Quaternary Soils and Dust Deposition in Southern Nevada and California

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Entity_and_Attribute_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information: 

Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Reheis, Marith C.

Originator: Goodmacher, Johnathan C.

Originator: Harden, Jennifer W.

Originator: McFadden, Leslie D.

Originator: Rockwell, Thomas K.

Originator: Shroba, Ralph R.

Originator: Sowers, Janet M.

Originator: Taylor, Emily M.

Publication_Date: 1995

Title: 

Quaternary Soils and Dust Deposition in Southern Nevada and California
 

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: model

Series_Information: 

Series_Name: Geological Society of America Bulletin

Issue_Identification: volume 107

Publication_Information: 

Publication_Place: Kansas

Publisher: Geological Society of America

Online_Linkage: <http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/pub/soils/reheis/>

Description: 

Abstract: 

Eolian dust constitutes most of the pedogenic material in late
Pleistocene and Holocene soils of many arid regions. Comparison of
the compositions and influx rates of modern dust with the eolian
component of dated soils at 24 sites in southern Nevada and
California yields information on: (1) the composition and influx
rate of dust in late Pleistocene and Holocene soils, (2) paleoclimate
and its effects on the genesis of aridic soils, especially with
regard to "dust events", (3) the timing and relative contribution of
dust from playa sources versus alluvial sources, and (4) the effects
of accumulation of fines in soil horizons. The A and B horizons of
soils formed on gravelly alluvial-fan deposits in the study area are
similar to modern dust in grain size, content of CaCO3 and salt,
major oxides, and clay mineralogy; thus, they are interpreted to
consist largely of eolian dust. The major-oxide compositions of the
shallow soil horizons are nearly identical to that of the modern
dust, but the compositions of progressively deeper horizons approach
that of the parent material. The clay mineralogy of modern dust at a
given site is similar to that of the Av horizons of nearby Holocene
soils, but is commonly different from the mineralogies of deeper soil
horizons and of the Av horizons of nearby Pleistocene soils. These
results are interpreted to indicate that (1) dust both accumulates
and is transformed in Av horizons with time, and (2) that clay
minerals can be transformed in only 10,000 years or less. Changes in
soil-accumulation rates provide insights into the interplay of
paleoclimate, dust supply, and soil-forming processes. Modern
dust-deposition rates are more than large enough to account for
middle and late Holocene soil-accumulation rates at nearly all sites.
However, the early Holocene soil-accumulation rates in areas near
late Pleistocene pluvial lakes are much higher than modern rates and
clearly indicate a dust-deflation and -deposition event that caused
rapid formation of fine-grained shallow soil horizons on late
Pleistocene and early Holocene deposits. We interpret late
Pleistocene soil-accumulation rates to indicate that dust-deposition
rates were low during this period but that increased effective
moisture during the late Wisconsin favored translocation of clay and
CaCO3 from the surface to deeper in the soil profile. Calculated
pre-late Pleistocene rates are very low in most areas, mainly due to
a pedogenic threshold that was crossed when accumulations of silt,
clay, and CaCO3 began to inhibit the downward transport of eolian
material, but in part due to erosion.
 

Purpose: 

The presence of eolian dust in soils and the relative contribution of
dust to soil formation in both arid and humid areas has been debated
for decades. Most researchers now agree that dust is a ubiquitous
component of soils formed in arid areas, although some argue that
calcareous dust does not contribute significantly to the content of
pedogenic calcium carbonate in some localities. Detailed studies of
dust influx facilitate studies of paleoclimate based on modelling of
soil-forming processes such as translocation of pedogenic carbonate.
Most research on the eolian component of soils has focused on
identifying the presence of dust and estimating its proportion
relative to soil parent materials and in-situ weathering products.
Despite general agreement on the importance of dust to soil genesis,
few studies have compared modern rates of dust deposition to
estimated amounts of dust in soils of known age to compare the
compositions and deposition rates of modern dust to dust in soils.
Quantitative comparisons are important to studies of soil genesis,
paleoclimatic reconstruction from soil properties, and soil
chronosequences used to estimate the ages of surfaces and deposits.
For example, soils that formed downwind of a large dust source may be
significantly better developed than soils of the same age that formed
in sheltered areas. A project to study modern dust deposition in
southern Nevada and California was initiated in 1984 to provide data
on modern dust composition and influx rates for use in a numerical
model relating soil carbonate to paleoclimate and in
soil-chronosequence studies in the southern Great Basin and Mojave
Desert (fig. 1) in support of tectonic and stratigraphic
investigations for the Yucca Mountain Project. In this paper, we
relate the composition of modern dust to soil properties and compare
modern rates of dust influx with late Pleistocene and Holocene rates
estimated from soils at 24 sites in southern Nevada and California.
 

Time_Period_of_Content: 

Time_Period_Information: 

Range_of_Dates/Times: 

Beginning_Geologic_Age: 

Geologic_Age: 

Geologic_Time_Scale: Chonostratigraphic

Geologic_Age_Estimate: Pleistocene

Geologic_Age_Explanation: Determined from study of soil composition and structure

Ending_Geologic_Age: 

Geologic_Age: 

Geologic_Time_Scale: Chronostratigraphic

Geologic_Age_Estimate: Holocene

Geologic_Age_Explanation: Determined from study of soil composition and structure

Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Status: 

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned

Spatial_Domain: 

Bounding_Coordinates: 

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -117.45

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -114.11

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 38.18

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 32.78

Keywords: 

Theme: 

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: soil

Theme_Keyword: pedogenesis

Theme_Keyword: dust

Theme_Keyword: eolian

Theme_Keyword: arid

Theme_Keyword: accumulation rate

Place: 

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Place_Keyword: Nevada

Place_Keyword: California

Place_Keyword: United States of America

Place_Keyword: Western United States

Place_Keyword: Kyle Canyon

Place_Keyword: Silver Lake

Place_Keyword: Wilson Creek

Place_Keyword: Yucca Mountain

Place_Keyword: Cima fans

Place_Keyword: Coyote Mountains

Place_Keyword: Whipple Mountains

Place_Keyword: Fortymile Wash

Place_Keyword: Yucca Wash

Place_Keyword: Alverson Canyon

Place_Keyword: Fossil Canyon

Temporal: 

Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Temporal_Keyword: Quaternary

Temporal_Keyword: Pleistocene

Temporal_Keyword: Holocene

Temporal_Keyword: Recent

Theme: 

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: National Geologic Map Database Catalog themes, augmented

Theme_Keyword: 1100 - Geology

Theme_Keyword: 1101 - General

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints: None

Point_of_Contact: 

Contact_Information: 

Contact_Person_Primary: 

Contact_Person: Reheis, Marith C.

Contact_Organization: U. S. Geological Survey

Contact_Position: Geologist

Contact_Address: 

Address_Type: mailing address

Address: 

Mail Stop 980
U.S. Geological Survey
Box 25046, Denver Federal Center
 

City: Denver

State_or_Province: Colorado

Postal_Code: 80225-0046

Country: United States of America

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 303-236-1270

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: 

Security_Information: 

Security_Classification_System: None

Security_Classification: Unclassified

Security_Handling_Description: None

Data_Quality_Information: 

Attribute_Accuracy: 

Attribute_Accuracy_Report: 

Age determination of studied soils.

The ages of the soils sampled for this study (11H, 11P, etc.) were estimated
from field morphologic data using the soil development index. The index values
were compared with values for soils of known age that formed under similar
conditions of climate and, where possible ,parent material (Taylor,
1986.i.Taylor, 1986;; Reheis and others, 1989.i.Reheis and others, 1989;,
1992.i.Reheis and others, 1992; Harden and others, 1991a; Slate, 1992.i.Slate,
1992;), and "best" ages and age ranges were assigned to th esoil profiles.
Harden and others (1991b).i.Harden and others (1991);, using a statistically
based version of this technique in a study of soil chronosequences in the
southern Great Basin (some of the sites used in this study), suggested that
average rates of most soil-development parameters within this area are precise to
about a factor of two and that, at least for Holocene soils, estimated ages
derived from these rates might be accurate within about a factor of two or three.

Laboratory Analyses.

Most of the samples were analyzed using standard laboratory techniques (Singer
and Janitzky, 1986.i.Singer and Janitzky, 1986;) for grain size, CaCO3 and
organic-matter content, pH, and salt content, except that the total salt
equations in Singer and Janitzky, published with an error, were corrected using
a multiplication factor of 0.32 rather than 320. pH for the soils sampled
specifically for this study was measured in 1:1 H2O, whereas the pH for soils
from other sources was measured using CaCl2. Some other analytical techniques
for the Kyle Canyon soils were also different because the soils formed in
carbonate-rich alluvium. The contents of CaCO3 and silt plus clay reported in
this table were measured using a combination of chemical, microscopic, and
photographic techniques (Sowers, 1988; Reheis et al., 1992) and are the amounts
of pedogenic (non-parent material) carbonate and silt plus clay, not total
amounts. In addition, the salt content reported for Kyle Canyon soils is for
gypsum only, not total salt.

Determination of profile weights of soil components.

In this study, we assume that the dust component of soils is pedogenic, not
parent material, and that all silt, clay, and CaCO3 present in greater
proportions in a soil than in the parent material is pedogenic material and
ultimately derived from dust. Soils that formed in carbonate alluvium are one
exception; they contain abundant CaCO3 derived from solution of the parent
material (Sowers, 1985; Reheis and others, 1992). The major-oxide composition
and clay mineralogy of the dust and soil horizons support this assumption.
Previous work in the study area (McFadden, 1982; McFadden and others, 1986;
Taylor, 1986; Reheis and others, 1989, 1992) indicated little chemical
weathering in soils of this age. Soils that are more than about 100,000 years
old or that formed in semiarid to subhumid climates have likely been
chemically weathered. However, much of the silt, clay, and CaCO3 in older
aridic soils is likely to be of eolian origin, in part transformed into other
minerals or grain sizes by chemical or physical processes.Profile weights for
Coyote Mountains soils (AC and FC) were recalculated from original data
because profile weights given in Goodmacher and Rockwell (1990) did not
account for parent-material values.

Major Element Analyses

In order to compare the soil analyses with those of nearby dust samples, which
did not include Ca from CaCO3, the contents of major oxides in the soil
samples from Kyle Canyon and Silver Lake were recalculated on a CaCO3-free
basis (Wilson Creek soils contained no CaCO3).

Clay Mineralogy

Observed differences between the clay mineralogy of soils and dust at some
sites are attributed either to clay formation within the soils, to variability
not explored sufficiently because too few samples were analyzed, or to
slightly different analytical procedures used for the soil and dust samples
(different ion saturations, etc.). In addition, the published reports used
different methods to estimate abundances of clay minerals from peak heights on
X-ray diffraction traces.

Bulk Density of Soil Horizons

At most sites, the parent material consisted of alluvial-fan deposits,
commonly debris flows. Debris flows are usually unsorted and unbedded, so the
content of silt, clay, and CaCO3 in a C horizon formed in these deposits was
assumed to be representative of that originally present in the other horizons.
For soils at Wilson Creek that formed in fluvial deposits potentially
containing fine-grained overbank sediment (Harden and Matti, 1989), amounts of
silt and clay in the parent material of the A and B horizons were estimated to
be greater than those in the C horizons. Basalt flows were assumed to contain
no silt, clay, or CaCO3 when deposited.

Soil Accumulation Rates

Soil accumulation rates must be treated with caution for the following reasons:

(1) Variation in amount of a pedogenic material is expectable for soils of the
same age because soils are inherently variable. Data from more than one
profile per geomorphic surface is critical for quantitative soil studies (e.g.
data for field properties of soils at Silver Lake; Reheis and others, 1989).
Standard deviations were only calculated for the interval rates at the
Fortymile Wash area, Silver Lake, the Cima fans, Wilson Creek, and the Coyote
Mountains, which had quantitative data for more than one profile per surface
(file "intrtdev.xls"). Excluding soils that were strongly eroded or leached,
the standard deviations average 75% of the rates, but range widely (5-200%).

(2) There are uncertainties in the assigned ages of the geomorphic surfaces
and their soils. This problem is most acute for the youngest deposits; for
example, if a deposit is thought to be 200 years old but in fact is 400 years
old, an error of only 200 years would yield a doubled accumulation rate. In
addition, radiometric ages are available only for soils from Silver Lake, the
Fortymile Wash area, Kyle Canyon, and the Coyote Mountains. We have not
included age uncertainties in the calculation of interval rates because
generally the minimum and maximum ages greatly exaggerate the probable errors.
For studies in which the ages of soils were better constrained, as at Silver
Lake and Fortymile Wash, interval-rate uncertainties calculated from the
minimum and maximum soil ages were similar to the range of standard deviations
calculated using replicate soils of the same age.

(3) Assumptions and simplifications were used in the calculations of profile
weights of pedogenic materials, mainly in the estimation of parent-material
values and of bulk density (in this study, a range of 1.2-2.0 g/cm3), which is
difficult to measure accurately in gravelly deposits (Vincent and Chadwick,
1994).
 

Logical_Consistency_Report: 

Sampling Procedures

This report includes the results of investigations performed by several
investigators at Silver Lake, or on samples collected at Silver Lake.
Two labeling standards have been followed.

The first is a system which numerically encodes information about locality,
unit sampled, the profile sampled and the collector of the sample.

A) If the first number is 1, the sample number corresponds to a lower fan
locality and 2 refers to an upper fan locality.

B) The first number following the decimal represents the fan unit on which
the soil was sampled: 1=Qf1, 2=Qf2, etc.; this is the same as the profile
numbers elsewhere.

C) The second number is the profile number on that surface in that fan
position: the first described is 1, the second 2, etc.

D) The last number is only used for one profile, 1.231 to 1.235, because we
had five different people describe the same soil profile separately. Thus
there are five descriptions of this profile but it was only sampled once.

Example 1: Sample 1.110 = a sample from the lower fan area, fan unit Qf1,
and is the first profile sampled.

The second system is alpha numeric.

A) The first set of characters indicates the locality and collection
year. A label for a sample collected at Silver Lake in 1985 would begin
"SL85".

B) The next character indicates the position of the sample site on the
fan. A, B, C, D samples are from the lower fan and W, X, Y, Z samples are
from the upper fan.

C) The second character indicates which profile in a sequence of profiles
described in one position on the fan. A = the first profile described, B =
the second profile described etc.

Example 2: Sample SL85-1A = a sample from the lower fan area, fan unit
Qf1, and is the first profile sampled. (it is also equal to sample 1.110 of
example 1)

Example 3: A sample labeled 2.340 in the numeric system equals a sample
labeled SL85-3Z in the alphanumeric system and would indicate a sample from
the upper fan area, from fan unit Qf3, and it would be the fourth profile
sampled.

Soil Descriptions

Numbered profiles (11H, 11P, etc.) were sampled specifically for this
study. Two profiles from San Felipe Creek (SF1 and SF3) are unpublished
data contributed by Tom Rockwell (San Diego State University). Methods
for the descriptions of all of the soils were the same.

Soil Development Index Values

The soil development index (Harden, 1982) provides a means of quantifying
field properties of soils in order to compare their development. Index
values of field properties including rubification, melanization, paling,
lightening, texture, structure, dry consistence, pH decrease, pH
increase, and carbonate are calculated for each profile using a
spreadsheet template (Taylor, 1988). Horizon and profile index values
are given for all of the soils sampled for this study.

Laboratory Analyses

Most of the samples were analyzed using standard laboratory techniques
(Singer and Janitzky, 1986.i.Singer and Janitzky, 1986;) for grain size,
CaCO3 and organic-matter content, pH, and salt content, except that the
total salt equations in Singer and Janitzky, published with an error,
were corrected using a multiplication factor of 0.32 rather than 320. pH
for the soils

The salt content reported for Kyle Canyon soils is for gypsum only, not
total salt. Data for Kyle Canyon (KC) soils is from Reheis and others
(1992).

Calculation of Profile Weights

The bulk density for each soil horizon, if not measured by previous
reports using either the paraffin-clod method or the excavation
technique, was estimated from particle size and the contents of gravel
and organic matter using the technique of Rawls (1983).

The contents (percentages) of soil components in each horizon were
subtracted from the contents estimated to have been present in the parent
material multiplied by the bulk density of the less-than-2mm fraction and
by horizon thickness, and then summed for the soil.

Debris flows are usually unsorted and unbedded, so the content of silt,
clay, and CaCO3 in a C horizon formed in these deposits was assumed to be
representative of that originally present in the other horizons.

Soils at Wilson Creek that formed in fluvial deposits potentially
containing fine-grained overbank sediment, amounts of silt and clay in
the parent material of the A and B horizons were estimated to be greater
than those in the C horizons.

Basalt flows were assumed to contain no silt, clay, or CaCO3 when
deposited.

Major Element Analyses

In order to compare the soil analyses with those of nearby dust samples,
which did not include Ca from CaCO3, the contents of major oxides in the
soil samples from Kyle Canyon and Silver Lake were recalculated on a
CaCO3-free basis (Wilson Creek soils contained no CaCO3).

Clay Mineralogy

Observed differences between the clay mineralogy of soils and dust at
some sites are attributed either to clay formation within the soils, to
variability not explored sufficiently because too few samples were
analyzed, or to slightly different analytical procedures used for the
soil and dust samples (different ion saturations, etc.). In addition,
the published reports used different methods to estimate abundances of
clay minerals from peak heights on X-ray diffraction traces.
 
 

Completeness_Report: 

Soil development index data (as is found in the file DSINDPRN.XLS) was
generated for Silver Lake samples but is not yet ready for release.
 

Positional_Accuracy: 

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy: 

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report: 

Trap locations were ascertained by plotting their positions on USGS
topographic maps at 1:24000 scale.
 

Lineage: 

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Amundson, R.G.

Originator: Chadwick, O.A.

Originator: Sowers, J.M.

Originator: Doner, H.E.

Publication_Date: 1989

Title: 

Soil evolution along an altitudinal transect in the eastern Mojave
Desert of Nevada, U.S.A.: Geoderma, v. 43, p.
 

Edition: first

Series_Information: 

Series_Name: Geoderma

Issue_Identification: volume 43

Publication_Information: 

Publication_Place: Amsterdam, New York

Publisher: Elsevier

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Amundson et al. (1989)

Source_Contribution: Clay mineralogy data for Kyle Canyon soils.

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Goodmacher, J.

Originator: Rockwell, T.

Publication_Date: 1990

Title: 

Properties and inferred ages of soils developed in alluvial deposits in
the southwestern Coyote Mountains, Imperial County, California, in
Rockwell, T. R., ed., Friends of the Pleistocene, Winter
Fieldtrip-1990, Western Salton Trough Soils and Neotectonics: San
Diego, California
 

Publication_Information: 

Publisher: Privately Published

Publication_Place: California, USA

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Contribution: 

Soil ages and results of standard laboratory analyses of soils from
the Coyote Mountains area.
 

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Goodmacher and Rockwell, 1990

Source_Time_Period_of_Content: 

Time_Period_Information: 

Range_of_Dates/Times: 

Beginning_Date: unknown

Ending_Date: unknown

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Harden, J.W.

Originator: Matti, J.C.

Publication_Date: 1989

Title: 

Holocene and late Pleistocene slip rates on the San Andreas fault in
Yucaipa, California, using displaced alluvial-fan deposits and soil
chronology
 

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: model

Series_Information: 

Series_Name: Geological Society of America Bulletin

Issue_Identification: volume 101

Publication_Information: 

Publication_Place: Kansas

Publisher: Geological Society of America

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Harden and Matti, 1989

Source_Contribution: 

1) Ages of soils in similar condition and formed under similar
conditions as soils discussed in this study.
2)Soil ages for the Wilson Creek locality.
 

Source_Time_Period_of_Content: 

Time_Period_Information: 

Range_of_Dates/Times: 

Beginning_Date: 

Beginning_Geologic_Age Geologic_Age
Beginning_Geologic_Age Geologic_Age
 

Source_Currentness_Reference: ground condition

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Harden, J.W.

Originator: Slate, J.L.

Originator: Lamothe, P.

Originator: Chadwick, O.A.

Originator: Pendall, E.G.

Originator: Gillespie, A.M.

Publication_Date: 1991

Title: Soil formation on the Trail Canyon alluvial fan

Series_Information: 

Series_Name: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report

Issue_Identification: volume 91-291

Publication_Information: 

Publication_Place: Denver, Colorado

Publisher: United States Geological Survey

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Contribution: 

Index values for soils of known age for comparison to material
examined for this study.
 

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Harden and others, 1991a

Source_Time_Period_of_Content: 

Time_Period_Information: 

Range_of_Dates/Times: 

Beginning_Date: unknown

Ending_Date: unknown

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Harden, J.W.

Originator: Taylor, E.M.

Originator: Hill, C.

Originator: Mark, R.K.

Originator: McFadden, L.D.

Originator: Reheis, M.C.

Originator: Sowers, J.M.

Originator: Wells, S.G.

Publication_Date: 1991

Title: 

Rates of soil development from four soil chronosequences in the
southern Great Basin
 

Series_Information: 

Series_Name: Quaternary Research

Issue_Identification: volume 35

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Contribution: Soil ages for the Cima fans study area.

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Harden and others, 1991b

Source_Time_Period_of_Content: 

Time_Period_Information: 

Range_of_Dates/Times: 

Beginning_Date: Unknown

Ending_Date: Unknown

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: McFadden, L.D.

Publication_Date: 1982

Title: 

The impacts of temporal and spatial climatic changes on alluvial soils genesis in southern California
 

Publication_Information: 

Publication_Place: Tucson, Arizona

Publisher: University of Arizona (Ph.D. dissertation)

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Time_Period_of_Content: 

Source_Currentness_Reference: publication date

Time_Period_Information: 

Range_of_Dates/Times: 

Beginning_Date: Unknown

Ending_Date: Unknown

Source_Contribution: 

1) Ages for soils for the Whipple Mountain locality.
2) Results of clay mineralogy analyses of Whipple Mountain soils.
 

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: McFadden, 1982

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: McFadden, L.D.

Originator: Wells, S.G.

Originator: Dohrenwend, J.C.

Publication_Date: 1986

Title: 

Influences of Quaternary climatic changes on processes of soil
development on desert loess deposits of the Cima volcanic field,
California
 

Series_Information: 

Series_Name: Catena

Issue_Identification: Volume 13

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: McFadden et al., 1986

Source_Contribution: 

Results of analyses of clay mineralogy of Cima volcanic field soils
 

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Reheis, M.C.

Originator: Harden, J.W.

Originator: McFadden, L.D.

Originator: Shroba, R.R.

Publication_Date: 1989

Title: 

Development rates of late Quaternary soils, Silver Lake playa, California
 

Series_Information: 

Series_Name: Soil Science Society of America Journal

Issue_Identification: volume 53

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Reheis and others, 1989

Source_Contribution: 

Index values for soils of known age for comparison with material
examined for this study.
 

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Reheis, M.C.

Originator: Sowers, J.M.

Originator: Taylor, E.M.

Originator: McFadden, L.D.

Originator: Harden, J.W.

Publication_Date: 1992

Title: 

Morphology and genesis of carbonate soils on the Kyle Canyon fan, Nevada, U.S.A
 

Series_Information: 

Series_Name: Geoderma

Issue_Identification: volume 52

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Reheis and others, 1992

Source_Contribution: 

1) Index values for soils of known age for comparison with material
examined for this study.

2) Results of laboratory chemical analyses of sample material.

3) Results of major-element analyses for soil samples obtained from
Kyle Canyon localities
 

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Sowers, J.M.

Originator: Amundson, R.G.

Originator: Chadwick, O.A.

Originator: Harden, J.W.

Originator: Jull, A.J.T.

Originator: Ku, T.L.

Originator: McFadden, L.D.

Originator: Reheis, M.C.

Originator: Szabo, B.

Publication_Date: 1988

Title: 

Geomorphology and pedology on the Kyle Canyon alluvial fan, southern Nevada, in Weide, D.L., and Faber,
M.L., eds., This Extended Land
 

Series_Information: 

Series_Name: Guidebook, Geological Society of America,

Issue_Identification: Cordillerian Section Meeting

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Sowers and others, 1988

Source_Contribution: Ages of soils in the Kyle Canyon area

Source_Information: 

Source_Citation: 

Citation_Information: 

Originator: Taylor, E.M.

Publication_Date: 1986

Title: 

Impact of time and climate on Quaternary soils in the Yucca Mountain area of the Nevada Test Site
 

Publication_Information: 

Publication_Place: Boulder Colorado

Publisher: Master's thesis, University of Colorado

Type_of_Source_Media: paper

Source_Citation_Abbreviation: Taylor, 1986

Source_Contribution: 

1) Ages of soils comparable to those included in this study.
2) Clay mineralogy of soils from the Forty-Mile Wash area.
 

Process_Step: 

Process_Description: 

Sampling and Description.

In each area, two alluvial-fan surfaces were selected that were thought to be
late Pleistocene and middle to late Holocene in age by comparison of surface
characteristics such as pavement, varnish, and preservation of depositional
topography to those of dated surfaces from previous studies in the region (for
example, McFadden and others, 1989; Reheis and others, 1993.i.Reheis, 1992;).
One soil profile was described and sampled on each surface using either fresh
stream cuts or hand-dug pits. Soil descriptions and horizon names followed
Guthrie and Witty (1982) and Birkeland (1984). Stages of CaCO3 , silica, and
salt follow definitions of Gile and others (1966), Taylor (1986), and Reheis
(1987), respectively.
 

Process_Date: 1995

Process_Step: 

Process_Description: 

The soil development index (Harden, 1982) provides a means of quantifying field
properties of soils in order to compare their development. Index values of
field properties including rubification, melanization, paling, lightening,
texture, structure, dry consistence, pH decrease, pH increase, and carbonate
(Harden, 1982; Reheis, 1987; Harden and others, 1991b) are calculated for each
profile using a spreadsheet template (Taylor, 1988). Normalized values of these
properties are multiplied by horizon thickness to obtain the horizon index; the
horizon values within a profile are summed to obtain the profile index. Horizon
and profile index values are given for all of the soils sampled for this study.
 

Process_Date: 1995

Process_Step: 

Process_Description: 

Laboratory Analyses.

Most of the samples were analyzed using standard laboratory techniques (Singer
and Janitzky, 1986.i.Singer and Janitzky, 1986;) for grain size, CaCO3 and
organic-matter content, pH, and salt content, except that the total salt
equations in Singer and Janitzky, published with an error, were corrected using
a multiplication factor of 0.32 rather than 320. pH for the soils sampled
specifically for this study was measured in 1:1 H2O, whereas the pH for soils
from other sources was measured using CaCl2. Some other analytical techniques
for the Kyle Canyon soils were also different because the soils formed in
carbonate-rich alluvium.
 

Process_Date: 1995

Process_Step: 

Process_Description: 

Bulk Density of Soil Horizons

The bulk density for each soil horizon, if not measured by previous reports
using either the paraffin-clod method or the excavation technique, was estimated
from particle size and the contents of gravel and organic matter using the
technique of Rawls (1983).i.Rawls (1983);.Profile weights (g/cm2/soil column)
were calculated for pedogenic silt, clay, CaCO3, and salt (where possible). The
contents (percentages) of these components in each horizon of a soil were
subtracted from the contents estimated to have been present in the parent
material (method of Machette, 1985), multiplied by the bulk density of the
less-than-2mm fraction and by horizon thickness, and then summed for the soil.
 

Process_Date: 1995

Process_Step: 

Process_Description: 

Calculation of Accumulation Rates.

Accumulation rates were calculated for pedogenic silt, clay, CaCO3, and salt
depending on the availability of data. At sites with more than one analyzed
soil profile of the same age, the profile-weight values were averaged. The
average "best" accumulation rates were calculated using the "best" age (the most
reasonable age assigned to the geomorphic surface), and average maximum and
minimum rates were calculated using the likely minimum and maximum ages
respectively. The following are example calculations for the silt accumulation
rate of soils on surface Q5, Coyote Mountains, where the average profile weight
of silt in Q5 soils is 0.8 g/cm2, the "best" age is 12 ka, the minimum age is 9
ka, and the maximum age is 20 ka:

average "best" accumulation rate = 0.8 g/cm2 / 12,000 yr = 0.7 g/m2/yr
average maximum accum. rate = 0.8 g/cm2 / 9,000 yr = 0.9 g/m2/yr
average minimum accum. rate = 0.8 g/cm2 / 20,000 yr = 0.4 g/m2/yr
 

Process_Date: 1995

Process_Step: 

Process_Description: 

Calculation of the Interval Accumulation Rate.

The interval-accumulation rate for each profile is the rate of accumulation of a
pedogenic component in a soil forming on a surface from the time of deposition
of that surface to the time of deposition of the next younger surface. If there
is no younger profile, the interval rate is the same as the average rate.
Interval age is the period of time between the formation of one surface and the
formation of the next younger surface.

Best interval age = best age (older) - best age (younger).
Minimum interval age = minimum age (older) - maximum age (younger).
Maximum interval age = maximum age (older) - minimum age (younger).
 

Process_Date: 1995

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information: 

Spatial_Reference_Information: 

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition: 

Geographic: 

Latitude_Resolution: 0.01

Longitude_Resolution: 0.01

Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees

Vertical_Coordinate_System_Definition: 

Altitude_System_Definition: 

Altitude_Datum_Name: North American Vertical Datum of 1988

Altitude_Resolution: 1

Altitude_Distance_Units: meters

Altitude_Encoding_Method: 

Explicit elevation coordinate included with horizontal coordinates
 

Entity_and_Attribute_Information: 

Overview_Description: 

Entity_and_Attribute_Overview: 

This data set contains 262 distinct attributes. Documenting
these attributes using the detailed form of the Content
Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata is possible in
principle but not practical due to time constraints.

Core/meta/averate.txt

Column  1  Area

Column  2  Dust Trap

Column  3  surface  (no. for ave.)

Column  4  Age, Best

Column  5  Age, Min

Column  6  Age, Max

Column  7  Prof. Mass, Silt, (g/cm2/soil col.) Silt

Column  8  Prof. Mass, Clay, (g/cm2/soil col.) Clay

Column  9  Prof. Mass, CaCO3, (g/cm2/soil col.) CaCO3

Column 10  Prof. Mass, Salt, (g/cm2/soil col.) Salt

Column 11  Silt, Best

Column 12  Silt, Max

Column 13  Silt, Min

Column 14  Clay, Best

Column 15  Clay, Max

Column 16  Clay, Min

Column 17  CaCO3, Best

Column 18  CaCO3, Max

Column 19  CaCO3, Min

Column 20  Salt, Best

Column 21  Salt, Max

Column 22  Salt, Min

Core/meta/dsindrpn.txt

Column  1  Sample number

Column  2  Horizon

Column  3  Thickness, (cm)

Column  4  Rubification, Norm. value

Column  5  Rubification, Horizon value

Column  6  Rubification, Profile value

Column  7  Melanization, Norm. value

Column  8  Melanization, Horizon value

Column  9  Melanization, Profile value

Column 10  Paling, Norm. value

Column 11  Paling, Horizon value

Column 12  Paling, Profile value

Column 13  Lightening, Norm. value

Column 14  Lightening, Horizon value

Column 15  Lightening, Profile value

Column 16  Total, Texture Norm. value

Column 17  Total, Texture Horizon value

Column 18  Total, Texture Profile value

Column 19  Structure, Norm. value

Column 20  Structure, Horizon value

Column 21  Structure, Profile value

Column 22  Dry Consistence, Norm. value

Column 23  Dry Consistence, Horizon value

Column 24  Dry Consistence, Profile value

Column 25  Clay Films, Norm. value

Column 26  Clay Films, Horizon value

Column 27  Clay Films, Profile value

Column 28  Carbonate, Norm. value

Column 29  Carbonate, Horizon value

Column 30  Carbonate, Profile value

Column 31  pH decrease, Norm. value

Column 32  pH decrease, Horizon value

Column 33  pH decrease, Profile value

Column 34  pH increase, Norm. value

Column 35  pH increase, Horizon value

Column 36  pH increase, Profile value

Column 37  Profile Index 1, Norm. value  (rb, ml, tx, st, dc, cf, pHde)

Column 38  Profile Index 1, Horizon value  (rb, ml, tx, st, dc, cf, pHde)

Column 39  Profile Index 1, Profile value  (rb, ml, tx, st, dc, cf, pHde)

Column 40  Profile Index 2, Norm. value  (pl, lt, tx, st, dc, cf, pHin)

Column 41  Profile Index 2, Horizon value  (pl, lt, tx, st, dc, cf, pHin)

Column 42  Profile Index 2, Profile value  (pl, lt, tx, st, dc, cf, pHin)

Column 43  Profile Index 3, Norm. value  (pl, lt, tx, st, dc, cf, pHin)

Column 44  Profile Index 3, Horizon value  (pl, lt, tx, st, dc, cf, pHin)

Column 45  Profile Index 3, Profile value  (pl, lt, tx, st, dc, cf, pHin)

Core/meta/dsolab.txt

Column  1  Sample number

Column  2  Profile number

Column  3  Horizon name

Column  4  Depth to base (cm)

Column  5  Gravel content, Est. vol.%

Column  6  Gravel content, Weight%

Column  7  pH

Column  8  Weight percent of less-than-2mm fraction O.M.

Column  9  Weight percent of less-than-2mm fraction Sand

Column 10  Weight percent of less-than-2mm fraction Silt@

Column 11  Weight percent of less-than-2mm fraction Clay

Column 12  Weight percent of less-than-2mm fraction CaCO3*

Column 13  Weight percent of less-than-2mm fraction Salt**

Core/meta/dsoldes.txt

Column  1  Surface / Elevation (m)/ age

Column  2  Profile / Describer(s)

Column  3  Sample / Number

Column  4  Horizon

Column  5  Boundary Depth (cm) top

Column  6  Boundary Depth (cm) base

Column  7  Boundary nature

Column  8  Matrix Color #1, Dry

Column  9  Matrix Color #1, Moist

Column 10  Carbonate Color #2, Dry

Column 11  Carbonate Color #3, Dry

Column 12  Carbonate Color #4, Dry

Column 13  Texture

Column 14  Structure, Primary

Column 15  Structure, Secondary

Column 16  Consistence, Dry

Column 17  Consistence, Wet

Column 18  Clay films, Primary

Column 19  Clay films, Secondary

Column 20  CaCO3 Matrix

Column 21  CaCO3 Gravel

Column 22  % gravel <2 mm

Column 23  Parent material and lithology

Column 24  Roots

Column 25  Pores

Column 26  SiO2

Column 27  Salt

Column 28  Miscellaneous notes

Core/meta/dsolloc.txt

Column  1  Soil-study site(&)

Column  2  Source of soil data (@)

Column  3  Parent material type*

Column  4  Parent material lithology

Column  5  Trap (T-)

Column  6  Trap latitude

Column  7  Trap longitude

Column  8  Trap elevation

Column  9  est. (+) MAT (±1.3C)

Column 10  est. (+) MAP (cm)

Core/meta/dsolmin.txt

Column  1  Area

Column  2  Profile

Column  3  Best age (ka)

Column  4  Horizon

Column  5  Chlorite

Column  6  Kaolinite

Column  7  Mica

Column  8  Vermiculite

Column  9  Smectite

Column 10  Mixed-layer

Column 11  Palygorskite

Column 12  Quartz

Core/meta/dsolox.txt

Column  1  Profile no.

Column  2  Horizon

Column  3  Percent SiO2

Column  4  Percent Al2O3

Column  5  Percent Fe2O3

Column  6  Percent FeO

Column  7  Percent MgO

Column  8  Percent CaO

Column  9  Percent Na2O

Column 10  Percent K2O

Column 11  Percent TiO2

Column 12  Percent P2O5

Column 13  Percent MnO

Column 14  Percent ZrO2

Column 15  factor

Column 16  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, SiO2

Column 17  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, Al2O3

Column 18  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, Fe2O3

Column 19  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, FeO

Column 20  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, MgO

Column 21  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, CaO

Column 22  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, Na2O

Column 23  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, K2O

Column 24  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, TiO2

Column 25  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, P2O5

Column 26  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, MnO

Column 27  Percent oxides recalculated to 100%, ZrO2

Column 28  Percent CaCO3

Column 29  Percent CaO in CaCO3

Column 30  iterations factor 1

Column 31  factor 2

Column 32  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, SiO2

Column 33  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, Al2O3

Column 34  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, Fe2O3

Column 35  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, FeO

Column 36  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, MgO

Column 37  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, CaO

Column 38  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, Na2O

Column 39  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, K2O

Column 40  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, TiO2

Column 41  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, P2O5

Column 42  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, MnO

Column 43  Percent recalculated with CaO due to CaCO3 removed, ZrO2

Column 44  Sum

Core/meta/dsolpw.txt

Column  1  Sample number

Column  2  Profile number

Column  3  Horizon name

Column  4  Thickness (cm.)

Column  5  Gravel content vol.%

Column  6  Gravel content wt.%

Column  7  Organic matter

Column  8  Silt content of less-than-2mm fraction (weight %) lab

Column  9  Silt content of less-than-2mm fraction (weight %) PM

Column 10  Clay content of less-than-2mm fraction (weight %) lab

Column 11  Clay content of less-than-2mm fraction (weight %) PM

Column 12  CaCO3 content of less-than-2mm fraction (weight %) lab

Column 13  CaCO3 content of less-than-2mm fraction (weight %) P.M

Column 14  Salt content of less-than-2mm fraction (weight %) lab

Column 15  Salt content of less-than-2mm fraction (weight %) P.M.

Column 16  Assigned mineral B.D., min

Column 17  Assigned mineral B.D., max

Column 18  Calculated B.D. of soil, min

Column 19  Calculated B.D. of soil, max

Column 20  Calculated < 2mm B.D., min

Column 21  Calculated < 2mm B.D., max

Column 22  Change from parent material, (weight percent) silt

Column 23  Change from parent material, (weight percent) clay

Column 24  Change from parent material, (weight percent) CaCO3

Column 25  Change from parent material, (weight percent) salt

Column 26  Pedogenic silt, Horizon, min

Column 27  Pedogenic silt, Horizon, max

Column 28  Pedogenic silt, Profile sum, min

Column 29  Pedogenic silt, Profile sum, max

Column 30  Pedogenic clay, Horizon, min

Column 31  Pedogenic clay, Horizon, max

Column 32  Pedogenic clay, Profile sum, min

Column 33  Pedogenic clay, Profile sum, max

Column 34  Pedogenic CaCO3, Horizon, min

Column 35  Pedogenic CaCO3, Horizon, max

Column 36  Pedogenic CaCO3, Profile sum, min

Column 37  Pedogenic CaCO3, Profile sum, max

Column 38  Pedogenic salt, Horizon, min

Column 39  Pedogenic salt, Horizon, max

Column 40  Pedogenic salt, Profile sum, min

Column 41  Pedogenic salt, Profile sum,  max

Core/meta/intrate.txt

Column  1  soils

Column  2  trap

Column  3  Assigned age, best

Column  4  Assigned age, min

Column  5  Assigned age, max

Column  6  Interval age, best

Column  7  Interval age, min

Column  8  Interval age, max

Column  9  Silt mass, (g/cm2/col), total

Column 10  Silt mass, (g/cm2/col), interval

Column 11  Silt interval rate,(g/m2/yr), best

Column 12  Silt interval rate,(g/m2/yr), max

Column 13  Silt interval rate, (g/m2/yr), min

Column 14  Clay mass, (g/cm2/col), total

Column 15  Clay mass, (g/cm2/col), interval

Column 16  Clay interval rate, (g/m2/yr), best

Column 17  Clay interval rate, (g/m2/yr), max

Column 18  Clay interval rate, (g/m2/yr), min

Column 19  CaCO3 mass, (g/cm2/col), total

Column 20  CaCO3 mass, (g/cm2/col), interval

Column 21  CaCO3 interval rate, (g/m2/yr), best

Column 22  CaCO3 interval rate, (g/m2/yr), max

Column 23  CaCO3 interval rate, (g/m2/yr), min

Column 24  Salt mass, (g/cm2/col), total

Column 25  Salt mass, (g/cm2/col), interval

Column 26  Salt interval rate, (g/m2/yr), best

Column 27  Salt interval rate, (g/m2/yr), max

Column 28  Salt interval rate, (g/m2/yr), min

Core/meta/intrtdev.txt

Column  1  soils

Column  2  best age

Column  3  int. age

Column  4  Silt mass, (g/cm2/col), total

Column  5  Silt mass, (g/cm2/col), interval

Column  6  Silt interval rate, (g/m2/yr), rate

Column  7  Silt interval rate, s.d.

Column  8  Clay mass, (g/cm2/col), total

Column  9  Clay mass, (g/cm2/col), interval

Column 10  Clay interval rate, (g/m2/yr), rate

Column 11  Clay interval rate, s.d.

Column 12  CaCO3 mass, (g/cm2/col), total

Column 13  CaCO3 mass, (g/cm2/col), interval

Column 14  CaCO3 interval rate, (g/m2/yr), rate

Column 15  CaCO3 interval rate, s.d.

Column 16  Salt mass, (g/cm2/col), total

Column 17  Salt mass, (g/cm2/col), interval

Column 18  Salt interval rate, (g/m2/yr), rate

Column 19  Salt interval rate, s.d.

Entity_and_Attribute_Detail_Citation: 

Further explaination of the data represented in individual
files is found in the file /Core/meta/dsolproc.txt dsolproc.
txt. Footnotes on data fields are found in the file /Core/meta/
dsolfoot.txt.
 

Distribution_Information: 

Distributor: 

Contact_Information: 

Contact_Person_Primary: 

Contact_Person: Kevin M. Foley

Contact_Organization: Global Climate History Program, U.S. Geological Survey

Contact_Address: 

Address_Type: mailing address

Address: 

Mail Stop 918
U.S. Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
 

City: Reston

State_or_Province: Virginia

Postal_Code: 20192

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (703) 648-5285

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (703) 648-6560

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: kfoley@usgs.gov

Resource_Description: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 95-1

Distribution_Liability: 

This report is preliminary and has not been reviewed for
conformity with U.S. Geological Survey editorial standards (or
with the North American Stratigraphic Code). Any use of trade,
product, or firm names is for descriptive purposes only and does
not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government.
 

Standard_Order_Process: 

Digital_Form: 

Digital_Transfer_Information: 

Format_Name: TEXT

Format_Information_Content: 

The information is structured and formatted for retrieval using
WWW browsers.
 

Digital_Transfer_Option: 

Online_Option: 

Computer_Contact_Information: 

Network_Address: 

Network_Resource_Name: <http://geochange.er.usgs.gov/pub/soils/reheis/>

Online_Computer_and_Operating_System: 

Data General AViiON 6220 system running DG/UX version 5.4R3.10
(UNIX)
 

Fees: none

Metadata_Reference_Information: 

Metadata_Date: 19961001

Metadata_Contact: 

Contact_Information: 

Contact_Person_Primary: 

Contact_Person: Kevin M. Foley

Contact_Address: 

Address_Type: mailing address

Address: 

Mail Stop 918
U.S. Geological Survey
12201 Sunrise Valley Drive
 

City: Reston

State_or_Province: VA

Postal_Code: 20192

Contact_Voice_Telephone: (703) 648-5285

Contact_Facsimile_Telephone: (703) 648-6560

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: kfoley@usgs.gov

Metadata_Standard_Name: FGDC Content Standards for Digital Geospatial Metadata

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998