Geochemistry

David Yeamans, CST-7, 5-8832, dryeamans@lanl.gov (dryeamans@lanl.gov")
Fri, 03 Oct 1997 09:25:01 -0600


This is a message sent to the local PhDs in Geochemistry, Geomorphology,
Sedimentology, etc. Next, I work on finding that PBS geologist/boater who
jumps out of the boat to save the boat.

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Is it possible to determine whether a quartz (or other persistent) crystal
came from Formation A, 1000 miles away, or Formation B nearby? If one
ignores the sedimentology issues such as roundness, size, sorting, and
association, what seems to be left is instrumental methods. Are there
isotopic fingerprints for quartz in various formations (e.g. Wasatch, Uintah
Mountain Quartzite, Toroweap, etc.) that may be contributors to ancestral
Grand Canyon alluvium c. 5000 ybp?

The issue is: are these unconsolidated sediments lacustrine or river? The
sediments may or may not display any geomorphological or sedimentological
evidence of their origin.

The research possibilities are: Develop a set of historic high water marks
in Grand Canyon. This would show the extent of ponding from lava dams and
would show the highest of ancestral Colorado River Flows.
**********************************

Dave Yeamans

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