Speleothems and mountain uplift

Research Article| May 01, 2011 Speleothems and mountain uplift Michael C. Meyer; Michael C. Meyer * 1Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie, Universität Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria *E-mail: michael.meyer@uibk.ac.at. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Robert A. Cliff; Robert A. Cliff 2School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Christoph Spötl Christoph Spötl 1Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie, Universität Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Michael C. Meyer * 1Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie, Universität Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria Robert A. Cliff 2School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK Christoph Spötl 1Institut für Geologie und Paläontologie, Universität Innsbruck, Innrain 52, 6020 Innsbruck, Austria *E-mail: michael.meyer@uibk.ac.at. Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 04 Nov 2010 Accepted: 13 Dec 2010 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2011 Geological Society of America Geology (2011) 39 (5): 447–450. https://doi.org/10.1130/G31881.1 Article history Received: 04 Nov 2010 Accepted: 13 Dec 2010 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Michael C. Meyer, Robert A. Cliff, Christoph Spötl; Speleothems and mountain uplift. Geology 2011;; 39 (5): 447–450. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G31881.1 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 Ancient speleothems were recovered from caves that today are situated in a high-alpine cirque landscape at 2500 m altitude at the northern rim of the European Alps. U-Pb ages date speleothem deposition to the early Quaternary (between 2.16 and 2.12 Ma and ca. 2.00 Ma), i.e., well before the onset of major alpine and Northern Hemisphere glaciations. Using a stable isotope–based modeling approach, we quantitatively estimate the paleoelevation of both the caves and their former catchment area, which in turn allows us to calculate rates of rock and surface uplift (and hence erosion) since 2 Ma. We show that for the frontal part of the Alps, rates of rock uplift and erosion were ∼0.75 and ∼0.5 mm/yr, respectively, and further suggest that isostatic uplift of mountain peaks of as much as ∼500 m in response to enhanced glacial erosion occurred during the Quaternary. This study highlights the potential of U-Pb-dated speleothems for reconstructing paleoaltimetry, particularly in calcareous mountain ranges, where a standard thermochronologic assessment of exhumation and erosion is generally not feasible. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.