Age and origin of carlsbad cavern and related caves from 40Ar/39Ar of alunite

VJ Polyak; WC McIntosh; N Guven; P Provencio

doi:10.1126/science.279.5358.1919

Age and origin of carlsbad cavern and related caves from 40Ar/39Ar of alunite

Science. 1998 Mar 20;279(5358):1919-22. doi: 10.1126/science.279.5358.1919.

Authors

VJ Polyak¹, WC McIntosh, N Guven, P Provencio

Affiliation

¹ V. J. Polyak and N. Guven, Department of Geosciences, Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX 79409-1053, USA. W. C. McIntosh, New Mexico Geochronology Research Laboratory, New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology, Socorro, NM 87801-4796, USA. P.

PMID: 9506939
DOI: 10.1126/science.279.5358.1919

Abstract

40Ar/39Ar dating of fine-grained alunite that formed during cave genesis provides ages of formation for the Big Room level of Carlsbad Cavern [4.0 to 3.9 million years ago (Ma)], the upper level of Lechuguilla Cave (6.0 to 5.7 Ma), and three other hypogene caves (11.3 to 6.0 Ma) in the Guadalupe Mountains of New Mexico. Alunite ages increase and are strongly correlative with cave elevations, which indicates an 1100-meter decline in the water table, apparently related to tectonic uplift and tilting, from 11.3 Ma to the present. 40Ar/39Ar dating studies of the hypogene caves have the potential to help resolve late Cenozoic climatic, speleologic, and tectonic questions.