Date of Award
1-1-2013
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.A.
Department
Geography
First Advisor
Donald Sullivan
Keywords
climate, dust, Holocene, paleowind, Rocky Mountains
Abstract
Potential indications of long-term trends in paleoclimate, specifically winds, in the Southern Rocky Mountain region of the United States were tested using lacustrine sediment from South Blue Lake in the Wet Mountains of Colorado. This study builds upon existing eolian and lacustrine research, and investigates paleowind in a location not yet studied in this manner. Variability in sediment laminae, particle size, and mineralogy show similar patterns during the mid-Holocene warm period (ca. 5500 cal. yr BP - ca. 6000 cal. yr BP). These patterns indicate a warmer, drier, windier period that is contrasted by a less variable period in the recent Holocene. Windblown sediment dominates the South Blue Lake core and supports long-term, continuous eolian contribution to sediment of a sub-alpine lake. Results from this study support the hypothesis that dust is transported to the Southern Rocky Mountain region from a distal source (>400km ) to the west. Mega-drought conditions in the source region likely provide sediment supply and availability for transport to the Southern Rocky Mountain region.
Recommended Citation
Brice, Rebecca, "A Paleoenvironmental Investigation of Eolian Influx in Lacustrine Sediments of the Sourthern Rocky Mountain Region" (2013). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 87.
https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/87
Provenance
Recieved from ProQuest
Rights holder
Rebecca Brice
File size
104 p.
Copyright date
2013
File format
application/pdf
Language
en
Discipline
Physical geography, Paleoclimate science