Red Dog Loess, a Peoria Equivalent, Last Glacial Desert Loess of the White River Badlands, South Dakota, USA
Abstract
Understanding how ecosystems in the Great Plains responded to droughts and prehistoric climate change is important for interpreting future climate disturbances and water resource planning. There is a correlation between glacial periods and atmospheric dust distribution, with significant dust deposition in the Great Plains during the Last Glacial Maximum, ~23,000 years ago (23ka). Continuous freezing and thawing events in the mid-continent led to erosion in the Great Plains, transporting a significant deposit of windblown dust, or loess, and an ecological collapse of the grassland ecosystems. This research aims to determine if the White River Badlands (WRB) region was the source for Peoria Loess, an agriculturally significant last-glacial deposit. To test this hypothesis, the geochemical and mineralogical composition of Red Dog Loess (RDL), a similar last-glacial dust deposit from the WRB, was compared with samples of Peoria Loess. Preliminary results indicate compositional similarities between the RDL and the WRB, supporting the conjecture of a local origin. In our interpretation of the results, RDL demonstrated equivalent mineralogic immaturity and geochemical signatures to Peoria Loess. Using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), the periods for deposition of the RDL were identified as 5ka, 9ka, 20ka, and greater than 58ka. These data help understand climate changes in the mid-continent and contribute to a better understanding of regional climate disturbances in the Great Plains, aiding predictions and preparation for future climate events.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Paul Baldauf
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-3-2024 12:30 PM
End Date
4-4-2024 1:30 PM
Red Dog Loess, a Peoria Equivalent, Last Glacial Desert Loess of the White River Badlands, South Dakota, USA
Alvin Sherman Library
Understanding how ecosystems in the Great Plains responded to droughts and prehistoric climate change is important for interpreting future climate disturbances and water resource planning. There is a correlation between glacial periods and atmospheric dust distribution, with significant dust deposition in the Great Plains during the Last Glacial Maximum, ~23,000 years ago (23ka). Continuous freezing and thawing events in the mid-continent led to erosion in the Great Plains, transporting a significant deposit of windblown dust, or loess, and an ecological collapse of the grassland ecosystems. This research aims to determine if the White River Badlands (WRB) region was the source for Peoria Loess, an agriculturally significant last-glacial deposit. To test this hypothesis, the geochemical and mineralogical composition of Red Dog Loess (RDL), a similar last-glacial dust deposit from the WRB, was compared with samples of Peoria Loess. Preliminary results indicate compositional similarities between the RDL and the WRB, supporting the conjecture of a local origin. In our interpretation of the results, RDL demonstrated equivalent mineralogic immaturity and geochemical signatures to Peoria Loess. Using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), the periods for deposition of the RDL were identified as 5ka, 9ka, 20ka, and greater than 58ka. These data help understand climate changes in the mid-continent and contribute to a better understanding of regional climate disturbances in the Great Plains, aiding predictions and preparation for future climate events.
