Collaborative Research: P2C2: Terrestrial Late Pleistocene Paleoenvironment Back to MIS 3 from Fossil Microflora & Tree Rings in Recent Excavated Landslide Deposits, Western Oregon

University Of Arizona, Tucson AZ

Investigators

Abstract

This project tests the ability to reconstruct climate during Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS3) using sediments, pollen, and radioisotopic analysis of tree macrofossils recovered from a debris flow site in Oregon. Additionally, the researchers aim to explore the potential to use such logs that have measurable Carbon-14 to establish a floating chronological sequence to around 50,000 years. The primary broader impacts involve extending radiocarbon dating back more than 12,000 years in fossil logs containing tree rings for climatic analyses. The research would be done in close collaboration with the Oregon Department of Transportation and its contractors, resulting in a strong interaction between the scientists and technical and engineering experts, although it was not clear how this would advance science and engineering in the next generation. Science results would become part of an outreach effort at the university and an Oregon state exposition. Graduate students from two universities (University of Arizona and California State University at Fresno) would be part of the research.