U.S.-Argentina Cooperative Research: Evolution of the Pangean Megamonsoon: Plant Taphonomy in Triassic Sedimentary Rocks of the Ischigualasto Basin

[0228426]帕里什-琼斯美洲奖将支持亚利桑那大学的朱迪思·t·帕里什-琼斯博士与阿根廷圣胡安国立大学的奥斯卡·阿尔科伯博士和阿尔科伯博士的博士生Carina Colombi女士的合作研究，以表彰他们在泛古大陆特大季风演化方面的工作。泛古大陆特大季风是一个全球性的气候系统，其历史对理解气候动力学具有重要意义。盘古大陆的西南部分，也就是现在的南美洲，在这种气候系统的记录中很少受到关注，尤其是三叠纪的记录。在阿根廷西部（Ischigualasto盆地），一个暴露良好且完整的三叠纪地层层序可以帮助解决我们对泛古宙记录的认识空白，这是本项目的重点。Pis将在Ischigualasto盆地进行植物分类研究。植物地层学是一种强有力的古气候解释方法，但在南美洲尚未得到广泛应用。结合其他工作人员的沉积学研究和阿根廷人进行的脊椎动物地层学研究，这项古植被研究将为这一地区的三叠纪气候提供一个极好的记录。

0228426Parrish-JonesThis Americas award will support collaborative research between Dr. Judith T. Parrish-Jones of the University of Arizona and Dr. Oscar Alcober and Ms. Carina Colombi, Dr. Alcober's Ph.D. advisee, of Universidad Nacional de San Juan in Argentina for their work on the evolution of the Pangean megamonsoon.The Pangean megamonsoon was a global climate system whose history is relevant to understanding climate dynamics. The southwestern portion of Pangea, in what is now South America, has received little attention in the documentation of this climate system, particularly of the Triassic. A well-exposed and complete Triassic stratigraphic sequence in western Argentina (Ischigualasto Basin) can help address the gap in our knowledge of the Pangean record, and is the focus of this project. The Pis will conduct plant taphonomic studies in the Ischigualasto Basin. Plant taphonomy is a powerful method for paleoclimate interpretation and has not been applied widely in South America. Integrated with the sedimentologic studies by other workers and with the vertebrate taphonomy to be carried out by the Argentines, this study of the paleovegetation will provide an excellent record of the Triassic climate in this part of the world.