| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755
A compilation of 68 studies from throughout many of the world's mountain belts reveals an empirically consistent and linear relationship between change in elevation and change in the isotopic composition of precipitation along altitudinal transects. The isotopic composition of precipitation decreases linearly with increasing elevation in most regions of the world except in the Himalayas and at elevations >5000 m. There are no significant differences in isotopic lapse rates from most regions of the world (
There are many complicating factors that can confound interpretation of paleoelevation change based on stable isotopes, and many of these are unique to specific mountain belts or time periods. Relevant to all stable isotope based paleoelevation change studies is the temperature dependent isotope fractionation between a pedogenic or authigenic mineral and the water from which it forms. In cases where isotopic proxy minerals are sampled from localities where temperature will change simultaneously with elevation change, the apparent change in the isotopic composition of precipitation may be dampened by several permil. This suggests that samples taken from the rainshadow side of an emerging orographic barrier may be more likely to preserve isotopic changes resulting from mountain uplift than samples taken from atop a rising mountain range or plateau.
0.28 permil/100 m) except at the extreme latitudes where isotopic lapse rates are higher. Given information on past changes in the isotopic composition of precipitation preserved in pedogenic or authigenic minerals, this global isotopic lapse rate can be used to place numerical constraints on the topographic development of some ancient mountain belts or plateaus.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M. T. Hren, M. Pagani, D. M. Erwin, and M. Brandon Biomarker reconstruction of the early Eocene paleotopography and paleoclimate of the northern Sierra Nevada Geology, January 1, 2010; 38(1): 7 - 10. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. C. Doebbert, A. R. Carroll, A. Mulch, L. M. Chetel, and C. P. Chamberlain Geomorphic controls on lacustrine isotopic compositions: Evidence from the Laney Member, Green River Formation, Wyoming Geological Society of America Bulletin, January 1, 2010; 122(1-2): 236 - 252. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. Galewsky Orographic precipitation isotopic ratios in stratified atmospheric flows: Implications for paleoelevation studies Geology, September 1, 2009; 37(9): 791 - 794. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
E. J. Cassel, S. A. Graham, and C. P. Chamberlain Cenozoic tectonic and topographic evolution of the northern Sierra Nevada, California, through stable isotope paleoaltimetry in volcanic glass Geology, June 1, 2009; 37(6): 547 - 550. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. P. Braxton, D. R. Cooke, A. M. Ignacio, R. O. Rye, and P. J. Waters Ultra-Deep Oxidation and Exotic Copper Formation at the Late Pliocene Boyongan and Bayugo Porphyry Copper-Gold Deposits, Surigao, Philippines: Geology, Mineralogy, Paleoaltimetry, and their Implications for Geologic, Physiographic, and Tectonic Controls Economic Geology, May 1, 2009; 104(3): 333 - 349. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D.O. Breecker, Z.D. Sharp, and L.D. McFadden Seasonal bias in the formation and stable isotopic composition of pedogenic carbonate in modern soils from central New Mexico, USA Geological Society of America Bulletin, March 1, 2009; 121(3-4): 630 - 640. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. E. Saylor, J. Quade, D. L. Dettman, P. G. DeCelles, P. A. Kapp, and L. Ding The late Miocene through present paleoelevation history of southwestern Tibet Am J Sci, January 1, 2009; 309(1): 1 - 42. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. J. Davis, A. Mulch, A. R. Carroll, T. W. Horton, and C. P. Chamberlain Paleogene landscape evolution of the central North American Cordillera: Developing topography and hydrology in the Laramide foreland Geological Society of America Bulletin, January 1, 2009; 121(1-2): 100 - 116. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. R. Carroll, A. C. Doebbert, A. L. Booth, C. P. Chamberlain, M. K. Rhodes-Carson, M. E. Smith, C. M. Johnson, and B. L. Beard Capture of high-altitude precipitation by a low-altitude Eocene lake, western U.S. Geology, October 1, 2008; 36(10): 791 - 794. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Mulch, A. M. Sarna-Wojcicki, M. E. Perkins, and C. P. Chamberlain A Miocene to Pleistocene climate and elevation record of the Sierra Nevada (California) PNAS, May 13, 2008; 105(19): 6819 - 6824. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
B. E. Crowley, P. L. Koch, and E. B. Davis Stable isotope constraints on the elevation history of the Sierra Nevada Mountains, California Geological Society of America Bulletin, May 1, 2008; 120(5-6): 588 - 598. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. S. Wilson, T. Taylor, M. C. Ceruti, J. A. Chavez, J. Reinhard, V. Grimes, W. Meier-Augenstein, L. Cartmell, B. Stern, M. P. Richards, et al. Stable isotope and DNA evidence for ritual sequences in Inca child sacrifice PNAS, October 16, 2007; 104(42): 16456 - 16461. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 J. Quade, C. Garzione, and J. Eiler Paleoelevation Reconstruction using Pedogenic Carbonates Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, October 1, 2007; 66(1): 53 - 87. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Mulch and C. P. Chamberlain Stable Isotope Paleoaltimetry in Orogenic Belts The Silicate Record in Surface and Crustal Geological Archives Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, October 1, 2007; 66(1): 89 - 118. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
M. J. Kohn and D. L. Dettman Paleoaltimetry from Stable Isotope Compositions of Fossils Reviews in Mineralogy and Geochemistry, October 1, 2007; 66(1): 119 - 154. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. Mulch, S. A. Graham, and C. P. Chamberlain Hydrogen isotopes in Eocene river gravels and paleoelevation of the Sierra Nevada. Science, July 7, 2006; 313(5783): 87 - 89. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. W. Horton and C. P. Chamberlain Stable isotopic evidence for Neogene surface downdrop in the central Basin and Range Province Geological Society of America Bulletin, March 1, 2006; 118(3-4): 475 - 490. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. Ghosh, C. N. Garzione, and J. M. Eiler Rapid Uplift of the Altiplano Revealed Through 13C-18O Bonds in Paleosol Carbonates Science, January 27, 2006; 311(5760): 511 - 515. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 D. J. Sjostrom, M. T. Hren, T. W. Horton, J. R. Waldbauer, and C. P. Chamberlain Stable isotopic evidence for a pre-late Miocene elevation gradient in the Great Plains-Rocky Mountain region, USA Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2006; 398(0): 309 - 319. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. D. Willett, N. Hovius, M. T. Brandon, and D. M. Fisher Introduction Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2006; 398(0): vii - xi. [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
D. Parcerisa, D. Gomez-Gras, and J. D. Martin-Martin Calcretes, oncolites, and lacustrine limestones in Upper Oligocene alluvial fans of the Montgat area (Catalan Coastal Ranges, Spain) Geological Society of America Special Papers, January 1, 2006; 416(0): 105 - 117. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
P. M. Blisniuk and L. A. Stern Stable isotope paleoaltimetry: A critical review Am J Sci, December 1, 2005; 305(10): 1033 - 1074. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Takeuchi and P. B. Larson Oxygen isotope evidence for the late Cenozoic development of an orographic rain shadow in eastern Washington, USA Geology, April 1, 2005; 33(4): 313 - 316. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
Z. D. Sharp, H. Masson, and R. Lucchini Stable isotope geochemistry and formation mechanisms of quartz veins; extreme paleoaltitudes of the Central Alps in the Neogene Am J Sci, March 1, 2005; 305(3): 187 - 219. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. A. Graham, C. P. Chamberlain, Y. Yue, B. D. Ritts, A. D. Hanson, T. W. Horton, J. R. Waldbauer, M. A. Poage, and X. Feng Stable isotope records of Cenozoic climate and topography, Tibetan plateau and Tarim basin Am J Sci, February 1, 2005; 305(2): 101 - 118. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
T. W. Horton, D. J. Sjostrom, M. J. Abruzzese, M. A. Poage, J. R. Waldbauer, M. Hren, J. Wooden, and C. P. Chamberlain Spatial and temporal variation of Cenozoic surface elevation in the Great Basin and Sierra Nevada Am J Sci, December 1, 2004; 304(10): 862 - 888. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
A. Mulch, C. Teyssier, M. A. Cosca, O. Vanderhaeghe, and T. W. Vennemann Reconstructing paleoelevation in eroded orogens Geology, June 1, 2004; 32(6): 525 - 528. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
