Download Download

Total Page:16

File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb

Download Download COBISS: 1.01 TIMING OF PASSAGE DEVELOPMENT AND SEDIMENTATION AT CAVE OF THE WINDS, MANITOU SPRINGS, COLORADO, USA ČASOVNO USKLAJEVANJE RAZVOJA JAMSKIH PROSTOROV IN SEDIMENTACIJA V JAMI CAVE OF THE WINDS, MANITOU SPRINGS, COLORADO, ZDA Fred G. Luiszer1 Abstract UDC 551.3:551.44:550.38 .Izvleček UDK 551.3:551.44:550.38 550.38:551.44 550.38:551.44 Fred G. Luiszer: Timing of Passage Development and Sedi- Fred G. Luiszer: Časovno usklajevanje razvoja jamskih pro- mentation at Cave of the Winds, Manitou Springs, Colorado, storov in sedimentacija v jami Cave of the Winds, Manitou USA. Springs, Colorado, ZDA In this study the age of the onset of passage development and Članek se osredotoča na začetek razvoja jamskih prostorov the timing of sedimentation in the cave passages at the Cave in časovno sosledje sedimentacije v jami Cave of the winds, of the Winds, Manitou Springs, Colorado are determined. The Manitou Springs, Kolorado. V bližini jame se nahajajo alu- amino acid rations of land snails located in nearby radiometri- vialne terase, ki so bile datirane z radiometrično metodo. Z cally dated alluvial terraces and an alluvial terrace geomorphi- geomorfološko metodo so bile povezane z jamo Cave of the cally associated with Cave of the Winds were used to construct Winds. V teh aluvialnih terasah so bili najdeni fosilni ostanki an aminostratigraphic record. This indicated that the terrace kopenskih polžev, na katerih so bile opravljene datacije z ami- was ~ 2 Ma. The age of the terrace and its geomorphic rela- nokislinami, ki so pokazale starost ~ 2 Ma let. Starost aluvialnih tion to the Cave of the Winds was use to calibrate the magne- teras in njihova geomorfološka povezava z jamo Cave of the tostratigraphy of a 10 meter thick cave sediment sequence. The Winds, sta služila kot izhodišče za natančnejšo časovno umes- results indicated that cave dissolution started ~4.5 Ma and cave titev 10 metrov debele sekvence jamskih sedimentov, ki so bili clastic sedimentation stopped ~1.5 Ma. magnetostratigrafsko opredeljeni. Raziskava je pokazala, da se Key words: Cave of the Winds, Manitou Springs, magneto- je raztapljanje v jami pričelo pred ~4.5 Ma leti, medtem ko se je stratigraphy, aminostratigraphy, land snails. odlaganje klastičnih sedimentov prenehalo pred ~1.5 Ma let. Ključne besede: Cave of the Winds, Manitou Springs, ZDA, magnetostratigrafija, aminostratigrafija, kopenski polži. INTRODUCTION Cave of the Winds, which is 1.5 km north of Manitou of passage development and sedimentation needed to be Springs (Figure 1), is a solutional cave developed in the determined. The task of dating the age of caves has al- Ordovician Manitou Formation and Mississippian Wil- ways been an enigma because dating something that has liams Canyon Formation. Commercialized soon after been removed is not possible. Sediments deposited in its discovery in the1880s it has been visited by millions of the cave passages, however, can be dated, which then can visitors in the last 125 years. As part of an extensive study be used to estimate the timing of the onset of cave dis- (Luiszer, 1997) of the speleogenesis of the cave the timing solution and when the local streams abandoned the cave. 1 University of Colorado, Boulder, Department of Geological Sciences, Campus Box 399, Boulder, CO 80302, USA. Received/Prejeto: 13.12.2006 TIME in KARST, POSTOJNA 2007, 157–171 Fred G. Luiszer A specially constructed coring device was utilized to core several locations in the cave. The natural remnant mag- netization (NRM) of samples taken from the cores were Colorado use to construct a magnetostratigraphic record. This Denver record by itself could not be used to date the age of the sediments because sedimentation in the cave stopped El Paso sometime in the past and part of the record was missing. County An alluvial terrace, which overlies the Cave of the Winds, is geomorphically related to the cave. The age of 25 the alluvial terrace, which had not been previously dated, can be used to determine the age of the youngest stream Cave of the Winds deposited sediments in the cave. An abundant number and variety of land snails were found when this alluvium 24 was closely searched. Biostratigraphy could not be used Colorado Springs to determine the age of the terrace because all of the snail species found were extant, however, the amino acid ra- Manitou Springs tions of the snails collected from this terrace and nearby radiometrically dated terraces were used to construct an 25 aminostratigraphy that was used to date the alluvium. Once the age of the terrace was determined the age of the youngest magnetic chron of the magnetostratigraphic re- Fig. 1: Location of study area. cord could be assigned thus enabling the dating of cave dissolution and sedimentation. FIELD AND LABORATORY PROCEDURES Amino Acid Dating Paleomagnetism Snails were collected from outcrops of the Nussbaum Al- A coring device was used to sample the cave sediments luvium, and from younger radiometrically dated alluvia at six cored holes in the Grand Concert Hall (Fig. 3). The (Fig. 2) for the purpose of dating the Nussbaum Alluvi- core samples were obtained by means of a coring device um by means of amino-acid racemizatio. in which a hand-powered hydraulic cylinder drives a Approximately 50 kg of sandy silt was collected at stainless-steel, knife-edged barrel down into the sedi- each site. To minimize sample contamination, washed ments. Up to 40 cm of sediment could be cored each trip plastic buckets and fresh plastic bags were used. The into the hole without sediment distortion. Samples were samples were loaded into containers with a clean metal also collected from hand-dug pits at Mummys Alcove shovel and with minimal hand contact. In the lab, the and Sniders Hall (Fig. 3). Additionally, samples were col- samples were disaggregated by putting them in buckets lected from a vertical outcrop in Heavenly Hall (Fig. 3). filled with tap water and letting them soak overnight. The pits and outcrops were sampled for paleomagnetic The samples were then washed with tap water study by carving flat vertical surfaces and pushing plastic through 0.5-mm mesh scree. Following air drying, the sampling cubes into the sediment at stratigraphic inter- mollusks were hand picked from the remaining matrix vals ranging from 3.0 to 10.0 cm. The samples were ori- by means of a small paint brush dipped in tap water. ented by means of a Brunton compass. The mollusks were then identified. Only shells that were The core barrel and all pieces of drill rod that at- free of sediment and discoloration were selected for fur- tached to the barrel were engraved with a vertical line so ther processing. These shells were washed at least five that the orientation of the core barrel could be measured times in distilled water while being sonically agitated. with a Brunton compass within ±2°. A hand-operated The amino-acid ratios were determined on a high-per- hydraulic device was used to extract the sediment core formance liquid chromatograph (HPLC) at the Institute from the barrels. As the core was extruded, a fixed thin of Arctic and Alpine Research (University of Colorado, wire sliced it in half, lengthwise. Plastic sampling cubes Boulder). were then pushed into the soft sediment along the center line of the flat surface of the core half at regular intervals 158 TIME in KARST – 2007 TIMING OF PASSAGE DEVELOPMENT AND SEDIMENTATION AT CAVE OF THE WINDS, MANITOU SPRINGS, COLORADO, USA Figure 2. GEOLOGY MAP OF COLORADO SPRINGS AND MANITOU SPRINGS AREA with locations of snail collection sites. Geology adapted from Trimble and Machette, (1979). Ypp Qv Xgnb Kpl Qv Qv Kpl Qp Qb Qv Qes Qp PINEY CREEK ALLUVIUM MCr Qs (UPPER HOLOCENE) KPr Qlo I25 N38 Garden of the Gods Road Qb EOLIAN SAND MCr Qes Kpl (HOLOCENE) Kpl CENTENNIAL BLACK CANYON BROADWAY ALLUVIUM (LATE Qb PLEISTOCENE) Ypp Ypp U D Qp Qlo MODERN FLOOD Qlo LOUVIERS ALLUVIUM MCr Tn Qlo (LATE PLEISTOCENE) CAVE OF THE Qv QpPLAIN WINDS FILLMORE Qb Qs SLOCUM ALLUVIUM Pf U D CHESNUT (LATE PLEISTOCENE) Fillmore Street Qb VERDOS ALLUVIUM Qv (LATE PLEISTOCENE) KPr Tn Qp MCr ROCKY FLATS ALLUVIUM Qrf (EARLY PLEISTOCENE) Qv STARLIGHT ACRES NUSSBAUM ALLUVIUM Tn (LATE PLIOCENE) D Kpl U Qrf Pf U D Manitou Springs Qp Kpl LARAMIE, FOX HILLS, and PIERRE FORMATIONS (CRETACEOUS) N N38 Ypp Ave. Kpl KPr CRETACEOUS, JURASSIC, TRIASSIC, Pf da and PERMIAN ROCKS Qs Pf Qv Neva Qv Pf FOUNTAIN FORMATION Xgnb COLORADO (PENNSYLVANIAN) Qlo Colora CITY Qes do Ave. MCr MISSISSIPPIAN, ORDOVICIAN, Qs Pf Qv AND CAMBRIAN ROCKS Qlo Qv Ypp PIKES PEAK GRANITE Pf (PRECAMBIAN) Qp Qv KPr Xgnb BIOTITE GNEISS Kpl (PRECAMBIAN) Pf Qrf Qlo Ypp D I25 U D Qrf U Qes Collection sites for amino acid Kpl racemization study 0 1 2 3 4 MILES 0 1 2 3 4 KILOMETERS (generally ~5.0 cm). The samples at Sniders Hall, Mum- dicate Devonian to Late Mississippian karst development mys Alcove, and Hole 1 were taken with 3.2 cm3 sampling (Hose & Esch, 1992). Subsequent Cenozoic dissolution cubes; all other samples were taken with 13.5 cm3 cubes. along some of these paleokarst features has resulted in In the lab, the NRM (Natural Remanent Magnetiza- the formation of cave passage (Fish, 1988). Between the tion) of all samples was initially measured. Subsequently, Pennsylvanian and Late Cretaceous, about 3000 m of the samples were subjected to alternating-field (A. F.) sediments, which contain abundant shale beds, were de- demagnetization and remeasured. All samples were first posited over the initial cave. Very little, if any, cave de- demagnetized at 10, and then at 15 millitesla (mT).
Recommended publications
  • Scale and Structure of Time-Averaging (Age Mixing) in Terrestrial Gastropod Assemblages from Quaternary Eolian Deposits of the E
    Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 251 (2007) 283–299 www.elsevier.com/locate/palaeo Scale and structure of time-averaging (age mixing) in terrestrial gastropod assemblages from Quaternary eolian deposits of the eastern Canary Islands ⁎ Yurena Yanes a, , Michał Kowalewski a, José Eugenio Ortiz b, Carolina Castillo c, Trinidad de Torres b, Julio de la Nuez d a Department of Geosciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 4044 Derring Hall, Blacksburg, VA, 24061, US b Biomolecular Stratigraphy Laboratory, Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros de Minas de Madrid, C/ Ríos Rosas 21, 28003, Madrid, Spain c Departamento de Biología Animal, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n. 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain d Departamento de Edafología y Geología, Facultad de Biología, Universidad de La Laguna, Avda. Astrofísico Fco. Sánchez, s/n. 38206, La Laguna, Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain Received 13 November 2006; received in revised form 10 March 2007; accepted 9 April 2007 Abstract Quantitative estimates of time-averaging (age mixing) in gastropod shell accumulations from Quaternary (the late Pleistocene and Holocene) eolian deposits of Canary Islands were obtained by direct dating of individual gastropods obtained from exceptionally well-preserved dune and paleosol shell assemblages. A total of 203 shells of the gastropods Theba geminata and T. arinagae, representing 44 samples (=stratigraphic horizons) from 14 sections, were dated using amino acid (isoleucine) epimerization ratios calibrated with 12 radiocarbon dates. Most samples reveal a substantial variation in shell age that exceeds the error that could be generated by dating imprecision, with the mean within-sample shell age range of 6670 years and the mean standard deviation of 2920 years.
    [Show full text]
  • Aspartic Acid Racemization and Radiocarbon Dating of an Early Milling Stone Horizon Burial in California Darcy Ike; Jeffrey L. B
    Aspartic Acid Racemization and Radiocarbon Dating of an Early Milling Stone Horizon Burial in California Darcy Ike; Jeffrey L. Bada; Patricia M. Masters; Gail Kennedy; John C. Vogel American Antiquity, Vol. 44, No. 3. (Jul., 1979), pp. 524-530. Stable URL: http://links.jstor.org/sici?sici=0002-7316%28197907%2944%3A3%3C524%3AAARARD%3E2.0.CO%3B2-6 American Antiquity is currently published by Society for American Archaeology. Your use of the JSTOR archive indicates your acceptance of JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use, available at http://www.jstor.org/about/terms.html. JSTOR's Terms and Conditions of Use provides, in part, that unless you have obtained prior permission, you may not download an entire issue of a journal or multiple copies of articles, and you may use content in the JSTOR archive only for your personal, non-commercial use. Please contact the publisher regarding any further use of this work. Publisher contact information may be obtained at http://www.jstor.org/journals/sam.html. Each copy of any part of a JSTOR transmission must contain the same copyright notice that appears on the screen or printed page of such transmission. The JSTOR Archive is a trusted digital repository providing for long-term preservation and access to leading academic journals and scholarly literature from around the world. The Archive is supported by libraries, scholarly societies, publishers, and foundations. It is an initiative of JSTOR, a not-for-profit organization with a mission to help the scholarly community take advantage of advances in technology. For more information regarding JSTOR, please contact [email protected].
    [Show full text]
  • Aspartic Acid Racemization As a Dating Tool for Dentine: a Reality
    Quaternary Geochronology 22 (2014) 43e56 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Quaternary Geochronology journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/quageo Research paper Aspartic acid racemization as a dating tool for dentine: A reality Trinidad Torres a,*, José E. Ortiz a, Eva Fernández b,c, Eduardo Arroyo-Pardo b, Rainer Grün d, Alfredo Pérez-González e a Laboratory of Biomolecular Stratigraphy, E.T.S.I. Minas, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, C/Ríos Rosas 21, Madrid 28003, Spain b Forensic Genetics and Population Genetics Laboratory, Department of Toxicology and Health Legislation, Faculty of Medicine, Universidad Complutense, de Madrid, Spain c Instituto de Arqueologia e Paleociencias, das Universidades Nova de Lisboa e do Algarve, Lisbon, Portugal d Research School of Earth Sciences, The Australian National University, Canberra, ACT 0200, Australia e Centro Nacional de Investigación sobre Evolución Humana, Pso Sierra de Atapuerca s/n, 09002 Burgos, Spain article info abstract Article history: Given the interest in dating sediments from numerous caves, lakes and fluvial terraces containing fossils Received 20 September 2011 and lithic components in Europe, here we provide a complete revision of the amino acid racemization Received in revised form (AAR) (aspartic acid in dentine) dating method in vertebrates. To examine the reliability of this method, 7 October 2013 which is based on a straightforward sample preparation (previous 3.5 kDa dialysis), we used a range of Accepted 5 February 2014 dental material. We examined human dentine collagen from living donors and remains from historical Available online 26 February 2014 (16th and 19th centuries) and prehistorical (Neolithic) periods. On the assumption that genus does not affect collagen racemization rates, we also studied Neanderthal material and material from carnivores Keywords: Dentine collagen (cave bear) and several other mammals.
    [Show full text]
  • A Reevaluation of the Phylogenetic Tree for the Genus Homo: a Reclassification Based on Contemporary Evidence Amrutha Srinivasan
    TC 660H/TC 359T Plan II Honors Program The University of Texas at Austin Supervisor __________________________________________ Second Reader ABSTRACT Author: Title: Supervising Professors: Acknowledgements I would like to thank my thesis supervisor, Dr. Howard Ochman, and my second reader, Dr. Justin Havird, for all their support and feedback during the course of writing this thesis. Additionally I would like to thank the Plan 2 Honors program for providing this valuable learning opportunity. 1 Table of Contents Part One: Introduction ......................................................................................................... 3 Background and Current Situation.................................................................................. 3 Examples of fossil reclassification in the genus Homo ................................................. 7 The case for reevaluation of the phylogenetic tree for the genus Homo...................... 9 The Thesis Question........................................................................................................11 Overview of the methods ................................................................................................11 Part 2: Dating Methods........................................................................................................13 Relative Dating.................................................................................................................13 Absolute Dating ...............................................................................................................14
    [Show full text]
  • Download Download
    -Iournal of Coastal Research Charlottesville Amino Acid Dating of Quaternary Marine Terraces, Bahia Asuncion, Baja California Sur, Mexico Everly M. Keenan", Luc Ort.lieb" and John F. Wehmiller" "Shell Development Co, -o.R. S. T. O. M. Instit ut Francais "Department of Geology P,O. Box 4R1 de Recherche Scientifique pour University of Delaware Houston, Texas 77001, USA Ie Developpment en Cooperation Newark, Delaware 19716, USA 24, rue Bayard 7 flOOR Paris, France ABSTRACT - _ KEENAN, E.M., ORTLIEB, L. and WEHMILLER, ,J.F., 19H7. Amino acid dating of Quaternary marine t('IT,H'eS, Hahia Asuncion, Raja California SUI'. Mexico. Journal ofCoasuil Research. :q;-l). 297­ :lO;l. Charlot I csville. ISSN 0749-020H. ~ • 8. .• In the area of Bahia Asuncion, on the Pacific coast of Baja California peninsula, amino acid •••4""""" racemization dating has been used to estimate ages of mollusks from Quaternary marine terr-aces. Eighteen molluscan samples (of the J{enera Tiuela; Saxidomus; and Chione) from ten localities have been analyzed. The high mean annual temperature for the region(greater than 20 C) has resulted in extensivc racemization ofsamples from what are considered to be late Middle and Late Pleistocene terrace localities. Racemization ofmost amino acids is effectively complete by about :-lOO,OOO years. However, two amino acids, leucine and valine. demonstrate enough resolvingpower to be used to delineate different age groups among the terrace sites. Where these apparent groups arc testable with stratigraphic or geomorphic evidence, they are generally consistent with the available geologic control. The ages estimated for the thr-ee aminostratigraphic groups recognized in this study are approx­ imat.ely 120,000, 200,000 and aoo,ooo years.
    [Show full text]
  • Amino Acid Racemization
    AMINO ACID RACEMIZATION Dating Methods in Quaternary Systems Linda Stephen April 3, 1991 1 Amino Acid Racemization Within the last twenty-five years, the study of amino acid racemization as a relative dating technique has attracted a great deal of attention by geologists and the like. This technique is based on the process of fossilization, thus permitting the natural hydrolysis and breakdown of proteins "into lower molecular weight polypeptides and free amino acids” (Wehmiller 1986, p. 139). Based on the analysis of these organic samples, this method accesses the relative and absolute ages of associated inorganic geologic deposits. The basic principles of the technique rely on the molecular structure of an amino acid. Amino acids are actually molecular subunits of proteins. All of the amino acids frequently found in proteins are composed of a carboxyl group (-COOH), an amino group (-NH2), a hydrocarbon group (-R), and a hydrogen atom, which all commonly link to a central carbon atom. When each of these separate amino acids are contained within a living organism they take the form of a levo- stereoisomer (L-configuration). At the time of death of the organism, these L-configured amino acids interconvert to the D-configuration or dextro-stereoisomers. This process of the L- configuration producing a mirror image of itself is hereby known as racemization. Racemization occurs with increasing time and temperature after the organism dies, thereby producing a D/L ratio that eventually reaches equilibrium (~1.0). Racemization rates vary among each individual amino acid. Depending upon which amino acid is being analyzed and the corresponding climatic condition, a D/L ratio can be obtained to represent a segment of time.
    [Show full text]
  • UNIT 3 ABSOLUTE CHRONOLOGY Relative Chronology
    UNIT 3 ABSOLUTE CHRONOLOGY Relative Chronology Contents 3.1 Introduction 3.2 Absolute Method of Dating 3.3 Radiocarbon Dating or C14 Dating 3.4 Potassium – Argon Method 3.5 Thermoluminescence or TL Dating 3.6 Palaeomagnetic or Archaeomagnetic Dating 3.7 Varve Analysis 3.8 Dendrochronology or Tree-ring Dating 3.9 Amino Acid Racemization Dating 3.10 Oxygen Isotope and Climatic Reconstruction 3.11 Uranium Series Dating 3.12 Summary Suggested Reading Sample Questions Learning Objectives & Once you have studied this unit, you should be able to: Ø define the different types of dating techniques – Relative and Absolute Chronology; Ø understand underlying principles of different absolute dating techniques; Ø understand reasons why particular techniques are appropriate for specific situation; and Ø understand the limitations of different dating techniques. 3.1 INTRODUCTION Archaeological anthropology is unique with respect to the other branches of the social sciences and humanities in its ability to discover, and to arrange in chronological sequence, certain episodes in human history that have long since passed without the legacy of written records. But the contributions of archeology to this sort of reconstruction depend largely on our ability to make chronological orderings, to measure relative amounts of elapsed time, and to relate these units to our modern calendar. Many important problems in archeology like origins, influences, diffusions of ideas or artifacts, the direction of migrations of peoples, rates of change, and sizes of populations in settlements can be solved with the help of different methods of dating. In general, any question that requires a definite statement like the type, A is earlier than B, depends on dating.
    [Show full text]
  • Aminochronology and Time Averaging of Quaternary Land Snail Assemblages from Colluvial Deposits in the Madeira Archipelago, Portugal
    Quaternary Research Copyright © University of Washington. Published by Cambridge University Press, 2019. doi:10.1017/qua.2019.1 Aminochronology and time averaging of Quaternary land snail assemblages from colluvial deposits in the Madeira Archipelago, Portugal Evan Newa*, Yurena Yanesa, Robert A.D. Cameronb, Joshua H. Millera, Dinarte Teixeirac,d, Darrell S. Kaufmane aDepartment of Geology, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, Ohio 45221, USA bDepartment of Animal and Plant Sciences, University of Sheffield, Sheffield S10 2TN, UK cInstitute of Forests and Nature Conservation, IP-RAM, Madeira Government, Madeira 9000-715, Portugal dLIBRe—Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research, Finnish Museum of Natural History, University of Helsinki 00014, Finland eSchool of Earth and Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86001, USA *Corresponding author at: Department of Geology, 500 Geology Physics Building, 345 Clifton Court, University of Cincinnati, Cincinnati, OH 45221, USA. E-mail address: [email protected] (E. New). (RECEIVED June 11, 2018; ACCEPTED January 3, 2019) Abstract Understanding the properties of time averaging (age mixing) in a stratigraphic layer is essential for properly interpreting the paleofauna preserved in the geologic record. This work assesses the age and quantifies the scale and structure of time aver- aging of land snail-rich colluvial sediments from the Madeira Archipelago (Portugal) by dating individual shells using amino acid racemization calibrated with graphite-target and carbonate-target accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon methods. Gastropod shells of Actinella nitidiuscula were collected from seven sites on the volcanic islands of Bugio and Deserta Grande (Desertas Islands), where snail shells are abundant and well preserved in Quaternary colluvial deposits. Results show that the shells ranged in age from modern to ∼48 cal ka BP (calibrated radiocarbon age), covering the last glacial and present interglacial periods.
    [Show full text]
  • This Article Appeared in a Journal Published by Elsevier. the Attached Copy Is Furnished to the Author for Internal Non-Commerci
    This article appeared in a journal published by Elsevier. The attached copy is furnished to the author for internal non-commercial research and education use, including for instruction at the authors institution and sharing with colleagues. Other uses, including reproduction and distribution, or selling or licensing copies, or posting to personal, institutional or third party websites are prohibited. In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier’s archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: http://www.elsevier.com/authorsrights Author's personal copy Quaternary Research 81 (2014) 274–283 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Quaternary Research journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/yqres A continuous multi-millennial record of surficial bivalve mollusk shells from the São Paulo Bight, Brazilian shelf Troy A. Dexter a,⁎, Darrell S. Kaufman b, Richard A. Krause Jr. c, Susan L. Barbour Wood d, Marcello G. Simões e, John Warren Huntley f, Yurena Yanes g,ChristopherS.Romanekh,Michał Kowalewski a a Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611, USA b School of Earth Sciences & Environmental Sustainability, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ 86011, USA c Geosciences Institute, Johannes Gutenberg University, Johann-Joachim-Becher-Weg 21, Mainz 55128, Germany d Rubicon Geological Consultants, 1690 Sharkey Rd., Morehead,
    [Show full text]
  • Assessing Amino Acid Racemization Variability in Coral Intra-Crystalline Protein for Geochronological Applications
    Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 86 (2012) 338–353 www.elsevier.com/locate/gca Assessing amino acid racemization variability in coral intra-crystalline protein for geochronological applications Erica J. Hendy a,b, Peter J. Tomiak a, Matthew J. Collins c, John Hellstrom d, Alexander W. Tudhope e, Janice M. Lough f, Kirsty E.H. Penkman c,⇑ a School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, United Kingdom b School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1UG, United Kingdom c BioArCh, Departments of Archaeology and Chemistry, University of York, York, YO10 5DD, United Kingdom d School of Earth Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia e School of GeoSciences, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH9 3JW, UK f Australian Institute of Marine Science, PMB3, Townsville M.C., QLD 4810, Australia Received 12 September 2011; accepted in revised form 15 February 2012; available online 1 March 2012 Abstract Over 500 Free Amino Acid (FAA) and corresponding Total Hydrolysed Amino Acid (THAA) analyses were completed from eight independently-dated, multi-century coral cores of massive Porites sp. colonies. This dataset allows us to re-evaluate the application of amino acid racemization (AAR) for dating late Holocene coral material, 20 years after Goodfriend et al. (GCA 56 (1992), 3847) first showed AAR had promise for developing chronologies in coral cores. This re-assessment incor- porates recent method improvements, including measurement by RP-HPLC, new quality control approaches (e.g. sampling and sub-sampling protocols, statistically-based data screening criteria), and cleaning steps to isolate the intra-crystalline skel- etal protein.
    [Show full text]
  • Amino Acid Racemization of Planktonic Foraminifera
    AMINO ACID RACEMIZATION OF PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERA: PRETREATMENT EFFECTS AND TEMPERATURE RECONSTRUCTIONS by Emily Watson A thesis submitted to the Faculty of the University of Delaware in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Marine Studies Spring 2019 © 2019 Emily Watson All Rights Reserved AMINO ACID RACEMIZATION OF PLANKTONIC FORAMINIFERA: PRETREATMENT EFFECTS AND TEMPERATURE RECONSTRUCTIONS by Emily Watson Approved: __________________________________________________________ Katharina Billups, Ph.D. Professor in charge of thesis on behalf of the Advisory Committee Approved: __________________________________________________________ Mark Moline, Ph.D. Chair of the Department of Marine Science and Policy Approved: __________________________________________________________ Estella Atekwana, Ph.D. Dean of the College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment Approved: __________________________________________________________ Douglas J. Doren, Ph.D. Interim Vice Provost for Graduate and Professional Education ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Very special thanks to my M.S. advisor Dr. Katharina Billups for providing me with this amazing opportunity and giving me her utmost support. Her willingness to give her time so generously has been indispensable during my Masters. She is my ultimate scientific role model. I am grateful for my collaborators from Northern Arizona University, Dr. Darrell Kaufman and Katherine Whitacre, who taught me the cleaning methods for this project and opened up their lab to me in January 2018. I would like to express my appreciation to Dr. Kaufman for his valuable and constructive suggestions during the planning and development of this research work. Data provided by Katherine was very valuable. I would also like to thank Dr. Doug Miller, and Dr. Andrew Wozniak, Dr. John Wehmiller from the University of Delaware for their assistance with this project.
    [Show full text]
  • Amino Acid Racemization Dating of Marine Shells: a Mound of Possibilities
    Quaternary International 239 (2011) 114e124 Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Quaternary International journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/quaint Amino acid racemization dating of marine shells: A mound of possibilities Beatrice Demarchi a,*, Matt G. Williams b, Nicky Milner b, Nicola Russell c, Geoff Bailey b, Kirsty Penkman a a BioArCh, Department of Chemistry, University of York, Heslington, York YO10 5DD, UK b Department of Archaeology, University of York, King’s Manor, York Y01 7EP, UK c Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre, Rankine Avenue, Scottish Enterprise Technology Park, East Kilbride G75 0QF, Scotland, UK article info abstract Article history: Shell middens are one of the most important and widespread indicators for human exploitation of Available online 12 June 2010 marine resources and occupation of coastal environments. Establishing an accurate and reliable chro- nology for these deposits has fundamental implications for understanding the patterns of human evolution and dispersal. This paper explores the potential application of a new methodology of amino acid racemization (AAR) dating of shell middens and describes a simple protocol to test the suitability of different molluscan species. This protocol provides a preliminary test for the presence of an intra- crystalline fraction of proteins (by bleaching experiments and subsequent heating at high temperature), checking the closed system behaviour of this fraction during diagenesis. Only species which pass both tests can be considered suitable for further studies to obtain reliable age information. This amino acid geochronological technique is also applied to midden deposits at two latitudinal extremes: Northern Scotland and the Southern Red Sea. Results obtained in this study indicate that the application of this new method of AAR dating of shells has the potential to aid the geochronological investigation of shell mounds in different areas of the world.
    [Show full text]