Quaternary Geochronology: Eastern Sahara and American West

第四纪地质年代学：东撒哈拉和美国西部

• 批准号: 8820395
• 负责人: C. Vance Haynes
• 金额: $ 18.42万
• 依托单位: University of Arizona
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 1989
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 1989-01-01 至 1992-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=8820395&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Quaternary; Geochronology; Eastern; Sahara; American

Previous NSF-sponsored research in the hyperarid eastern Sahara has established a discontinuous geochronological sequence spanning the Quaternary. Early to Middle Pleistocene alluvium and eolian sediments with Early Paleolithic archaeology in buried "radar" valleys are inset by lacustrine deposits associated with Middle Paleolithic archaeology. These are overlain by Holocene sand sheets, playa deposits, and laminated lake beds with associated Neolithic archaeology. Paleoclimatic and paleo- environmental interpretations based upon geology, archaeology, fauna, and palynology indicate major north-south fluctuations of the Sahelio-Saharan transitions zone during late Quaternary time. The Meidob Hills, a basaltic volcanic pile, periodically active for perhaps the past 30 millions years, lies on the present southern fringe of the Sahara and has, therefore, experienced the passage of the transition zone back and forth several times. With the collaboration of an interdisciplinary team I propose to study alluvial and eolian sediments interbeded with datable volcanics to establish a time-calibrated strati- graphic sequence that will be correlatable to strata of the hyperarid core of the Sahara as well as southward to African rift valley sequences. The results will be of value in understanding past man-land relationships in the sensitive Saharan fringe in order to better assess future land uses and also in comparing hyperarid geomorphic processes with semiarid American West. Investigative techniques include stratigraphy, sedimentology, palynology, AMS radiocarbon dating, space imagery remote sensing, isotope geochemistry, and archaeological observations. The possibility for early hominid remains will not be overlooked.

以前NSF赞助的研究在超干旱的东部 撒哈拉建立了一个不连续的地质年代序列 横跨第四纪 早-中更新世冲积层 与旧石器时代早期考古发现的风成沉积物 “雷达”谷被湖泊沉积物嵌入， 旧石器时代中期考古学。 它们被全新世覆盖 沙层、干盐湖沉积物和层状湖床， 相关的新石器时代考古学。 古气候和古- 基于地质学，考古学， 动物群和孢粉学表明， 第四纪晚期的萨赫勒-撒哈拉过渡带。 梅多布山是一个玄武岩火山堆， 在过去的3000万年里， 现在的撒哈拉南部边缘，因此， 经历了过渡区的来回移动 多次 在跨学科的合作下， 第一组建议研究冲积层和风成沉积层 用可测年代的火山岩来建立一个时间校准的地层 图形序列，将是可解释的地层的 撒哈拉沙漠的极端干旱核心以及向南到非洲裂谷 山谷序列 其结果将有助于理解 撒哈拉边缘地区过去的人地关系， 为了更好地评估未来的土地使用， 半干旱的美国西部的超干旱地貌过程。 调查技术包括地层学， 沉积学，孢粉学，AMS放射性碳测年，空间成像 遥感、同位素地球化学和考古学 意见。 早期原始人类遗骸的可能性不会 被忽视