Dating Late Quaternary Alluvial Fills in the Platte River Valley Using Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating Jacob C
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University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Theses and Dissertations in Geography Geography Program (SNR) 5-2016 Dating Late Quaternary Alluvial Fills in the Platte River Valley using Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating Jacob C. Bruihler University of Nebraska - Lincoln, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/geographythesis Part of the Geology Commons, Geomorphology Commons, Physical and Environmental Geography Commons, Sedimentology Commons, and the Stratigraphy Commons Bruihler, Jacob C., "Dating Late Quaternary Alluvial Fills in the Platte River Valley using Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating" (2016). Theses and Dissertations in Geography. 28. http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/geographythesis/28 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Geography Program (SNR) at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Theses and Dissertations in Geography by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Dating Late Quaternary Alluvial Fills in the Platte River Valley using Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating by Jacob C. Bruihler A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of The Graduate College at the University of Nebraska In Partial Fulfillment of Requirements For the Degree of Master of Arts Major: Geography Under the Supervision of Professor Paul R. Hanson Lincoln, Nebraska May, 2016 i Dating Late Quaternary Alluvial Fills in the Platte River Valley using Optically Stimulated Luminescence Dating Jacob C. Bruihler, M.A. University of Nebraska, 2016 Advisor: Paul R. Hanson Alluvial fills underlying the Platte River Valley in Nebraska record the geologic history of the Platte River in the late Quaternary. This study investigated the alluvium underlying the valley near the cities of North Platte and Kearney, Nebraska. Data obtained from sediment cores drilled in the alluvial deposits was used to investigate the changes in Platte River dynamics on a glacial – interglacial timescale. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating was used to determine burial ages of recovered sediments and to quantify the thicknesses of the late Pleistocene and Holocene alluvial fills at each study area. Our geochronology depicts considerable differences in age with depth at the two study sites. Results from OSL dating indicate that the Platte River was aggrading during the late Pleistocene and into the early Holocene. Approximately 8 to 10 meters of sediment was deposited near North Platte, and 15 + meters of sediment was deposited near Kearney. Aggradation ended sometime in the early Holocene, most likely between 10 to 11.9 ka, and during the Holocene the Platte re-worked these older alluvial deposits. The total thickness of the Holocene fill ranged from 3 to 8 meters near North Platte, and 10 to 12 meters near Kearney. Locally, the Holocene alluvial fill is entrenched 3 to 4 meters into the underlying late Pleistocene alluvium. This fundamental change in river dynamics is attributed to long-term changes in the ratio of discharge to sediment supply in the basin. ii Dedication This thesis is dedicated to my parents, Carl and MaryKay Bruihler, who have encouraged, loved, and supported me in this journey of life. Mom and Dad, thanks for introducing me to the great outdoors! You taught me to embrace challenges, be curious, and learn everything I can about the world we live in. iii Acknowledgements I am grateful the help and guidance of Dr. Paul Hanson throughout the research, writing, and considerable revisions that went into this thesis. I would also like to thank Dr. Chris Fielding and Dr. R. M. (Matt) Joeckel for serving on my committee and improving my knowledge and skills as a geologist. Special thanks to Christian Cruz for his assistance in the field and lab and Zach Olson for his help with lab work. I would finally like to thank Matt Marxsen and the drilling crew at the Conservation and Survey Division (Nebraska Geological Survey) for their assistance in drilling the cores used in this study. Grant Information Yatkola – Edwards Grant, from the Nebraska Geological Society, 2014 Nebraska STATEMAP, from the United States Geological Survey, 2014 Nebraska STATEMAP, from the United States Geological Survey, 2015 iv Table of Contents 1 Introduction ................................................................................ 1 1.1 Quaternary History of the Great Plains ............................................................. 3 1.2 Sedimentology of the Platte River .................................................................... 5 1.3 OSL Dating in Fluvial Geomorphology ............................................................ 7 2 Setting .........................................................................................10 2.1 Geochronologic Framework of Platte River Sediments ................................... 11 3 Materials and Methods ..............................................................16 3.1 Core Description & Logging .......................................................................... 16 3.2 Particle Size Analysis ..................................................................................... 17 3.3 Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) Dating.......................................... 19 3.4 Surficial Geological Mapping & Cross Sections ............................................. 23 4 Results ........................................................................................25 4.1 Hershey East Results ...................................................................................... 26 4.1.1 Hershey East 6 Results .............................................................................. 32 4.1.2 Hershey East 3 Results .............................................................................. 34 4.1.3 Hershey East 2 Results .............................................................................. 36 4.1.4 Hershey East 1 Results .............................................................................. 38 4.1.5 Hershey East 5 Results .............................................................................. 40 4.1.6 Hershey East 4 Results .............................................................................. 42 4.2 Kearney Results ............................................................................................. 46 4.2.1 Kearney 8 Results ..................................................................................... 53 4.2.2 Kearney 12 Results.................................................................................... 54 4.2.3 Kearney 11 results ..................................................................................... 56 4.2.4 Kearney 10 Results.................................................................................... 58 4.2.5 Kearney 9 Results ..................................................................................... 60 4.3 Accuracy of OSL Dating Results .................................................................... 64 5 Discussion ...................................................................................68 5.1 Discussion of Accuracy of OSL Dating .......................................................... 68 5.2 Alluvial fills of the Platte River Valley ........................................................... 70 5.2.1 Late Pleistocene aged alluvial fills at Hershey East and Kearney ................ 70 5.2.2 Holocene aged alluvial fills at Hershey East and Kearney .......................... 71 5.2.3 Modern Alluvial Fills at Hershey East and Kearney ................................... 72 5.2.4 Comparison of Hershey East and Kearney to Grand Island - Doniphan ...... 73 v 6 Conclusions and Future Work ..................................................78 7 References Cited ........................................................................81 8 Appendix One: Particle Size Analysis Data .............................88 8.1 Hershey East Cores ........................................................................................ 88 8.2 Kearney Cores ............................................................................................... 95 9 Appendix Two: OSL Data ....................................................... 100 9.1 Hershey East OSL Data ................................................................................ 100 9.1.1 UNL - 3932 ............................................................................................. 100 9.1.2 UNL – 3935 ............................................................................................ 103 9.1.3 UNL – 3937 ............................................................................................ 106 9.1.4 UNL – 3938 ............................................................................................ 109 9.1.5 UNL – 3939 ............................................................................................ 112 9.1.6 UNL – 3940 ............................................................................................ 115 9.1.7 UNL – 3943 ............................................................................................ 118 9.1.8 UNL – 3946 ............................................................................................ 121 9.1.9 UNL – 3947 ............................................................................................ 124 9.1.10 UNL – 3951 ...........................................................................................