Chemical analyses, correlations, and ages of upper Pliocene and Pleistocene ash layers of east-central and Southern California

Abstract

Eight widespread Pleistocene ash layers of east-central and southern California are characterized and correlated on the basis of chemical composition of volcanic glass (determined by neutron activation, electron probe, and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence analysis), stratigraphic criteria, and petrographic characteristics. Irt order of increasing age, these are the Lava Creek B ash bed (formerly referred to as the Pearlette type 0 ash bed; about 0.6 m.y.), the Bishop ash bed (0.73 m.y.), the Glass Mountain-D ash bed (estimated to be about 0.8-0.9 m.y.), the Glass Mountain-G ash bed (estimated to be about 1.0-1.1 m.y.), the Bailey ash (1.2 m.y.), the middle white ash of the Manix basin (estimated to be about 1.9 m.y.), the Huckleberry Ridge ash bed (formerly referred to as the Pearlette type B ash bed; about 1.9 m.y.), and the lowermost gray ash of the South Mountain area (Huckleberry Ridge? ash bed; estimated to be about 1.9 m.y.).