Paleo-aridity records investigated through drip water chemistry in Lehman Caves, Nevada
Name
knight,rory-eaps-SB_thesis.pdf
Description
Thesis PDF
Size
3.12 MB
Format
Adobe PDF
Checksum (MD5)
6f0f8f5bf578154f80767bccde9da449
Author(s)
Knight, Rory S.
Advisor(s)
McGee, David
Date Issued
May 2025
Publisher
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Abstract
In the Great Basin of the southwest United States, climate change is predicted to cause increased precipitation variability, making the future climate of the region uncertain. The paleoclimate record has direct examples of dramatic changes in water availability in this area, allowing for a comparison of precipitation changes and responses for the Great Basin. In Lehman Cave, Nevada, ten drips above actively-forming stalagmites were sampled monthly. Glass growth plates were also placed above three actively-forming stalagmites, allowing for the collection of new calcite growths. This project analyzed the samples for Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, and U/Ca ratios to provide a comparison of the composition of calcite and the drip waters from which they precipitate. This will improve our understanding of the paleo-aridity of the Great Basin region, as well as provide useful context for the changing precipitation patterns expected with modern climate change.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences
Terms of Use
In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted
Copyright retained by author(s)
Persistent DSpace Link
