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Title: Chronostratigraphic and paleoclimatic data for Quaternary loessial and fluvial deposits in the Mississippi River Valley of Arkansas and Tennessee

Abstract

Ongoing investigations into Quaternary paleoclimates of the Mississippi River Valley in eastern Arkansas and western Tennessee include age estimations using [sup 14]C, [sup 10]Be, thermoluminescent (TL), and optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) analyses; compositional studies using petrographic and diffractometer analyses; pedological analyses with complete characterization studies; and magnetic susceptibility measurements with laboratory analyses to investigate the source of the magnetism. Preliminary data on composition of the < 63-micron fraction, thickness, and age of the loesses and associated paleosols are available from selected stratigraphic sections that are being described and sampled in detail. These data suggest the following: (1) overall thickness of loess, as well as thickness of each loess sheet, decreases by one-half to two-thirds within the 96-km distance from the south end of Crowleys Ridge near Helena, AR northward to Forest City, AR and Memphis, TN; (2) near Helena, loess thicknesses are 25 to 30 m, 7 m, 6 m, and 6 m for the Peoria, Roxana, Loveland, and Crowleys Ridge respectively; (3) the depth of weathering in the Peoria ranges from 4.5 to 8.5 m near Helena, depending on slope position; (4) at the south end of Crowleys Ridge, near Helena, the Roxana has two associated paleosols and anmore » intervening layer of weathered parent material; (5) isotopic data suggest that (a) loess deposition took place between 4,500 ka and 10 ka and that (b) each younger disconformity represents less time than the one before; (6) the predominantly illite and illite/smectite mineralogy of the paleosols, even that of the Sangamon soil, suggests minimal weathering of labile loessial minerals prior to pedogenic development; (7) pollen data indicate that by 10 ka this part of the valley had vegetation indicative of a cool temperate climate, with minimal cypress and no boreal components.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [7];  [3];  [8]
  1. Geological Survey, Atlanta, GA (United States)
  2. Geological Survey, Denver, CO (United States)
  3. Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)
  4. Geological Survey, Golden, CO (United States)
  5. Georgia Southern Univ., Statesboro, GA (United States)
  6. Univ. of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR (United States)
  7. Dept. of Agriculture, Little Rock, AR (United States). Soil Conservation Service
  8. Dept. of Agriculture, Lincoln, NE (United States). Soil Conservation Service
Publication Date:
OSTI Identifier:
5932331
Report Number(s):
CONF-921058-
Journal ID: ISSN 0016-7592; CODEN: GAAPBC
Resource Type:
Conference
Journal Name:
Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 24:7; Conference: 1992 annual meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Cincinnati, OH (United States), 26-29 Oct 1992; Journal ID: ISSN 0016-7592
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
58 GEOSCIENCES; ARKANSAS; SEDIMENTARY BASINS; QUATERNARY PERIOD; PALEOCLIMATOLOGY; STRATIGRAPHY; TENNESSEE; AGE ESTIMATION; DEPOSITION; GEOCHEMISTRY; GEOLOGIC HISTORY; GEOLOGIC STRATA; PALEOMAGNETISM; THICKNESS; WEATHERING; CENOZOIC ERA; CHEMISTRY; DEVELOPED COUNTRIES; DIMENSIONS; GEOLOGIC AGES; GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES; GEOLOGY; MAGNETISM; NORTH AMERICA; PALEONTOLOGY; USA; 580000* - Geosciences

Citation Formats

Markewich, H W, Millard, Jr, H T, Pavich, M J, Rodbell, D T, Rich, F J, Rutledge, E M, Ward, L, Van Valkenberg, S, and Wysocki, D. Chronostratigraphic and paleoclimatic data for Quaternary loessial and fluvial deposits in the Mississippi River Valley of Arkansas and Tennessee. United States: N. p., 1992. Web.
Markewich, H W, Millard, Jr, H T, Pavich, M J, Rodbell, D T, Rich, F J, Rutledge, E M, Ward, L, Van Valkenberg, S, & Wysocki, D. Chronostratigraphic and paleoclimatic data for Quaternary loessial and fluvial deposits in the Mississippi River Valley of Arkansas and Tennessee. United States.
Markewich, H W, Millard, Jr, H T, Pavich, M J, Rodbell, D T, Rich, F J, Rutledge, E M, Ward, L, Van Valkenberg, S, and Wysocki, D. 1992. "Chronostratigraphic and paleoclimatic data for Quaternary loessial and fluvial deposits in the Mississippi River Valley of Arkansas and Tennessee". United States.
@article{osti_5932331,
title = {Chronostratigraphic and paleoclimatic data for Quaternary loessial and fluvial deposits in the Mississippi River Valley of Arkansas and Tennessee},
author = {Markewich, H W and Millard, Jr, H T and Pavich, M J and Rodbell, D T and Rich, F J and Rutledge, E M and Ward, L and Van Valkenberg, S and Wysocki, D},
abstractNote = {Ongoing investigations into Quaternary paleoclimates of the Mississippi River Valley in eastern Arkansas and western Tennessee include age estimations using [sup 14]C, [sup 10]Be, thermoluminescent (TL), and optically stimulated luminescent (OSL) analyses; compositional studies using petrographic and diffractometer analyses; pedological analyses with complete characterization studies; and magnetic susceptibility measurements with laboratory analyses to investigate the source of the magnetism. Preliminary data on composition of the < 63-micron fraction, thickness, and age of the loesses and associated paleosols are available from selected stratigraphic sections that are being described and sampled in detail. These data suggest the following: (1) overall thickness of loess, as well as thickness of each loess sheet, decreases by one-half to two-thirds within the 96-km distance from the south end of Crowleys Ridge near Helena, AR northward to Forest City, AR and Memphis, TN; (2) near Helena, loess thicknesses are 25 to 30 m, 7 m, 6 m, and 6 m for the Peoria, Roxana, Loveland, and Crowleys Ridge respectively; (3) the depth of weathering in the Peoria ranges from 4.5 to 8.5 m near Helena, depending on slope position; (4) at the south end of Crowleys Ridge, near Helena, the Roxana has two associated paleosols and an intervening layer of weathered parent material; (5) isotopic data suggest that (a) loess deposition took place between 4,500 ka and 10 ka and that (b) each younger disconformity represents less time than the one before; (6) the predominantly illite and illite/smectite mineralogy of the paleosols, even that of the Sangamon soil, suggests minimal weathering of labile loessial minerals prior to pedogenic development; (7) pollen data indicate that by 10 ka this part of the valley had vegetation indicative of a cool temperate climate, with minimal cypress and no boreal components.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/5932331}, journal = {Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)},
issn = {0016-7592},
number = ,
volume = 24:7,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992},
month = {Wed Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1992}
}

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