Isotopic/Geochronology Core Operations, Lab Support
USGS Luminescence Laboratory
Task Objectives
The USGS Luminescence Lab provides a wide capability in luminescence dating. Sediments from eolian processes, such as dunes (both coastal and inland) or loess can be very well dated using luminescence. Sediments from fluvial processes, such as alluvium, colluvium, lacustrine and shallow marine, have also proven suitable for luminescence using blue-light OSL
and IRSL. Even material from light starved environments such as glaciers can be dated using single grain or single aliquot blue-light OSL and IRSL.
The USGS Luminescence Dating lab offers critical geochronology aid to a wide variety of projects, both within the USGS
and outside. The lab offers a "how-to" booklet that covers what luminescence dating is, examples in current literature of
what deposits and artifacts can be dated, how to collect samples, cost, turnaround time, other North American
luminescence labs and contacts and a list of past and current USGS projects luminescence dating has been applied to
(successful or not).
The booklet can be obtained by e-mailing Shannon Mahan.
Statement of Work
- Established FUA (Facility Use Agreements) with a number of universities (East Carolina, California State University-Fullerton, Appalachian State and Californi Polytechnic)
- Delivered three papers (see products) on Ugandan dambo chronology, alluvial fan sedimentation in southern Death Valley, and stratigraphic units of northeastern mojave Desert (co-incides with Friends of the Pliestocene trip Oct. 2005).
- Organizer and host for the 4th New World Luminescence Dating and Dosimetry Workshop held on the Denver Federal Center May 31-June 2, 2006.
- Established geologic studies projects with sister bureaus and agencies (BOR and NOAA).
Highlights & Key Findings
- Surficial Geologic Mapping Program: In the Mojave desert dating colluvium, alluvium and eolian sediments from 1,000- 300,000 years (with Dave Miller, GD, Menlo Park).
- LA-Basin FoQUS Program: Dating shallow marine core sediment ranging in age from 1,000-550,000 years (with Dan Ponti, GD, Menlo Park).
- Pacific Northwest Mapping Program: Dating deposits in and around the Seattle and Tacoma area, mainly glacial fluvial or glacial lacustrine of fine silt or sand in conjunction with paleo-mag chronology. Large session of findings expected at GSA in November 2003 (with Ray Wells, GD Menlo Park and Derek Booth and Kathy Troost, University of Washington).
- Badlands National Park, SD: Dating Quaternary sediments within the Holocene eolian cliff-tops, Pleistocene eolian sands, fluvial and lacustrine layers beneath the eolian deposits (with Dr. E. Rawling, University of Wisconsin and Dr. R. Benton, Park paleontologist).
- Mammoth sites near Greeley, CO: Fluvial deposits dating around 60,000 years in an effort to constrain mammoth occupation rates in North America (with Dr. S. Holen, Denver Museum of Nature and Science).
- Cheyenne River, SD: Dating very young fluvial deposits (<500 years) with private consulting firm (em2) in an attempt to date flood cycles.
- Lower Colorado River incision studies: Collaboration with a graduate student trying to date rates of incision around caves and local pediment surfaces near Glen canyon Dam. Cosmogenic, radiocarbon and U/Th dating being used as well. (with Cris Garvin of Dartmouth University and Tom Hanks, USGS).
- Fulgurite Studies: First ever attempt to date fulgurites using luminescence. Special oral presentation at North American Luminescence meeting in August 2003 (with Dr. R Navarro, University of Mexico and Dr. A. Singhvi, Earth and Planetary Sciences Institute, India).
- Lepper, Kenneth, Vincent, Kirk R., and Mahan, Shannon A., 2005, Late Holocene Depositional Chronology of Chaco
Wash: Single-grain Luminescence Dating Tackles a Worst-case Scenario, Quaternary Science Research, Geology
(submitted).
- Pierce, Kenneth L., Muhs, Daniel R., Fosberg, Maynard, A., Mahan, Shannon A., Rosenbaum, Joseph, G., and
Pavich, Milan, 200?, Climate and glacial history over the last 140,000 years, based on glacial outwash, loess deposition,
and soil development in southern Jackson Hole, Wyoming, ?
- Mahan, S.A., Noe, D.C. and McCalpin, J., Optically stimulated luminescence dating of loess and sheets in the Anton
Scarp trench, Northeast Colorado, [A]: GSA Rocky Mountain Sectional Meeting May 23-25, Grand Junction, Colorado,
Geological Society of America Abstracts, Volume 37, No. 6. pg. 14.
- Mahan, S.A., Miller, D.M., Menges, C.M., Yount, J., Late Quaternary stratigraphy and luminescence geochronology
of the northeastern Mojave Desert, with emphasis on the Valjean Valley area: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report
2006-1082.
- Convener and organizer of the 4th New World Luminescence Dating and Dosimetry Workshop, May 31-June 2, 2006, Denver, Colorado.
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