite fission-track thermochronology and apatite (U-Th)/He dating Joshua P. Taylor; Joshua P. Taylor † Department of Earth Sciences, 204 Heroy Geology Laboratory, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA †E-mail: jtaylo03@syr.edu Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Paul G. Fitzgerald Paul G. Fitzgerald Department of Earth Sciences, 204 Heroy Geology Laboratory, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Joshua P. Taylor † Department of Earth Sciences, 204 Heroy Geology Laboratory, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA Paul G. Fitzgerald Department of Earth Sciences, 204 Heroy Geology Laboratory, Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York 13244, USA †E-mail: jtaylo03@syr.edu Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 24 Jul 2009 Revision Received: 31 Jan 2010 Accepted: 08 Mar 2010 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 © 2011 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2011) 123 (3-4): 412–426. https://doi.org/10.1130/B30138.1 Article history Received: 24 Jul 2009 Revision Received: 31 Jan 2010 Accepted: 08 Mar 2010 First Online: 08 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Joshua P. Taylor, Paul G. Fitzgerald; Low-temperature thermal history and landscape development of the eastern Adirondack Mountains, New York: Constraints from apatite fission-track thermochronology and apatite (U-Th)/He dating. GSA Bulletin 2011;; 123 (3-4): 412–426. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B30138.1 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 The Adirondack Mountains in northern New York State form an elongate, domal exposure of mainly high-grade metamorphic tectonites in a mountainous setting with topographic relief of ∼1 km. The origin of the Adirondack Mountains and this relief has long been enigmatic, since the Adirondacks presently lie within an intracratonic setting, inboard of the North American passive margin and far from any active plate boundaries. Through the application of apatite fission-track (AFT) thermochronology and apatite (U-Th)/He (AHe) dating within the eastern Adirondack Mountains, this study provides constraints on both the thermal and erosional effects of Mesozoic passage near a hotspot and the timing of relief development.AFT thermochronology and AHe dating record relatively stable thermal conditions within the eastern Adirondacks from the Middle Jurassic into the Early Cretaceous. During the Early Cretaceous (ca. 130–120 Ma), the region underwent heating associated with progressive movement near the Great Meteor hotspot, resulting in the temporary establishment of an elevated geothermal gradient. Following regional heating, cooling rates increased considerably (ca. 105–95 Ma), likely due to both thermal doming, producing an increase in erosion rate, and the relaxation of isotherms after passage near the hotspot.The regional distribution of AFT ages across the eastern Adirondacks reveals no systematic age gradient from core to periphery, which would be expected under conditions of persistent high relief during the decay of a crustal root over many tens to hundreds of millions of years. Instead, thermochronological data suggest that the present relief developed during the Late Cretaceous–Cenozoic through plateau dissection during periodic base-level changes. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.