Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-q99xh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-19T06:40:47.909Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Wisconsin Glaciation of the Sierra Nevada (79,000–15,000 yr B.P.) as Recorded by Rock Flour in Sediments of Owens Lake, California

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

James L. Bischoff  and
Kathleen Cummins
James L. Bischoff
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California 94025, E-mail: [email protected]
Kathleen Cummins
Affiliation:
Department of Earth Sciences, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California 90089
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Chemical analyses of the clay-sized fractions of 564 continuous sediment samples (200-yr resolution) from composite core OL90/92 allow quantification of an abundance of glacial rock flour. Rock flour produced during glacier advances is represented by clay-sized plagioclase, K-feldspar, and biotite in homogeneous internal composition. The abundance of rock flour is deemed proportional to the intensity of glacies advances. Age control for the composite section is provided by combining previously published radiocarbon dates on organics, U/Th dates on ostracode shells, and U/Th dates on saline minerals from nearby Searles Lake correlated to OL92 by pollen. The rock flour record displays three levels of variability: (1) a dominant one of about 20,000 yr related to summer insolation and precipitation; (2) an intermediate one of 3000–5000 yr, perhaps related to North Atlantic Heinrich events; and (3) a minor one of 1000–2000 yr, perhaps related to North Atlantic thermohaline-driven air-temperature variation.

Keywords

Wisconsin Glaciationrock flourSierra NevadaOwens Lake
Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 55 , Issue 1 , January 2001 , pp. 14 - 24
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bard, E., Arnold, M., Hamelin, B., Tisnerat-Laborde, N., Cabioch, G., (1998). Radiocarbon calibration by means of mass spectrometric 230Th/234U and 14C ages of corals: An updated database including samples from Barbados, Mururoa and Tahiti. Radiocarbon, 40, 1085–1092.Google Scholar
Bateman, P.C., (1961). Granitic formations in the east-central Sierra Nevada near Bishop, California. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 72, 1521–1538.Google Scholar
Bender, M.J., Sowers, T., Dickson, M-L., Orchardo, J., Grootes, P., Mayewski, P., Meese, D., (1994). Climate correlations between Greenland and Anarctica during the past 100,000 yrs. Nature, 372, 663–666.Google Scholar
Benson, L.V., Burdett, J.W., Kashgarian, M., Lund, S.P., Phillips, F.M., Rye, R.O., (1996). Climatic and hydrologic oscillations in the Owens Lake Basin and adjacent Sierra Nevada, California. Science, 274, 746–749.Google Scholar
Benson, L.V., May, H.M., Antweiler, R.C., Brinton, T.I., (1998). Continuous lake-sediment records of glaciation in the Sierra Nevada between 52,600 and 12,500 14C yr B.P. Quaternary Research, 50, 113–127.Google Scholar
Bischoff, J. L, Ed, (1998). The Last Interglaciation at Owens Lake, California: Core OL-92, U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 98-132. (11 chapters, 184 pp).Google Scholar
Bischoff, J. L., Bullen, T. D., Canavan, R. W. IV, and Forester, R. M., (1998a). A test of uranium-series dating of ostracode shells from the last interglaciation at Owens Lake, California, core OL-92.. In The Last Interglaciation at Owens Lake, California: Core OL-92J., Bischoff, L., Ed., U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 98–132., pp. 180–186.Google Scholar
Bischoff, J. L., Chazan, D., and Canavan, R. W. IV, (1998b). A high-resolution study of sediments from the last interglaciation at Owens Lake, California: Geochemistry of sediments in core OL-92, 83-32 m depth.. In The Last Interglaciation at Owens Lake, California: Core OL-92J., Bischoff, L., Ed., U.S. Geological Survey Open File Report 98–132., pp. 35–65.Google Scholar
Bischoff, J.L., Fitts, J.P., Fitzpatrick, J.A., (1997). Responses of sediment geochemistry to climate change.Smith, G.I., Bischoff, J. An 800,000-year Paleoclimatic Record from Core OL-92, Owens Lake, Southeast California, 37–47.Google Scholar
Bischoff, J.L., Menking, K.M., Fitts, J.P., Fitzpatrick, J.A., (1997). Climatic oscillations 10,000–155,000 yr B.P. at Owens Lake, California, reflected in glacial rock flour abundance and lake salinity in core OL-92. Quaternary Research, 48, 313–325.Google Scholar
Bischoff, J.L., Rosenbauer, R.J., Smith, G.I., (1985). Uranium-series dating of sediments from Searles Lake, California: Differences between continental and marine climate records. Science, 227, 1221–1222.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blackwelder, E., (1931). Pleistocene glaciation in the Sierra Nevada and basin and ranges. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 42, 865–922.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bond, G.C., Showers, W., Elliot, M., Lotti, R., Hajdas, I., Bonani, G., Johnson, S., (1999). The North Atlantic's 1–2 kyr climate rhythm: Relation to Heinrich events, Dansgaard/Oeschger cycles and the Little Ice Age.Clark, P.U., Webb, R.S., Keigwin, L.D. Mechanisms of Global Climate Change at Millennial Time Scales, Am. Geophys. Union, Washington.35–58.Google Scholar
Bradbury, J.P., Paquette, M., (1998). Diatom count data and Owens Lake paleolimnology during the last interglacial.Bischoff, J.L. The Last Interglaciation at Owens Lake, California: Core OL-92, 120–141.Google Scholar
Clark, P.U., Bartlein, P.J., (1995). Correlation of late Pleistocene glaciation in the western United States with North Atlantic Heinrich events. Geology, 23, 483–486.Google Scholar
Dansgaard, W., Johnsen, S.J., Clausen, H.B., Dahl-Jensen, D., Gundestrup, N.S., Hammer, C.U., Hvidberg, C.S., Steffensen, J.P., Sveinbjörnsdottir, A.E., Jouzel, J., Bond, G., (1993). Evidence for general instability of past climate from a 250-kyr ice-core record. Nature, 364, 21–220.Google Scholar
Deer, W.A., Howie, R.A., Zussman, J., (1962). Rock Forming Minerals. Longmans, London.Google Scholar
Forester, R.M., Carter, C., (1988). Ostracodes from Owens Lake core OL-92 and the paleoenvironment of the last interglacial.Bischoff, J.L. The Last Interglaciation at Owens Lake, California: Core OL-92, 142–155.Google Scholar
Galehouse, J.S., (1971). Sedimentation analysis.Carver, R. Procedures in Sedimentary Petrology, Wiley Interscience, New York.69–94.Google Scholar
Garrels, R.M., Mackenzie, F.T., (1967). Origin of the chemical compositions of some springs and lakes Equilibrium Concepts in Natural Water Systems.p. 222–242.Google Scholar
Grootes, P.M., Stuiver, M., White, J.W.C., Johnsen, S., Jouzel, J., (1993). Comparison of oxygen isotope records from the GISP2 and GRIP Greenland ice cores. Nature, 366, 552–554.Google Scholar
Hostetler, S.W., Clark, P.U., (1997). Climatic controls of western U.S. glaciers at the last glacial maximum. Quaternary Science Reviews, 16, 505–511.Google Scholar
Li, H.-C., Ku, T.-L., Bischoff, J.L., Lund, S.T., Stott, L.D., (2000). Climate variability in east central California during the past 1000 yrs. Quaternary Research, 54, 189–197.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Li, H.-C., Ku, T.-L., Bischoff, J.L., Stott, L.D., (1998). Climatic and hydrologic conditions in Owens Basin, California, between 45 and 145 ka as reconstructed from the high-resolution stable isotope records.Bischoff, J.L. The Last Interglaciation at Owens Lake, California: Core OL-92, 66–81.Google Scholar
Litwin, R.J., Smoot., J.P., Durika, N.J., Smith, G.I., (1999). Calibrating Late Quaternary terrestrial climate signals: Radiometrically dated pollen evidence from the southern Sierra Nevada, USA. Quaternary Science Reviews, 18, 1151–1171.Google Scholar
Martinson, D.G., Pisias, N.G., Hays, J.D., Imbrie, J., Moore, T.C. Jr., Shackleton, N.J., (1987). Age dating and the orbital theory of the ice ages: Development of a high-resolution 0 to 300,000-year chronostratigraphy. Quaternary Research, 27, 1–29.Google Scholar
Menking, K.M., (1997). Climatic signals in clay mineralogy and grain-size variations in Owens Lake core OL-92, eastern California.Smith, G.I., Bischoff, J. An 800,000-Year Paleoclimatic Record from Core OL-92, Owens Lake, Southeast California, 25–36.Google Scholar
Meese, D. A, Alley, R. B, Fiacco, R. J, Germani, M. S, Gow, A. J, Grootes, P. M, Illing, M, Mayewski, P. A, Morrison, M. C, Ram, M, Taylor, K. C, Yang, Q, and Zielinski, G. A. (1994). Preliminary Depth–Age Scale of the GISP2 Ice Core, Special CRREL Report .94-1.Google Scholar
Newton, M., (1991). Holocene Stratigraphy and Magnetostratigraphy of Owens and Mono Lakes, Eastern California. University of Southern California, .Google Scholar
Paillard, D., Labeyrie, L., Yiou, P., (1996). Macintosh program performs time-series analysis. Eos Transactions, AGU, 77, 379.Google Scholar
Phillips, F.M., Zreda, M., Benson, L.V., Plummer, M.A., Elmore, D., Sharma, P., (1996). Chronology for fluctuations in late Pleistocene Sierra Nevada glaciers and lakes. Science, 274, 749–751.Google Scholar
Russell, I. C. (1889). Quaternary history of the Mono Valley, . California, U.S. Geological Survey 8th Annual Report pp. 261–394.Google Scholar
Sharp, R.P., Birman, J.H., (1963). Additions to classical sequence of Pleistocene glaciations, Sierra Nevada, California. Geological Society of America Bulletin, 74, 1079–1086.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, G.I., Bischoff, J.L., (1997). Core OL-92 from Owens Lake: Project rationale, geologic setting, drilling procedures, and summary.Smith, G.I., Bischoff, J. An 800,000-Year Paleoclimatic Record from Core OL-92, Owens Lake, Southeast California, 1–8.Google Scholar
Smith, G.I., Street-Perrott, F.A., (1983). Pluvial lakes in the western United States.Wright, H.E. Jr. Late Quaternary Environments of the United States, Univ. of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.190–211.Google Scholar
Smoot, J.P., (1998). Sedimentary features in core OL-92, 0.9–82.5 m depth, Owens Lake, California.Bischoff, J.L. The Last Interglaciation at Owens Lake, California: Core OL-92, 6–34.Google Scholar
Weaver, C.E., Pollard, L.D., (1975). The Chemistry of Clay Minerals. Elsevier, New York.Google Scholar