Hostname: page-component-7dd5485656-g8tfn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-10-31T05:18:43.724Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Calibration, Review, and Geomorphic Implications of Postglacial Radiocarbon Ages in Southeastern Alberta, Canada

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

Celina Campbell  and
Ian A. Campbell
Celina Campbell
Affiliation:
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H4, Canada
Ian A. Campbell
Affiliation:
Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB T6G 2H4, Canada
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Calibration of radiocarbon dates of postglacial geomorphic events in southeastern Alberta, Canada, reveals a strong association between type of geomorphic event and seasonality of insolation. The late glacial and postglacial periods can be divided into four major episodes: glaciation, ca. >20,000 cal yr B.P.; deglaciation, ca. 20,000–12,000 cal yr B.P.; landscape stability, ca. 12,000–10,000 cal yr B.P.; and landscape instability, ca. 10,000–0 cal yr B.P. This indicates that there was significantly more time than previously thought (12,000–13,000 yr) for postglacial processes. Glaciation, deglaciation, maximum landscape stability (indicating maximum aridity), and landscape instability did not lag behind minimum, increasing, maximum, and decreasing seasonality of insolation, respectively.

Information

Type
Research Article
Information
Quaternary Research , Volume 47 , Issue 1 , January 1997 , pp. 37 - 44
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

Bacon, C. R.(1983). Eruptive history of Mount Mazama and Crater Lake caldera, Cascade Range U.S.A., Journal of Volcanology and Geothermal Research 18, 87–115.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bard, E. Hamelin, B. Fairbanks, R. and Zindler, A.(1990). Calibration of the 14C timescale over the last 30,000 yr using mass spectrometric U Th ages from Barbados coral. Nature 345, 405–410.Google Scholar
Bard, E. Hamelin, B, Fairbanks, R. and Zindler, A.(1993). 230Th-234U and 14C ages obtained by mass spectrometry on corals. Radiocarbon 35, 191–199.Google Scholar
Barling, M.(1995). The geomorphology and alluvial history of Matzhiwan Creek, a small tributary of the Red Deer River in southern Alberta. Unpublished M.Sc. dissertation, University of Alberta.Google Scholar
Barnosky, C. W. Anderson, P. M. and Bartlein, P. J.(1987). The northwestern U.S. during deglaciation: Vegetational history and paleoclimatic implications. In “North America and Adjacent Oceans During the last Deglaciation v. K-3” ( Ruddiman, W. F. and Wright, H. E. Jr.Eds.), pp. 289–321. Geological Society of America, Boulder.Google Scholar
Bartlein, P. J. Edwards, M. E. Shafer, S. L. and Barker, E. D. Jr.(1995). Calibration of radiocarbon ages and the interpretation of paleoenviron-mental records. Quaternary Research 44, 417–424.Google Scholar
Beaudoin, A. B.(1992). Early Holocene palaeoenvironmental data preserved in "non-traditional" sites. In “2nd Palliser Triangle Global Change Conference Abstracts," p. 1. University of Regina.Google Scholar
Berger, A.(1978). Long-term variations of caloric insolation resulting from the Earth's orbital elements. Quaternary Research 9, 139–167.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bryan, R. B. Campbell, I. A. and Yair, A.(1987). Postglacial geomorphic development of the Dinosaur Provincial Park badlands, Alberta. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 24, 135–146.Google Scholar
Bull, W. B.(1991). “Geomorphic Responses to Climatic Change.” Oxford Univ. Press, New York.Google Scholar
Campbell, I. A. and Evans, D. J. A.(1990). Glaciotectonism and landslid-ing in Little Sandhill Creek, Alberta. Geomorphology 4, 19–36.Google Scholar
Campbell, I. A. and Evans, D. J. A.(1993). Onetree Creek, stratigraphy and glacial history related to the Dinosaur Provincial Park area. In “Glacial and Holocene Geomorphology of the Alberta prairies: Field guide, Third International Geomorphology Conference” ( Campbell, I. A. Rains, R. B. Shaw,, J. and Evans, D. J. A.Eds.), pp. 51–58. Hamilton.Google Scholar
Christiansen, E. A.(1979). The Wisconsinan deglaciation of southern Saskatchewan and adjacent areas. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 16, 913–938.Google Scholar
Clayton, L. Teller, J. T. and Attig, J. W.(1985). Surging of the southwestern part of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. Boreas 14, 235–241.Google Scholar
David, P. P.(1993). Great Sand Hills of Saskatchewan: An overview. In “Quaternary and Late Tertiary Landscapes of Southwestern Saskatchewan and Adjacent Areas” ( Sauchyn, D. J.Ed.), pp. 59–81. Canadian Plains Research Centre, University of Regina.Google Scholar
Dey, B. and Chakravarti, A. K.(1976). A synoptic climatological analysis of summer dry spells in the Canadian Prairies. Great Plains-Rocky Mountain Geographical Journal 5, 30–46.Google Scholar
Dyke, A. S. and Prest, V. K.(1987). Late Wisconsinan and Holocene history of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. G"ographie physique et Quaternaire XLI, 237–263.Google Scholar
Dyke, W. Fyles, G. G. and Blake, W. Jr.(1965). Radiocarbon dates. Geological Survey of Canada Paper65–4, 9.Google Scholar
Environment Canada (1993). "Canadian Climate Normals, 1961–1990: Prairie Provinces.” Minister of Supply and Services, Ottawa.Google Scholar
Evans, D. J. A. and Campbell, I. A.(1992). Glacial and postglacial stratigraphy of Dinosaur Provincial Park and surrounding plains, southern Alberta, Canada. Quaternary Science Reviews 11, 535–555.Google Scholar
Fullerton, D. S. and Colton, R. B.(1986). Stratigraphy and correlation of the glacial deposits on the Montana Plains. In “Quaternary Glaciations in the Northern Hemisphere” ( Sibrava, V. Bowen,, D. Q. and Richmond, G. M.Eds.). Quaternary Science Reviews 5, 69–82.Google Scholar
Goulden, M. R. and Sauchyn, D. J.(1986). Age of rotational landsliding in the Cypress Hills, Alberta-Saskatchewan. G"ographie physique et Quaternaire 40, 239–248.Google Scholar
Harrison, J. E.(1973). Dated paleosol from below Mazama (?) tephra. Geological Survey of Canada Paper73–1B, 127–128.Google Scholar
Hickman, M. and Schweger, C. E.(1993). Late glacial-early Holocene palaeosalinity in Alberta, Canada-climate implications. Journal of Paleo-limnology 8, 149–161.Google Scholar
Kehew, A. E. and Lord, M. L.(1986). Origin and large-scale erosional features of glacial-lake spillways in the northern Great Plains. Geological Society of America Bulletin 93, 1051–1058.2.0.CO;2>CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kehew, A. E. and Teller, J. T.(1994). History of late glacial runoff along the southwestern margin of the Laurentide ice sheet. Quaternary Science Reviews 13, 859–877.Google Scholar
Kennett, J. P. Elmstrom, K. and Penrose, N.(1985). The last deglaciation in Orca Basin, Gulf of Mexico: High resolution planktonic foraminiferal changes. Paleogeography, Paleoclimatology, Paleoecology 50, 189–216.Google Scholar
Klassen, R. W.(1989). Quaternary geology of southern Canadian Interior Plains. In “Quaternary Geology of Canada and Greeland” ( Fulton, R. J.Ed.), pp. 138–173. Geological Survey of Canada, Ottawa.Google Scholar
Klassen, R. W.(1993). Landscape complexes and their relationship to the Late Tertiary and Quaternary Geology of southwestern Saskatchewan. In “Quaternary and Late Tertiary Landscapes of Southwestern Saskatchewan and Adjacent Areas” ( Sauchyn, D. J.Ed.), pp. 1–26. Canadian Plains Research Centre, University of Regina.Google Scholar
Kutzbach, J. E. and Guetter, P. J.(1986). The influence of changing orbital parameters and surface boundary conditions on climate simulations for the past 18,000 years. Journal of Atmospheric Sciences 43, 1726–1759.Google Scholar
Leventer, A. Williams, D. F. and Kennett, J. P.(1982). Dynamics of the Laurentide ice sheet during the last deglaciation: evidence from the Gulf of Mexico. Earth and Planetary Science Letters 59, 11–17.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lichti-Federovich, S.(1970). The pollen stratigraphy of a detailed section of late Pleistocene lake sediments from central Alberta. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 7, 938–945.Google Scholar
Lowden, J. A. and Blake, W. Jr.(1968). Geological Survey of Canada radiocarbon dates VII. Geological Survey of Canada Paper68–2B.Google Scholar
Lowden, J. A. and Blake, W. Jr.(1975). Geological Survey of Canada radiocarbon dates XV. Geological Survey of Canada Paper75–7.Google Scholar
Lowden, J. A. Robertson, I. M. and Blake, W. Jr.(1971). Geological Survey of Canada radiocarbon dates XL Geological Survey of Canada Paper71–7.Google Scholar
Lowell, T. V. and Teller, J. T.(1994). Radiocarbon vs. calendar ages of major late glacial hydrological events in North America. Quaternary Science Reviews 13, 801–803.Google Scholar
Mathews, W. H.(1974). Surface profiles of the Laurentide Ice Sheet in its marginal areas. Journal of Glaciology 13, 37–43.Google Scholar
McPherson, H. J.(1968). Historical development of the lower Red Deer River valley, Alberta. Canadian Geographer 12, 227–240.Google Scholar
Mehringer, P. J. Jr. and Arno, S. F. and Petersen, K. L.(1977). Postglacial history of Lost Trail Pass Bog, Bitterroot Mountains, Montana. Arctic and Alpine Research 9(4), 345–368.Google Scholar
O'Hara, S. L.(1986). Postglacial geomorphic evolution and alluvial chronology of a valley in the Dinosaur Badlands, Alberta. Unpublished M.Sc. dissertation, University of Alberta.Google Scholar
O'Hara, S. L. and Campbell, I. A.(1993). Holocene geomorphology and stratigraphy of the lower Falcon valley, Dinosaur Provincial Park, Alberta, Canada. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 30, 1846–1852.Google Scholar
Olsson, I. U.(1970). “Radiocarbon Variations and Absolute Chronology.” Wiley-Interscience, New York.Google Scholar
Pennock, D. J. and Vreeken, W. J.(1986). Influence of site topography on paleosol formation in the Highwood River Basin, southern Alberta. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 66, 673–688.Google Scholar
Rains, R. B. Burns, J. A. and Young, R. R.(1994). Postglacial alluvial terraces and an incorporated bison skeleton, Ghostpine Creek, southern Alberta. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 31, 1501–1509.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rains, R. B. Kvill, D. R. and Shaw, J.(1990). Evidence and some implications of coalescent Cordilleran and Laurentide glacier systems in Western Alberta. In “A World of Real Places: Essays in Honour of William C. Wonders” ( Smith, P. J. and Jackson, E. L.Eds.), pp. 147–161. University of Alberta Studies in Geography, Edmonton.Google Scholar
Rains, R. B. Shaw, J. Skoye, R. Sjogren, D. and Kvill, D.(1993). Late Wisconsin subglacial megaflood paths in Alberta. Geology 21, 323–326.Google Scholar
Rains, R. B. and Welch, J.(1988). Out-of-phase Holocene terraces in part of the North Saskatchewan River basin, Alberta. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 25, 454–464.Google Scholar
Reeves, B. O. K.(1973). The concept of an Altithermal cultural hiatus in Northern Plains prehistory. American Anthropologist 75, 1221–1253.Google Scholar
Rutherford, A. A. Wittenberg, J. and McCallum, K. J.(1975). University of Saskatchewan Radiocarbon dates VI. Radiocarbon 17, 238–353.Google Scholar
Sauchyn, D. J.(1990). A reconstruction of Holocene geomorphology and climate, western Cypress Hills, Alberta and Saskatchewan. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 27, 1504–1510.Google Scholar
Sauchyn, D. J. and Lemmen, D. S.(1996). Impacts of landsliding in the western Cypress, Saskatchewan and Alberta. Current Research, Geological Survey of Canada 1996-B, 7–14.Google Scholar
Schumm, S. A.(1973). Geomorphic thresholds and complex response of drainage systems. In “Fluvial Geomorphology” ( Morisawa, M.Ed.), pp. 299–310, State University of New York, Binghamton.Google Scholar
Schweger, C. E. and Hickman, M.(1989). Holocene paleohydrology of central Alberta: testing the general-circulation model simulation. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 26, 1826–1833.Google Scholar
Shaw, J.(1989). Drumlins, subglacial meltwater floods, and ocean responses. Geology 17, 853–856.Google Scholar
Shaw, J. Rains, B. Eyton, R. and Weissling, L.(1996). Laurentide subglacial outburst floods-landform evidence from digital elevation models. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 33, 1154–1168.Google Scholar
Stalker, A. MacS.(1963). Quaternary stratigraphy in southern Alberta. Geological Survey of Canada Paper62–34.Google Scholar
Stalker, A. MacS.(1969). Quaternary stratigraphy in southern Alberta report 2: sections near Medicine Hat. Geological Survey of Canada Paper69–26.Google Scholar
Stalker, A. MacS.(1983). Quaternary stratigraphy in southern Alberta report 3: the Cameron Ranch section. Geological Survey of Canada Paper83–10.Google Scholar
St-Onge, D. A.(1972). Sequence of glacial lakes in north-central Alberta. Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin 213.Google Scholar
Strong, W. L. and Leggat, K. R.(1992). “Ecoregions of Alberta.” Alberta Forestry, Lands and Wildlife, Edmonton.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. and Braziunas, T. F.(1993). Sun, ocean, climate and atmospheric 14CO2: an evaluation of causal and spectral relationships. The Holocene 3, 289–305.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. Braziunas, T. F. Becker, B. and Kromer, B.(1991). Climatic, solar, oceanic and geomagnetic influences on Late-Glacial and Holocene atmospheric 14C/12C change. Quaternary Research 35, 1–24.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Stuiver, M. Kromer, B. Becker, B. and Ferguson, C. W.(1986). Radiocarbon age calibration back to 13,000 years B.P. and 14C age matching of the German oak and US Bristlecone pine chronologies. Radiocarbon 28, 980–1021.Google Scholar
Stuiver, M. and Reimer, P. J.(1993). Extended 14C data base and revised CALIB 3.0 14C age calibration program. Radiocarbon 35, 215–230.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Thompson, R. S. Whitlock, C, Bartlein, P. J. Harrison, S. P. and Spauld-ing, G. W.(1993). Climatic changes in the western United States since 18,000 yr B.P. In “Global Climates since the Last Glacial Maximum” ( Wright, H. E. Jr. and Kutzbach, J. E. Webb, T. III Ruddiman, W. F. Street-Perrot,, F. A. and Bartlein, P. J.Eds.), pp. 468–513. University of Minnesota Press, Minneapolis.Google Scholar
Traynor, S. and Campbell, I. A.(1989). Post glacial terrace sequences, Little Sandhill Creek, Alberta. In “Late Glacial and Post-Glacial Processes and Environments in Montane and Adjacent areas, Program and Abstracts: CANQUA 1989," p. 47. University of Alberta, Edmonton.Google Scholar
Turchenek, L. W. St. Arnaud, R. J. and Christiansen, E. A.(1974). A study of Paleosols in the Saskatoon area of Saskatchewan. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 11, 905–915.Google Scholar
Teller, J. T.(1987). Proglacial lakes and the southern margin of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. In “North America and Adjacent Oceans During the Last Deglaciation: The Geology of North America v. K-3” ( Ruddiman, W. F. and Wright, H. E. Jr.Eds.), pp. 39–69. Geological Society of America, Boulder.Google Scholar
Valentine, K. W. G. King, R. H. Dormaar, J. F. Vreeken, W. J. Tarnocai, C. De Kimple, C. R. and Harris, S. A.(1987). Some aspects of Quaternary soils in Canada. Canadian Journal of Soil Science 67, 221–247.Google Scholar
Vance, R. E.(1984). Meteorological records of historic droughts as climatic analogues for the Holocene. In “Man and the Mid-Holocene Climatic Optimum: Proceeding of the 17th annual Chacmool Conference, No. 10–12” ( McKinnon, N. A. and Stuart, G. S. L.Eds.), pp. 17–32. University of Calgary.Google Scholar
Vance, R. E. Clague, J. J. and Mathewes, R. W.(1993). Holocene paleohy-drology of a hypersaline lake in southeastern Alberta. Journal of Paleo-limnology 8, 103–120.Google Scholar
Vance, R. E. and Last, W. M.(1994). Paleolimnology and global change on the southern Canadian prairies. Current Research, Geological Survey of Canada 1994-B, 49–58.Google Scholar
Vance, R. E. Mathewes, R. W. and Clague, J. J.(1992). 7000 year record of lake-level change on the northern Great Plains: a high resolution proxy of past climate. Geology 20, 879–882.Google Scholar
Vreeken, W. J.(1989). Late Quaternary events in the Lethbridge area, Alberta. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 26, 551–560.Google Scholar
Vreeken, W. J.(1993). Loess and paleosols in southwestern Saskatchewan and southern Alberta. In “Quaternary and Late Tertiary Landscapes of Southwestern Saskatchewan and Adjacent Areas” ( Sauchyn, D. J.Ed.), pp. 27–45. Canadian Plains Research Centre, Regina.Google Scholar
Walmsley, J. L. and Morris, R. J.(1993). Wind energy resource maps for Canada: Atmospheric environment service. Environment Canada ReportArd-92–003-E.Google Scholar
Waters, P. L. and Rutter, N. W.(1984). Utilizing paleosols and volcanic ash in correlating Holocene deposits in southern Alberta. In “Correlation of Quaternary Chronologies” ( Mahaney, W. C.Ed.), pp. 203–224. Geo-books, Norwich.Google Scholar
Winter, T. C.(1989). Hydrologic studies of wetlands in the northern prairie. In “Northern Prairie Wetlands” ( van der Valk, A. G.Ed.), pp. 16–54. Iowa State Univ. Press, Ames.Google Scholar
Wolfe, S. A. Huntley, D. J. and Ollerhead, J.(1995). Recent and late Holocene sand dune activity in southwestern Saskatchewan. Current Research, Geological Survey of Canada 1995-B, 131–194.Google Scholar
Young, R. R. Burns, J. A. Smith, D. G. Arnold, L. D. and Rains, R. B.(1994). A single, late Wisconsin, Laurentide glaciation, Edmonton area and southwestern Alberta. Geology 22, 683–686.Google Scholar