Event Title
Holocene OSL Age Estimates of Parabolic Dunes Along the Western Shore of Lake Michigan Door Peninsula WI, USA: Insights on the Coastal Dunes Geomorphic History
Presentation Type
Poster/Portfolio
Presenter Major(s)
Chemistry
Mentor Information
Min Qi, qim@gvsu.edu
Department
Chemistry
Location
Kirkhof Center KC36
Start Date
13-4-2011 1:00 PM
End Date
13-4-2011 2:00 PM
Keywords
Environment, Global Change, Physical Science
Abstract
Aeolian geomorphology and geochronology was investigated for dunes on the northwestern shore of Lake Michigan at Whitefish Dunes State Park, Wisconsin. Three-meter LiDAR, aerial photographs, and field observations reveal a series of parabolic dunes and beach ridges superimposed on an 800 m wide strand plain that separates Lake Michigan from inland Clark Lake. The parabolic dunes show a paleowind direction of south-southwest. Particle Size Analysis (PSA) along with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) differentiate dune (~2.7% coarse sand) and beach (~18% coarse sand) sediment. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) samples were collected from paleo-beaches and dune crests. OSL ages of the dune crests ranged from 7.8 to 1.9 ka, correlating with the Nippising Lake Level High (6.0-4.3 ka) and the Algoma Transgression (3.3-2.3 ka). The similarity between the dune and beach sediment age suggests rapid dune formation and stabilization.
Holocene OSL Age Estimates of Parabolic Dunes Along the Western Shore of Lake Michigan Door Peninsula WI, USA: Insights on the Coastal Dunes Geomorphic History
Kirkhof Center KC36
Aeolian geomorphology and geochronology was investigated for dunes on the northwestern shore of Lake Michigan at Whitefish Dunes State Park, Wisconsin. Three-meter LiDAR, aerial photographs, and field observations reveal a series of parabolic dunes and beach ridges superimposed on an 800 m wide strand plain that separates Lake Michigan from inland Clark Lake. The parabolic dunes show a paleowind direction of south-southwest. Particle Size Analysis (PSA) along with Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) differentiate dune (~2.7% coarse sand) and beach (~18% coarse sand) sediment. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) samples were collected from paleo-beaches and dune crests. OSL ages of the dune crests ranged from 7.8 to 1.9 ka, correlating with the Nippising Lake Level High (6.0-4.3 ka) and the Algoma Transgression (3.3-2.3 ka). The similarity between the dune and beach sediment age suggests rapid dune formation and stabilization.