Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T10:12:15.317Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Geomorphic Expression of Abrupt Climate Change in Southwestern North America at the Glacial Termination

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Roger Y. Anderson ,
Bruce D. Allen  and
Kirsten M. Menking
Roger Y. Anderson
Affiliation:
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87131
Bruce D. Allen
Affiliation:
New Mexico Bureau of Geology and Mineral Resources, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, New Mexico, 87801
Kirsten M. Menking
Affiliation:
Department of Geology and Geography, Vassar College, Poughkeepsie, New York, 12604
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Eolian and subaqueous landforms composed of gypsum sand provide geomorphic evidence for a wet episode at the termination of glacial climate in southwestern North America. Drying of pluvial Lake Estancia, central New Mexico, occurred after ca. 12,000 14C yr B.P. Thereafter, eolian landforms on the old lake floor, constructed of gypsum sand, were overridden by rising lake water, modified by subaqueous processes, and organized into beach ridges along the lake's eastern shore. Preservation of preexisting eolian landforms in the shallow lake suggests abupt changes in lake level and climate. Available radiocarbon ages suggest that the final highstand recorded by beach ridges may have developed during the Younger Dryas (YD) stade. The beach ridges provide information about lake surface area, which was 45% of the lake area reached during the maximum highstands of the late Pleistocene. A similar proportional response has been reported for YD climate changes outside the North Atlantic region.

Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 57 , Issue 3 , May 2012 , pp. 371 - 381
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

Allen, B.D, and Anderson, R.Y Evidence from western North America for rapid shifts in climate during the last glacial maximum. Science 260, (1993). 1920–1923.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Allen, B.D, and Anderson, R.Y A continuous, high-resolution record of late Pleistocene climate variability from the Estancia basin, New Mexico. Geological Society of America Bulletin 112, (2000). 1444–1458.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Alley, R.B, Meese, D.A, Shuman, C.A, Gow, A.J, Taylor, K.C, Grootes, P.M, White, J.W.C, Ram, M, Waddington, E.D, Mayewski, P.A, and Zielinski, G.A Abrupt increase in Greenland snow accumulation at the end of the Younger Dryas event. Nature 362, (1993). 527–529.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Armour, J, Fawcett, P.J, and Geissman, J.W A late Pleistocene and Holocene high-resolution Glacial and paleoclimate record from northern New Mexico. Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Program 32, (2000). A–473.Google Scholar
Bachhuber, F.W Paleolimnology of Lake Estancia and the Quaternary history of the Estancia Valley, central New Mexico. (1971). University of New Mexico, Google Scholar
Benson, L.V, Currey, D.R, Dorn, R.I, Lajoie, K.R, Oviatt, C.G, Robinson, S.W, Smith, G.I, and Stine, S Chronology of expansion and contraction of four Great Basin lake systems during the past 35,000 years. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 78, (1990). 241–286.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benson, L.V, Currey, D.R, Lao, Y, and Hostetler, S.W Lake-size variations in the Lahontan and Bonneville basins between 13,000 and 9000 c-14 yr B.P. Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology 95, (1992). 19–32.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Benson, L.V, Burdett, J.W, Lund, S.P, Kashgarian, M, and Mensing, S Nearly synchronous climate change in the Northern Hemisphere during the last glacial termination. Nature 388, (1997). 263–265.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bonnefille, R, Riollet, G, Buchet, G, Icole, M, Lafont, R, Arnold, M, and Jolly, D Glacial/interglacial record from intertropical Africa, high resolution pollen and carbon data at Rusaka, Burundi. Quaternary Science Reviews 14, (1995). 917–936.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brauer, A, Günter, C, Johnsen, S.J, and Negendank, J.F.W Land-ice teleconnections of cold climatic periods during the last Glacial/Interglacial transition. Climate Dynamics 16, (2000). 229–239.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Broecker, W.S, Peteet, D, Hadjas, I, Lin, J, and Clark, E Antiphasing between rainfall in Africa's rift valley and North America's Great Basin. Quaternary Research 50, (1998). 12–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Brown, W.J The late Quaternary stratigraphy, paleohydrology, and geomorphology of pluvial Lake Mojave, Silver Lake and Soda Lake basins, southern California. (1989). University of New Mexico, p. 266 Google Scholar
Bryson, R.A, and Hare, F.K The climates of North America. Bryson, R.A, and Hare, F.K World Survey of Climatology 11. (1974). Elsevier, New York. 1–47.Google Scholar
Clark, D.H, and Gillespie, A.R Timing and significance of late-glacial and Holocene cirque glaciation in the SierraNevada, California. Quaternary International 38, (1997). 21–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Enzel, Y, Cayan, D.R, Anderson, R.Y, and Wells, S.G Atmospheric circulation during Holocene lake stands in the Mojave Desert; Evidence of regional climate change. Nature 341, (1989). 44–47.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fairbanks, R.G A 17,000-year glacio-eustatic sea level record: influence of glacial melting rates on the Younger Dryas event and deep-ocean circulation. Nature 342, (1989). 637–642.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Fawcett, P.J, Agustsdottir, A.M, Alley, R.B, and Shuman, C.A The Younger Dryas termination and North Atlantic deep water formation; Insights from climate model simulations and Greenland ice cores. Paleoceanography 12, (1997). 23–38.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flower, B.P, and Kennett, J.P The Younger Dryas cool episode in the Gulf of Mexico. Paleooceanography 5, (1990). 949–961.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Friedman, G.M, and Sanders, J.E Principles of Sedimentology. (1978). Wiley, New York.Google Scholar
Grafenstein, U, Erlenkeuser, H, Brauer, A, Jouzel, J, and Johnsen, S.J A mid-European decadal isotope climate record from 15,500 to 5000 years B.P. Science 284, (1999). 1654–1657.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Guilderson, T.P, Fairbanks, R.G, and Rubenstone, J.L Tropical Atlantic coral oxygen isotopes: Glacial-interglacial sea surface temperatures and climate change. Marine Geology 172, (2000). 75–89.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Haynes, C.V Jr. Geoarcheological and paleohydrological evidence for a Clovis-age drought in North America and its bearing on extinction. Quaternary Research 35, (1991). 438–450.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holliday, V.T Folsom Drought and episodic drying on the southern High Plains from 10,900–10,200 14C yr B.P. Quaternary Research 53, (2000). 1–12.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Holliday, V.T Stratigraphy and geochronology of upper Quaternary eolian sand on the Southern High Plains of Texas and New Mexico, United States. Geological Society of America Bulletin 113, (2001). 88–108.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hughen, K.A, Overpeck, J.T, Peterson, L.C, and Trumbore, S Rapid climatic changes in the tropical Atlantic region during the last glaciation. Nature 380, (1996). 51–54.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Keigwin, L.D, and Gorbarenko, S.A Sea level, surface salinity of the Japan Sea, and the Younger Dryas event in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. Quaternary Research 37, (1992). 346–360.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kennett, J.P, and Ingram, B.L A 20,000-year record of ocean circulation and climate change from the Santa Barbara basin. Nature 377, (1995). 510–514.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kitagawa, H, and van der Plicht, J Atmospheric radiocarbon calibration to 45,000 years B.P.; Late glacial fluctuations and cosmogenic isotope production. Science 297, (1998). 1187–1190.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kitagawa, H, and van der Plicht, J Atmospheric radiocarbon calibration beyond 11,900 cal B.P. from Lake Suigetsu laminated sediments. Radiocarbon 42, (2000). 369–380.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lees, B.G Lake segmentation and lunette initiation. Zeitschrift fuer Geomorphologie 33, (1989). 475–484.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lees, B.G, and Cook, P.G A conceptual model of lake barrier and compound lunette formation. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 84, (1991). 271–284.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lehman, S.J, and Keigwin, L.D Sudden changes in North Atlantic circulation during the last deglaciation. Nature 356, (1992). 757–762.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lezine, A.-M, Tastet, J.-P, and Leroux, M Evidence of atmospheric paleocirculation over the Gulf of Guinea since the last glacial maximum. Quaternary Research 41, (1994). 390–395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Marret, F, and Turon, J.-L Paleohydrology and paleoclimatology off Northwest Africa during the last glacial-interglacial transition and the Holocene; Palynological evidences. Marine Geology 118, (1994). 107–117.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McKee, E.D, and Douglass, J.R Growth and movement of dunes at White Sands National Monument, New Mexico. U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper (1971). Google Scholar
Mensing, S.A Late glacial and early Holocene vegetation and climate change near Owens Lake, eastern California. Quaternary Research 55, (2001). 57–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Noble, S, and Lees, B.G Offshore bar formation in a shallow water, limited fetch environment. Mathematics and Computers in Simulation 32, (1990). 95–100.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Peñalba, M.C, Arnold, M, Guiot, J, Duplessy, J.-C, and de Beaulieu, J.-L Termination of the last glaciation in the Iberian Peninsula inferred from the pollen sequence of Quintinarde la Sierra. Quaternary Research 48, (1997). 205–214.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Quade, J, Forester, R.M, Pratt, W.L, and Carter, C Black mats, spring fed streams, and late-glacial-age recharge in the southern Great Basin. Quaternary Research 49, (1998). 129–148.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shackelton, N.J, Imbrie, J, and Hall, M.A Oxygen and carbon isotope record of East Pacific core V19-30: Implications for the formation of deep water in the late Pleistocene North Atlantic. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 65, (1983). 233–244.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Shane, L.C.K, and Anderson, K.H Intensity, gradients, and reversals in late glacial environmental change in east-central North America. Quaternary Science Reviews 12, (1993). 307–320.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sirocko, F, Sarnthein, M, Erienkeusers, H, Lange, H, Arnold, M, and Duplessy, J.C Century-scale events in monsoonal climate over the past 24,000 years. Nature 364, (1993). 322–324.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Sowers, T, and Bender, M Climate records covering the last deglaciation. Science 269, (1995). 210–214.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Stuiver, M, Reimer, P.J, Bard, E, Beck, J.W, Burr, G.S, Hughen, K.A, Kromer, B, McCormac, F.G, Plicht, J.v.d, and Spurk, M INTCAL98 Radiocarbon age calibration, 24,000-0 cal B.P. Radiocarbon 40, (1998). 1041–1083.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Taylor, K.C, Mayewski, P.A, Alley, R.B, Brook, E.J, Gow, A.J, Grootes, P.M, Meese, D.A, Saltzman, E.S, Severinghaus, J.P, Twickler, M.S, White, J.W.C, Whitlow, S, and Sielinski, G.A The Holocene-Younger Dryas transition recorded at Summit, Greenland. Science 278, (1997). 825–827.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, L.G, Mosley-Thompson, E, Davis, M.E, Lin, P.N, Henderson, K.A, Cole-Dai, J, Bolzan, J.F, and Liu, K.B Late glacial stage and Holocene tropical ice core records from Huascaran, Peru. Science 269, (1995). 46–50.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Thunell, R.C, and Miao, Q Sea surface temperature of the western equatorial Pacific Ocean during the Younger Dryas. Quaternary Research 46, (1996). 72–77.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Titus, F Late Tertiary and Quaternary Hydrogeology of Estancia Basin, Central New Mexico. (1969). University of New Mexico, Google Scholar
Yu, Z, and Wright, H.E Response of interior North America to abrupt climate oscillations in the North Atlantic region during the last deglaciation. Earth Science Reviews 52, (2001). 333–369.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Van der Hammen, T, and Hooghiemstra, H The El Abra stadial, a Younger Dryas equivalent in Colombia. Quaternary Science Reviews 14, (1995). 841–851.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Watts, W.A, Allen, J.R.M, and Huntley, B Vegetation history and paleoclimate of the last glacial period at Lago Grande Di Monticchio, southern Italy. Quaternary Science Reviews 15, (1996). 133–153.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woillard, G.M, and Mook, W.G Carbon-14 dates at Grande Pile: Correlation of land and sea chronologies. Science 215, (1982). 159–161.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed