Reconstructing the paleotopography of mountain belts from the isotopic composition of authigenic minerals

Research Article| February 01, 2000 Reconstructing the paleotopography of mountain belts from the isotopic composition of authigenic minerals C. Page Chamberlain; C. Page Chamberlain 1Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar M. A. Poage M. A. Poage 1Department of Earth Sciences, Dartmouth College, Hanover, New Hampshire 03755, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2000) 28 (2): 115–118. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)282.0.CO;2 Article history received: 09 Jun 1999 rev-recd: 27 Sep 1999 accepted: 05 Oct 1999 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation C. Page Chamberlain, M. A. Poage; Reconstructing the paleotopography of mountain belts from the isotopic composition of authigenic minerals. Geology 2000;; 28 (2): 115–118. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2000)282.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract The paleorelief of mountain belts can be estimated from the δ18O value of authigenic minerals. Development of relief during mountain building often creates lee-side rain shadows in which precipitation is depleted in 18O and D. The magnitude of this rain-shadow effect is strongly correlated to relief. A compilation of δ18O data from surface waters throughout the globe shows a linear relationship between net elevation change and Δδ18O (R2 = 0.79). Through the use of this relationship, we investigated the timing and magnitude of elevation change in the Southern Alps of New Zealand and the Sierra Nevada of California. The δ18O values of kaolinites from New Zealand show an ∼6‰ decrease in the early Pliocene that corresponds to an ∼2 km elevation change in the Southern Alps. The δ18O of smectites from the Sierra Nevada show little change since 16 Ma, suggesting that these mountains have been a long-standing topographic feature. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.