Age and Origin of Carlsbad Cavern and Related Caves from 40 Ar/ 39 Ar of Alunite-Reference-Cited by-同舟云学术

Age and Origin of Carlsbad Cavern and Related Caves from 40 Ar/ 39 Ar of Alunite

Published:1998-03-20 Issue:5358 Volume:279 Page:1919-1922
ISSN:0036-8075
Container-title:Science
language:en
Short-container-title:Science

Author:

Polyak Victor J.¹²³,McIntosh William C.¹²³,Güven Necip¹²³,Provencio Paula¹²³

Affiliation:

1. V. J. Polyak and N. Güven, Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409–1053, USA.

2. W. C. McIntosh, New Mexico Geochronology Research Laboratory, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM 87801–4796, USA.

3. P. Provencio, Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, NM 87185, USA.

Abstract

40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating of fine-grained alunite that formed during cave genesis provides ages of formation for the Big Room level of Carlsbad Cavern [4.0 to 3.9 million years ago (Ma)], the upper level of Lechuguilla Cave (6.0 to 5.7 Ma), and three other hypogene caves (11.3 to 6.0 Ma) in the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico. Alunite ages increase and are strongly correlative with cave elevations, which indicates an 1100-meter decline in the water table, apparently related to tectonic uplift and tilting, from 11.3 Ma to the present. 40 Ar/ 39 Ar dating studies of the hypogene caves have the potential to help resolve late Cenozoic climatic, speleologic, and tectonic questions.

Publisher

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Subject

Multidisciplinary

Reference41 articles.

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3. S. J. Egemeier ibid. 43 31 (1981).

4. D. H. Jagnow in Subsurface and Outcrop Examination of the Capitan Shelf Margin Northern Delaware Basin P. M. Harris and G. A. Grover Eds. (SEPM Core Workshop 13 San Antonio TX 1989) p. 459.

5. C. A. Hill Geology of Carlsbad Cavern and Other Caves in the Guadalupe Mountains New Mexico and Texas (New Mexico Bureau of Mines and Mineral Resources Bulletin 117 Socorro 1987);

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