Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Andrew P. Walters, Alan R. Carroll, Stephen R. Meyers, Tim K. Lowenstein
Summary: Lacustrine strata are valuable terrestrial paleoclimate archives with high resolution. This study uses X-ray fluorescence core scanning to analyze the long-term evolution of transfer functions in an ancient lacustrine record. The analysis reveals a shift in the frequency distribution of Milankovitch-band variance and a decline in evaporite beds, indicating the influence of evolving basin morphology on depositional transfer functions. These findings emphasize the importance of integrating basin and depositional system history with cyclostratigraphic interpretation of astronomical signals in stratigraphic records.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Geography, Physical
M'bark Baddouh, Alan R. Carroll, Elliot A. Jagniecki, Brian L. Beard, Tim K. Lowenstein, Clark M. Johnson
Summary: The isotopic trends of tufa in the Little Mesa area of the northern Bridger Basin reflect a mixing contribution from groundwater and lake water, resulting in different radiogenic ratios due to geological influences. This supports the hypothesis that climatic changes modulate expansions and contractions of Lake Gosiute water levels. Groundwater discharge may play a significant role in the covariance between Sr-87/Sr-86 ratios, delta C-13 and delta O-18 in closed paleolake systems.
PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Geology
Elliot Andrew Jagniecki, Tim K. Lowenstein, Robert Demicco, M'bark Baddouh, Alan R. Carroll, Brian L. Beard, Clark M. Johnson
Summary: The study reveals that the carbonate mounds formed in the Green River Formation in Wyoming, USA were a result of significant spring discharge influenced by Palaeozoic carbonates. This finding highlights the importance of understanding paleohydrology in ancient lake systems.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Benjamin T. Bruck, Brad S. Singer, Mark D. Schmitz, Alan R. Carroll, Stephen Meyers, Andrew P. Walters, Brian R. Jicha
Summary: The Wilkins Peak Member of the Green River Formation in Wyoming, USA, contains valuable records of early Eocene terrestrial climate. Age-depth models for three sites were developed using a Bayesian framework and new radioisotopic ages. The models confirm the pulsating rhythm of the WPM facies and their correspondence with astronomical solutions.
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Geology
Youwei Wang, Timothy F. Baars, Hiranya Sahoo, Joep E. A. Storms, Allard W. Martinius, Philip Gingerich, Hemmo A. Abels
Summary: A high-resolution study of the Lower Eocene Willwood Formation in the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, USA, reveals the presence of four different river planform styles, with braided-like and sinuous-like channels being the most dominant types. The study supports existing basin-scale depositional models that suggest river supply mainly comes from the west and may be influenced by paleoclimate changes.
Article
Water Resources
Li Jin, Paul G. Whitehead, Gianbattista Bussi, Feyera Hirpa, Meron Teferi Taye, Yosef Abebe, Katrina Charles
Summary: The study in the Awash River Basin in Ethiopia addresses the issue of elevated salinity and degradation of water quality, caused by natural factors and human activities like discharge from Lake Beseka. Modeling results show that Lake Beseka significantly contributes to salinity rise in the Awash River, and continued human interference could lead to a 200% increase in chloride levels in the near future downstream of the lake. This highlights the importance of long term planning for proper water resource management in regions lacking resources and economic capacity.
JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY-REGIONAL STUDIES
(2021)
Article
Geography, Physical
Spiros Olivotos, Samuel Niedermann, Tyrel Flugel, Vasiliki Mouslopoulou, Silke Merchel, Fenton Cotterill, Bodo Bookhagen, Andreas Gartner, Georg Rugel, Andreas Scharf, Marie-Josee Nadeau, Regis Braucher, Martin Seiler
Summary: The study area between Lakes Mweru and Mweru Wantipa has experienced significant geological and landscape changes since the Miocene, largely due to movements along the active Mweru-Mweru Wantipa Fault System. The exposure histories recorded by Be-10 and Al-26 reflect fluctuations in lake water levels caused by normal faulting along the MMFS and intense climate variations in southeastern Africa over the past approximately 830 ka. The findings highlight the impact of tectonic activity and climate change on the evolution of fluvial-lacustrine landscapes in the region.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Vera A. Korasidis, Scott L. Wing
Summary: Through studying the Bighorn Basin in Wyoming, USA, we found significant changes in plant composition during the Paleocene-Eocene Thermal Maximum (PETM). The onset of PETM resulted in an increase in tropical plants, while the recovery period saw the return of wetland plants. These changes in plant distributions were climate-forced and occurred without major extinction events.
PALEOCEANOGRAPHY AND PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Geology
Cameron J. Manche, Stephen E. Kaczmarek
Summary: This study analyzed the characteristics of calcareous shales, limestones, and dolomites in the Uteland Butte Member using a high-resolution mineralogical dataset. The results showed that these rocks are consistent with depositional facies and are related to lake level fluctuations. The different rock characteristics suggest that dolomitization may have occurred syndepositionally, driven by differences in fluid chemistry associated with lake level fluctuations.
JOURNAL OF SEDIMENTARY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Remote Sensing
Juan Wang, Shengtian Yang, Hezhen Lou, Huiping Liu, Pengfei Wang, Chaojun Li, Fei Zhang
Summary: Research on the response of river evolution to lake water level changes in the Ebinur Lake Basin over the past 5000 years revealed three geomorphic development stages and confirmed that human activities leading to a decline in lake water level will accelerate river erosion.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF APPLIED EARTH OBSERVATION AND GEOINFORMATION
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Anupam K. Misra, Sonia J. Rowley, Jie Zhou, Tayro E. Acosta-Maeda, Luis Dasilveira, Gregory Ravizza, Kenta Ohtaki, Tina M. Weatherby, A. Zachary Trimble, Patrick Boll, John N. Porter, Christopher P. McKay
Summary: The search for life on other planetary bodies is a major goal for NASA, but finding evidence of biological residue is a significant challenge. Researchers have developed a highly sensitive instrument called the Compact Color Biofinder, which can detect small amounts of biological material from a distance. A study using this instrument demonstrates its efficacy in detecting fossils with strong bio-fluorescence signals. The results confirm the preservation of organic matter in the Green River formation and suggest that biofluorescence imaging will be critical in future NASA missions.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Geography, Physical
Carolina Martinez, Patricio Winckler Grez, Roberto Agredano Martin, Cesar Esparza Acuna, Ivan Torres, Manuel Contreras-Lopez
Summary: The study assessed coastal erosion in 45 sandy beaches along the tectonically active Chilean coast, covering nearly 2000 km, over the last four decades. The results show that 80% of the sites experienced erosion, 7% saw accretion, and 13% remained stable. Eroded beaches include headland bay beaches, embayed, and pocket beaches, with sediment supply reduction being a possible cause.
PROGRESS IN PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY-EARTH AND ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Geology
Hongbo Zheng, Peter D. Clift, Mengying He, Zixuan Bian, Gaozheng Liu, Xiaochun Liu, Lei Xia, Qing Yang, Fred Jourdan
Summary: The formation of the First Bend of the Yangtze River is closely related to the tectonic evolution of the Tibetan Plateau, with evidence from the paleo-Jinshajiang River indicating a southern source originating in the Tibetan Plateau flowing into the South China Sea. This diversion of the river towards the northeast due to tectonic movements ultimately led to the creation of the modern Yangtze River.
Article
Geology
Maxwell Pommer, Frederick Sarg, Forrest M. C. Farlin
Summary: Integrated stratigraphic, petrographic, and geochemical data reveal the influence of lake chemistry, microbial processes, and organic matter on dolomite formation throughout the deposition of the Green River Formation. The lower Formation consists of various lithologies and microbialites with common calcite, dolomite, Fe-dolomite, and authigenic feldspars. Covariant isotopic excursions occur in OM-bearing mudrocks. The upper Formation is mainly composed of laminated dolomitic muds with zoned dolomite crystals and enrichment in isotopic values. Precipitation of dolomite is favored by low-oxygen, alkaline saline environments with high planktic organic-matter productivity.
JOURNAL OF SEDIMENTARY RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Nadja Drabon, Benjamin L. Byerly, Gary R. Byerly, Joseph L. Wooden, C. Brenhin Keller, Donald R. Lowe
Summary: This study examines the geochemical characteristics of Hadean detrital zircons from South Africa, finding that the majority of these zircons show a mantle affinity similar to zircon from modern plume-type mantle environments, rather than zircon from modern continental or oceanic arcs.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2021)
