Correlation of the Holocene Jarvis Creek, Tangle Lakes, Cantwell, and Hayes Tephras in South-Central and Central Alaska

Abstract

AbstractThe geochemistry, petrography, and distribution of the Jarvis Creek Ash (Péwé, 1965, 1975a) indicate that this tephra from the lower Delta River area of central Alaska is correlative with vol volcanic ash from sites in south-central Alaska near Tangle Lakes (upper Delta River area) and the Cantwell ash from Hayes volcano found in the upper Nenana River area (Riehle et al., 1990). Volcanic glass compositions of distal Jarvis Creek and Tangle Lakes tephra samples are compositionally restricted, while several discrete glass populations are present in some samples are compositionally collected nearer Hayes volcano. These correlations extend the known distribution of Hayes volcano tephras across the Alaska Range and into central Alaska, a distance of more than 650 km. New geochronologic data for the Jarvis Creek Ash suggest it was deposited ca. 3660 ± 125 yr B.P., consistent with previous age estimates of tephra eruptions at the Hayes volcano. The name “Jarvis Creek Ash” has well-established priority with respect to “Cantwell ash” or other local names for this tephra layer from the Hayes volcano.