The Great Salt Lake as a P aleoclimate Indicator

1. The Great Salt Lake as a Paleoclimate Indicator Morgan Rosenberg John Solder

2. Rock Evidence from Cores • Percent Sand • Lower lake level = higher sand concentration • Dry Conditions • Higher lake level = lower sand concentration • Wet Conditions • Percent Carbonate • Lower lake level = higher percentage of carbonate • Warmer and Drier Climate Conditions • Higher lake level = lower percentage of carbonate • Cooler Conditions • Charcoal – If present, wet climate Patrickson, 2010.

3. Global Climate Setting • Evidence that global climate change is synchronous with changes in glacial coverage • Ice Rafting into the North Atlantic 5-10 k.y.a. • World wide temperature abruptly increased at the end of each event • Lake regression U1, U2, U3, are correlated to ice rafting events c, b, a respectively. • The Stansbury ossicilation, post-Provo regression, and the post-Gilbert regression coincide with the H1, H2 Heinrich Events, and Younger Dryas, respectively. Oviatt, 1997.

4. Historic Climate Trends – Salt Lake City

5. Modeling Scenarios • Hot and Dry • Lake Level: 4176 ft • Cold and Wet • Lake Level: 4210 ft • Hot and Wet • Lake Level: 4202 ft • Cold and Dry • Lake Level: 4180 ft