| To further our understanding of dust cycling from the Great Basin to the Rocky Mountains, this study uses strontium concentrations and isotopes (87Sr/86Sr) to investigate provenance of dust landing on the Wasatch Mountains and to determine that a dust strontium record is preserved in tree rings. To do this, the strontium isotopic signature of dust landing on the Wasatch Mountains, tree rings, soil, and bedrock have been measured. The tree ring isotopic signature is a reflection of how strontium from dust and bedrock mix within the soil. This can then be used to trace changes in dust sources through time via tree rings. A large fraction of the strontium in soil and tree rings comes from dust, although some bedrock dependent variation exists. Trees get a majority of their strontium from dust, making them a useful record of dust source and deposition. Over time, a tree growing over the Tintic Quartzite shows changes in strontium source, which are interpreted as changes in dust source. |
