HOLOCENE CHRONOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY OF THE CASPER DUNE FIELD, CASPER, WYOMING, U.S.A

Chronologies of North American Great Plains eolian dune fields are significant sources of paleoclimate documentation. Although many chronologies in the region exist, several dune fields have been under studied for chronologies including the Casper Dune Field. Eolian sediments are typically medium to course sand containing 0.1-3% organic matter and 0.1-5% CaCO3. Buried soils within these deposits are weak with typical A-C, A-AC-C, and atypical A-AB-C profiles. The numbers and thicknesses of buried soils vary throughout the dune field. Luminescence ages of eolian sediment date approximately 500, 1000, 1800, 4200, 7100, and 8200 Cal yrs BP. Radiocarbon ages of soils date approximately 1720, 3520, 3750, and 6300 14C yrs BP. These ages suggest varying climate and landscape conditions throughout the Holocene. Although evidence of climate variability exists, local controls of landscape stability appear evident in regions of the dune field. Our study supports past chronological studies of the Casper Dune Field and shows sub-regional and regional synchronism with other Wyoming and Great Plains Dune Fields.