Combining 14C/U-Th Series Geochronology and Stable/Clumped Isotope Geochemistry of MIS 2 Lake Tufas of Lake Chewaucan, Oregon, USA to Reconstruct Deglacial Climate in the Pacific Northwest

Abstract:

Shoreline deposits surrounding closed-basin lake remnants in the Great Basin of North America have been critical to defining the timing and extent of lake highstands during Marine Isotope Stage 2, recording the wettest climate conditions during the last glacial cycle. We present ¹⁴C and U-Th series ages and stable and clumped isotope results from MIS 2 microbialite tufas of pluvial Lake Chewaucan, southern Oregon. At ~42.5°N latitude, the Chewaucan basin is the one of the northernmost lake systems in the Great Basin, a critical location for investigating regional climate. Dating of modern tufa and DIC indicates no ¹⁴C reservoir effect. Low lake depth is observed for peak LGM conditions (21.0 ka, +11 m above modern), consistent with regional records and climate model results. In contrast with other Great Basin lake reconstructions for deglacial MIS 2, Lake Chewaucan was deepest during the Bølling/Ållerod (B/A; 14.5-13.0 ka, +50 m) and early Holocene (10.9-9.5 ka +15 m) warm periods, with lowstands during Heinrich Event 1 (+0-1 m) and Younger Dryas cold periods (+0 m). This supports previous evidence for wet interstadials in the Pacific Northwest (PNW) during MIS 2-3, the opposite of the central/southern Great Basin, where stadials correlate with wet conditions. δ¹⁸O values of tufas (-0.9 to -4.4‰ PDB) reflect high evaporation relative to inflowing meteoric water (-13.6‰ SMOW), and lake water (-6.7 SMOW). δ¹³C values (+1.7 to +4.5‰ PDB) are consistent with equilibrium with lake DIC (+1.5‰ PDB) and atmospheric CO₂, supporting atmospheric ¹⁴C equilibrium. Clumped isotope temperatures for modern tufa (20±7°C) are consistent with summer lake surface temperature for modern lake remnant, Abert Lake (17.7-22.0°C), supporting previous clumped isotope results for tufas as summer temperature indicators. Clumped temperatures for the B/A highstand are 19±4°C, indicating near modern lake temperatures during deepest lake conditions. 13±4°C is indicated for the LGM lowstand (18.3 ka), further supporting cold, dry conditions in the PNW during the time. Our results build upon previous work, highlighting the utility of multiple geochronometers and geochemical measurements of tufas to ensure dating accuracy and derive lake water chemistry and temperatures related to lake highstands of known age and depth.