A >200 ka U-Th Based Chronology From Lacustrine Evaporites, Searles Lake, CA

Justin S. Stroup; Kristian J. Olson; Tim K. Lowenstein; Adam B. Jost; Hayley M. Mosher; Mark D. Peaple; Sarah J. Feakins; Christine Y. Chen; Steven P. Lund; David McGee

doi:10.1029/2022gc010685

A >200 ka U-Th Based Chronology From Lacustrine Evaporites, Searles Lake, CA

Justin S. Stroup, Kristian J. Olson, Tim K. Lowenstein, Adam B. Jost, Hayley M. Mosher, Mark D. Peaple, Sarah J. Feakins, Christine Y. Chen, Steven P. Lund, David McGee

Continental Scientific Drilling Facility

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Well-dated lacustrine records are essential to establish the timing and drivers of regional hydroclimate change. Searles Basin, California, records the depositional history of a fluctuating saline-alkaline lake in the terminal basin of the Owens River system draining the eastern Sierra Nevada. Here, we establish a U-Th chronology for the ∼76-m-long SLAPP-SLRS17 core collected in 2017 based on dating of evaporite minerals. Ninety-eight dated samples comprising nine different minerals were evaluated based on stratigraphic, mineralogic, textural, chemical, and reproducibility criteria. After the application of these criteria, a total of 37 dated samples remained as constraints for the age model. A lack of dateable minerals between 145 and 110 ka left the age model unconstrained over the penultimate glacial termination (Termination II). We thus established a tie point between plant wax δD values in the core and a nearby speleothem δ¹⁸O record at the beginning of the Last Interglacial. We construct a Bayesian age model allowing stratigraphy to inform sedimentation rate inflections. We find that the >210 ka SLAPP-SRLS17 record contains five major units that correspond with prior work. The new dating is broadly consistent with previous efforts but provides more precise age estimates and enables a detailed evaluation of evaporite depositional history. We also offer a substantial revision of the age of the Bottom Mud-Mixed Layer contact, shifting it from ∼130 ka to 178 ± 3 ka. The new U-Th chronology documents the timing of mud and salt layers and lays the foundation for climate reconstructions.

Original language	English (US)
Article number	e2022GC010685
Journal	Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Volume	24
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2022gc010685
State	Published - Mar 2023

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
This study was supported by U.S. National Science Foundation Grant NSF-EAR—1903519, 1903544, 1903659, and 1903665, respectively, to Stroup, McGee, Lowenstein, and Feakins and a Comer Science and Education Foundation Grant to McGee and Lowenstein. We thank Searles Valley Minerals and especially Jade Zimmerman for access, logistical support and local knowledge of the site. We thank Joe Janick for assistance during on-site drilling and initial core description. Support was provided by the CSD Facility, University of Minnesota, during core collection and during the initial core description, especially Ryan O’Grady, Kristina Brady, Mark Shapley, and Anders Noren. We thank Richard Frieman for technical support at SUNY Oswego. Special thanks to Maarten Blaauw for consultations regarding Bacon and its application to this sedimentary environment.

Funding Information:
This study was supported by U.S. National Science Foundation Grant NSF‐EAR—1903519, 1903544, 1903659, and 1903665, respectively, to Stroup, McGee, Lowenstein, and Feakins and a Comer Science and Education Foundation Grant to McGee and Lowenstein. We thank Searles Valley Minerals and especially Jade Zimmerman for access, logistical support and local knowledge of the site. We thank Joe Janick for assistance during on‐site drilling and initial core description. Support was provided by the CSD Facility, University of Minnesota, during core collection and during the initial core description, especially Ryan O’Grady, Kristina Brady, Mark Shapley, and Anders Noren. We thank Richard Frieman for technical support at SUNY Oswego. Special thanks to Maarten Blaauw for consultations regarding Bacon and its application to this sedimentary environment.

Publisher Copyright:
© 2023. The Authors.

Keywords

age model
evaporite minerals
geochronology
Owens River
Searles Lake
U-Th series

Continental Scientific Drilling Facility tags

SLAPP

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10.1029/2022gc010685

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@article{85e7d362c2da494ba49d653f96a059e9,

title = "A >200 ka U-Th Based Chronology From Lacustrine Evaporites, Searles Lake, CA",

abstract = "Well-dated lacustrine records are essential to establish the timing and drivers of regional hydroclimate change. Searles Basin, California, records the depositional history of a fluctuating saline-alkaline lake in the terminal basin of the Owens River system draining the eastern Sierra Nevada. Here, we establish a U-Th chronology for the ∼76-m-long SLAPP-SLRS17 core collected in 2017 based on dating of evaporite minerals. Ninety-eight dated samples comprising nine different minerals were evaluated based on stratigraphic, mineralogic, textural, chemical, and reproducibility criteria. After the application of these criteria, a total of 37 dated samples remained as constraints for the age model. A lack of dateable minerals between 145 and 110 ka left the age model unconstrained over the penultimate glacial termination (Termination II). We thus established a tie point between plant wax δD values in the core and a nearby speleothem δ18O record at the beginning of the Last Interglacial. We construct a Bayesian age model allowing stratigraphy to inform sedimentation rate inflections. We find that the >210 ka SLAPP-SRLS17 record contains five major units that correspond with prior work. The new dating is broadly consistent with previous efforts but provides more precise age estimates and enables a detailed evaluation of evaporite depositional history. We also offer a substantial revision of the age of the Bottom Mud-Mixed Layer contact, shifting it from ∼130 ka to 178 ± 3 ka. The new U-Th chronology documents the timing of mud and salt layers and lays the foundation for climate reconstructions.",

keywords = "age model, evaporite minerals, geochronology, Owens River, Searles Lake, U-Th series",

author = "Stroup, {Justin S.} and Olson, {Kristian J.} and Lowenstein, {Tim K.} and Jost, {Adam B.} and Mosher, {Hayley M.} and Peaple, {Mark D.} and Feakins, {Sarah J.} and Chen, {Christine Y.} and Lund, {Steven P.} and David McGee",

note = "Funding Information: This study was supported by U.S. National Science Foundation Grant NSF-EAR—1903519, 1903544, 1903659, and 1903665, respectively, to Stroup, McGee, Lowenstein, and Feakins and a Comer Science and Education Foundation Grant to McGee and Lowenstein. We thank Searles Valley Minerals and especially Jade Zimmerman for access, logistical support and local knowledge of the site. We thank Joe Janick for assistance during on-site drilling and initial core description. Support was provided by the CSD Facility, University of Minnesota, during core collection and during the initial core description, especially Ryan O{\textquoteright}Grady, Kristina Brady, Mark Shapley, and Anders Noren. We thank Richard Frieman for technical support at SUNY Oswego. Special thanks to Maarten Blaauw for consultations regarding Bacon and its application to this sedimentary environment. Funding Information: This study was supported by U.S. National Science Foundation Grant NSF‐EAR—1903519, 1903544, 1903659, and 1903665, respectively, to Stroup, McGee, Lowenstein, and Feakins and a Comer Science and Education Foundation Grant to McGee and Lowenstein. We thank Searles Valley Minerals and especially Jade Zimmerman for access, logistical support and local knowledge of the site. We thank Joe Janick for assistance during on‐site drilling and initial core description. Support was provided by the CSD Facility, University of Minnesota, during core collection and during the initial core description, especially Ryan O{\textquoteright}Grady, Kristina Brady, Mark Shapley, and Anders Noren. We thank Richard Frieman for technical support at SUNY Oswego. Special thanks to Maarten Blaauw for consultations regarding Bacon and its application to this sedimentary environment. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2023. The Authors.",

year = "2023",

month = mar,

doi = "10.1029/2022gc010685",

language = "English (US)",

volume = "24",

journal = "Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems",

issn = "1525-2027",

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T1 - A >200 ka U-Th Based Chronology From Lacustrine Evaporites, Searles Lake, CA

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AU - Olson, Kristian J.

AU - Lowenstein, Tim K.

AU - Jost, Adam B.

AU - Mosher, Hayley M.

AU - Peaple, Mark D.

AU - Feakins, Sarah J.

AU - Chen, Christine Y.

AU - Lund, Steven P.

AU - McGee, David

N1 - Funding Information: This study was supported by U.S. National Science Foundation Grant NSF-EAR—1903519, 1903544, 1903659, and 1903665, respectively, to Stroup, McGee, Lowenstein, and Feakins and a Comer Science and Education Foundation Grant to McGee and Lowenstein. We thank Searles Valley Minerals and especially Jade Zimmerman for access, logistical support and local knowledge of the site. We thank Joe Janick for assistance during on-site drilling and initial core description. Support was provided by the CSD Facility, University of Minnesota, during core collection and during the initial core description, especially Ryan O’Grady, Kristina Brady, Mark Shapley, and Anders Noren. We thank Richard Frieman for technical support at SUNY Oswego. Special thanks to Maarten Blaauw for consultations regarding Bacon and its application to this sedimentary environment. Funding Information: This study was supported by U.S. National Science Foundation Grant NSF‐EAR—1903519, 1903544, 1903659, and 1903665, respectively, to Stroup, McGee, Lowenstein, and Feakins and a Comer Science and Education Foundation Grant to McGee and Lowenstein. We thank Searles Valley Minerals and especially Jade Zimmerman for access, logistical support and local knowledge of the site. We thank Joe Janick for assistance during on‐site drilling and initial core description. Support was provided by the CSD Facility, University of Minnesota, during core collection and during the initial core description, especially Ryan O’Grady, Kristina Brady, Mark Shapley, and Anders Noren. We thank Richard Frieman for technical support at SUNY Oswego. Special thanks to Maarten Blaauw for consultations regarding Bacon and its application to this sedimentary environment. Publisher Copyright: © 2023. The Authors.

PY - 2023/3

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N2 - Well-dated lacustrine records are essential to establish the timing and drivers of regional hydroclimate change. Searles Basin, California, records the depositional history of a fluctuating saline-alkaline lake in the terminal basin of the Owens River system draining the eastern Sierra Nevada. Here, we establish a U-Th chronology for the ∼76-m-long SLAPP-SLRS17 core collected in 2017 based on dating of evaporite minerals. Ninety-eight dated samples comprising nine different minerals were evaluated based on stratigraphic, mineralogic, textural, chemical, and reproducibility criteria. After the application of these criteria, a total of 37 dated samples remained as constraints for the age model. A lack of dateable minerals between 145 and 110 ka left the age model unconstrained over the penultimate glacial termination (Termination II). We thus established a tie point between plant wax δD values in the core and a nearby speleothem δ18O record at the beginning of the Last Interglacial. We construct a Bayesian age model allowing stratigraphy to inform sedimentation rate inflections. We find that the >210 ka SLAPP-SRLS17 record contains five major units that correspond with prior work. The new dating is broadly consistent with previous efforts but provides more precise age estimates and enables a detailed evaluation of evaporite depositional history. We also offer a substantial revision of the age of the Bottom Mud-Mixed Layer contact, shifting it from ∼130 ka to 178 ± 3 ka. The new U-Th chronology documents the timing of mud and salt layers and lays the foundation for climate reconstructions.

AB - Well-dated lacustrine records are essential to establish the timing and drivers of regional hydroclimate change. Searles Basin, California, records the depositional history of a fluctuating saline-alkaline lake in the terminal basin of the Owens River system draining the eastern Sierra Nevada. Here, we establish a U-Th chronology for the ∼76-m-long SLAPP-SLRS17 core collected in 2017 based on dating of evaporite minerals. Ninety-eight dated samples comprising nine different minerals were evaluated based on stratigraphic, mineralogic, textural, chemical, and reproducibility criteria. After the application of these criteria, a total of 37 dated samples remained as constraints for the age model. A lack of dateable minerals between 145 and 110 ka left the age model unconstrained over the penultimate glacial termination (Termination II). We thus established a tie point between plant wax δD values in the core and a nearby speleothem δ18O record at the beginning of the Last Interglacial. We construct a Bayesian age model allowing stratigraphy to inform sedimentation rate inflections. We find that the >210 ka SLAPP-SRLS17 record contains five major units that correspond with prior work. The new dating is broadly consistent with previous efforts but provides more precise age estimates and enables a detailed evaluation of evaporite depositional history. We also offer a substantial revision of the age of the Bottom Mud-Mixed Layer contact, shifting it from ∼130 ka to 178 ± 3 ka. The new U-Th chronology documents the timing of mud and salt layers and lays the foundation for climate reconstructions.

KW - age model

KW - evaporite minerals

KW - geochronology

KW - Owens River

KW - Searles Lake

KW - U-Th series

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JF - Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems

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ER -

A >200 ka U-Th Based Chronology From Lacustrine Evaporites, Searles Lake, CA

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

Continental Scientific Drilling Facility tags

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