Glacial geology and chronology of Bishop Creek and vicinity, eastern Sierra Nevada, California

Abstract

Research Article| July 01, 2009 Glacial geology and chronology of Bishop Creek and vicinity, eastern Sierra Nevada, California Fred M. Phillips; Fred M. Phillips † 1Earth & Environmental Science Department, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, New Mexico 87801, USA †E-mail: [e-mail]. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Marek Zreda; Marek Zreda 2Department of Hydrology & Water Resources, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85712, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Mitchell A. Plummer; Mitchell A. Plummer 1Earth & Environmental Science Department, New Mexico Tech, Socorro, New Mexico 87801, USA §Current address: Idaho National Laboratory, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, Idaho 83415, USA. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David Elmore; David Elmore 3Purdue Rare Isotope Measurement Laboratory, Physics Department, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-1396, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Douglas H. Clark Douglas H. Clark 4Department of Geology, Western Washington University, Bellingham, Washington 98225-9080, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (2009) 121 (7-8): 1013–1033. https://doi.org/10.1130/B26271.1 Article history received: 12 Jun 2007 rev-recd: 12 Feb 2008 accepted: 05 Sep 2008 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Fred M. Phillips, Marek Zreda, Mitchell A. Plummer, David Elmore, Douglas H. Clark; Glacial geology and chronology of Bishop Creek and vicinity, eastern Sierra Nevada, California. GSA Bulletin 2009;; 121 (7-8): 1013–1033. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B26271.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract The valley of Bishop Creek, which drains part of the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada, California, contains an unusually well-preserved set of middle to late Quaternary moraines. These deposits have been mapped by previous investigators, but they have not been quantitatively dated. We used the accumulation of cosmogenic 36Cl to assign a chronology to the maximal glacial positions mapped in the valley. Our results indicate that the terminal moraines mapped by previous investigators as Tahoe were all deposited between ca. 165 and ca. 135 ka, during marine isotope stage (MIS) 6. Moraines mapped as Tioga were deposited between 28 and 14 ka, during MIS 2. These can be subdivided into Tioga 1 (28–24 ka), Tioga 3 (18.5–17.0 ka), and Tioga 4 (16.0–14.5 ka) advances (no moraines dated to Tioga 2 [21–19 ka] were found, presumably because the Tioga 3 advance either overrode or fluvially eroded them). At 15.0–14.5 ka, the Tioga 4 glacier retreated abruptly to the crest of the range. This was followed by the brief and fairly minor Recess Peak advance at ca. 13.4 ka. No Holocene advances extended beyond the very restricted limits of ice during the Matthes (Little Ice Age) advance. All preserved terminal moraines at lower elevations were deposited during either the Tahoe or Tioga stades. The Tahoe terminal moraines are extensive and voluminous, whereas the Tioga moraines are relatively narrow and have small volumes. However, this notable difference may be more a result of idiosyncrasies in the local glacial history than the result of differences in the length or intensity of glaciation between the two glacial episodes. The history of glacial advances at Bishop Creek exhibits a strong correspondence to global climate cycles, and to paleoclimate events in the North Atlantic in particular. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.