U.S.-Chile: Morphotectonic Evolution of the U.S.-Chile: Mejillones Peninsula, Northern Chile Using Precise GPS Measurement of Uplifted Coastal Terraces

0514266 Pinter这个美国-智利/美国-德国奖项将支持卡本代尔南伊利诺伊大学的Nicholas Pint博士和Constanza A.Casanova女士与智利安托法加斯塔Catolica del Norte大学的Gabriel A.Gonzalez博士以及德国科隆大学的Ulrich Radtke博士合作开展一个论文增强项目，题为《使用精确的GPS测量隆起的海岸阶地对智利北部梅吉隆斯半岛的地形构造演化》。直到最近几年，这个半岛基本上还是人迹罕至。它包含一系列隆起的沿海梯田，是世界上最好的梯田之一。这里至少有13个不同的阶地，由于极度干旱，在保存下来的梯田形态、覆盖梯田的沉积沉积物以及这些沉积物中保存的丰富化石材料方面都是无与伦比的。这项研究的目标是绘制、精确测量和分析这一序列。这一结果将增加基于阶地的海平面信息的全球数据库，调查当地气候演变，并记录缺乏沉积物的智利俯冲杂岩的上更新世构造演化。拉德克博士将对卡萨诺娃进行电子自旋共振(ESR)测年技术培训。ESR是对软体动物化石贝壳进行的，将在每个确定的梯田水平收集。该项目的结果将发布在一个面向美国和智利地质学学生的双语网站上。

0514266PinterThis U.S.-Chile/U.S.-Germany award will support Dr. Nicholas Pinter and Ms. Constanza A. Casanova of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale to work with Dr. Gabriel A. Gonzalez of Universidad Catolica del Norte in Antofagasta, Chile, as well as with Dr. Ulrich Radtke at the University of Cologne in Germany, on a dissertation enhancement project entitled "Morphotectonic Evolution of the Mejillones Peninsula, Northern Chile Using Precise GPS Measurement of Uplifted Coastal Terraces." This peninsula was largely inaccessible until the last few years. It contains a sequence of uplifted coastal terraces that rank among the best in the world. At least 13 distinct terrace levels are present, and because of the extreme aridity, is unmatched in preserved terrace morphology, terrace-capping sedimentary deposits and the abundant fossil material preserved in those deposits. The goal of this research is to map, precisely measure and analyze this sequence. The results would add to the worldwide databse of terrace-based sea-level information, investigating local climate evolution, and documenting the Plio-Pleistocene tectonic evolution of the sediment-starved Chilean subduction complex. Dr. Radtke will train Ms. Casanova in the Electron Spin Resonance (ESR) dating technique. ESR is done on fossil mollusk shells that will be collected on each identified terrace level.Results of this project will be posted on a bilingual website for geology students in the U.S. and Chile.