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Published May 1, 2014 | public
Journal Article

Clumped isotope evidence for diachronous surface cooling of the Altiplano and pulsed surface uplift of the Central Andes

Abstract

Spatially extensive paleoelevation records of the Altiplano plateau are critical to determining the geodynamic mechanisms that formed and support high elevations over a broad area. Prior stable isotope data reveal a climate history for the northern Bolivian Altiplano that has been interpreted to show rapid surface uplift of 2.5±1.0 km between ∼10 and 6 Ma. This study applies clumped isotope paleothermometry to paleosol carbonates formed at both a low-elevation site and temporally overlapping high-elevation sites in the southern Altiplano/Eastern Cordillera during the middle to late Miocene. Surface paleotemperature decreased by 14 °C in the southern Altiplano/Eastern Cordillera relative to stable low-elevation paleotemperatures, implying surface elevation increase of 1.9±0.7 km between 16 and 13 Ma and an additional 0.7±0.6 km between 13 and 9 Ma. Both the large magnitude of surface temperature decrease and earlier onset (7±4 Myr) in the south as compared to the north suggest rapid elevation increase by piecemeal removal of lower lithosphere beneath the plateau and possible northward lower crustal flow.

Additional Information

© 2014 Elsevier B.V. Received 30 September 2013. Received in revised form 11 February 2014. Accepted 12 February 2014. Available online 15 March 2014. Editor: T. M. Harrison. This work was funded by NSF grant numbers 0635678 and 0908858 to Garzione. We would like to thank Bruce MacFadden and Roberto Hernández for helpful discussions and insight in the field, as well as Federico Anaya, Darin Croft, Juan Hernández and Greg Hoke for guidance in the field. Pennilyn Higgins is thanked for help with lab work.

Additional details

Created:
August 22, 2023
Modified:
October 26, 2023