Late Glacial Landscape Ecology in Central North America

The transition from full glacial to interglacial conditions along the southern margin of the Laurentide ice sheet resulted in dramatic changes in landscapes and biotic habitats. Strata and landforms resulting from the Wisconsin Episode of glaciation in the area directly west of Lake Superior indicate a context for late Pleistocene biota (including human populations) connected to ice margins, proglacial lakes, and postglacial drainage systems. Late Glacial landscape features that have the potential for revealing the presence of Paleoindian artifacts include abandoned shorelines of proglacial lakes in the Superior and Agassiz basins and interior drainages on deglaciated terrains. The linkage between Late Pleistocene human populations and Rancholabrean fauna has yet to be demonstrated in the western Lake Superior region, although isolated remains of mammoth ( Mammuthus) have been documented, as well as fluted points assigned to Clovis, Folsom, and Holcombe-like artifact forms. Agate Basin and Hell Gap (Plano-type) artifacts also imply the presence of human groups in Late Glacial landscapes associated with the Agassiz and Superior basins

Geologic Framework and Glaciation of the Eastern Area

Late Pleistocene landscapes in glaciated eastern North America include changing ice margins, fluctuating lake and sea levels, and deglaciated physical settings that were inhabited by a variety of extinct (Rancholabrean) fauna. The glaciated East of North America consists of the mid-continent from Hudson Bay to south of the Great Lakes and extends eastward to the Atlantic coast. Glaciers were present along the Atlantic coast from southern New York north to Labrador

Late Tertiary to Quaternary Geology and Landscape Evolution along the Snake River Plain, Southwestern Idaho

The geology of the Snake River Plain in the vicinity of Melba and Murphy, in southwestern Idaho, provides evidence for changes that have occurred over the last several million years, during the late Cenozoic. Here, the local and regional geology is described and interpreted within the context of events that have contributed to the present-day landscape

Geologic Framework and Glaciation of the Western Area

The geological framework for western North America consists of physical landscapes (geomorphic features) and stratigraphic sequences that can be used to provide a basis for understanding the chronologic and environmental context for Late Pleistocene human populations. The Western Area includes the region of North America from the Pacific coast to the Rocky Mountains and parts of the Great Basin and Colorado plateau (figs. 1-2)

Geochronology of Merrell Locality Strata and Regional Paleoenvironmental Contexts

An assessment of the age of the deposits and the fossils incorporated within them at the Merrell Locality is based on radiocarbon measurements from bone and tusk collagen and organic sediments (Table 3 and Figures 75-76), and luminescence measurements on sediments (Feathers, this report). Nine radiocarbon dates are available from the site; seven are finite and two are infinite. The finite dates range from ca. 49,000 to 19,000 14C yr. B. P. (Figure 75)

Geologic Framework and Glaciation of the Central Area

During the Late Pleistocene, the Laurentide ice sheet extended over the western interior Plains and Great Lakes region in the central of North America. This central area generally encompasses the northwestern interior Plains of North America, extending from the Rocky Mountains in the west to the western Great Lakes and Hudson Bay in the east (figs. 1-2). It includes parts of the Mackenzie River, Missouri River, and Mississippi River systems. Deglaciation of this region led to the development of landscape that were inhabited by Rancholabrean faunal communities including human groups

Geology of Centennial Valley and Stratigraphy of Pleistocene Fossil-Bearing Sediments

This paper is based on stratigraphic studies conducted at the Merrell Locaility and other locations in Centennial Valley. The Merrell Locality is situated in southwest Montana, on the western end of Centennial Valley (Figure 30). It is notable for containing the fossil vertebrate remains of mammoth (Mammuthus cf. M. columbi), scimitar cat (a member of the sabretooths, Homotherium serum), horse (Equidae) and Yesterday\u27s camel (Camelops cf. hesternus), as well as other plant and animal fossils of Pleistocene age (Dundas 1990; Dundas, Hill, and Batten 1996). Summaries and reports of research conducted at the locality include Albanese (1995); Albanese, Davis, and Hill (1995); Batten and Davis (1996); Bump (1989); Davis et al. (1995); Dundas (1990); Dundas (1992); Hill, Davis, and Albanese (1995); Hill and Albanese (1996); Hill (1999, 2001a, 2001b)

Pleistocene Deposits in the Southern Egyptian Sahara: Lithostratigraphic Relationships of Sediments and Landscape Dynamics at Bir Tarfawi

The sedimentological and lithostratigraphic record from north-central Bir Tarfawi documents the presence of Pleistocene basin-fill deposits. Three topographic basins were created as a result of deflation during climate episodes associated with lowering of the local groundwater table. In each case, the three deflational basins or topographic depressions were subsequently filled with sediments; these basin aggradations coincided with changes from arid climate conditions to wetter conditions and a rise in the groundwater table. The oldest and highest sedimentary remnant is associated with Acheulian artifacts and may reflect spring-fed pond and marsh conditions during a Middle Pleistocene wet climate episode. Lithofacies for a lower stratigraphic sequence (the “White Lake”) documents deposition in a perennial lake that varied in extent and depth and is associated with Middle Paleolithic artifacts. A third episode of deflation created a topographic low that has been filled with Late Pleistocene sediments that are associated with Middle Paleolithic artifacts and fossil remains. Lateral and vertical variations in the lithofacies of this basin-fill sequence and the sediments of the “grey-green” lake phases provide a record of changing hydrologic conditions. These hydrologic conditions appear to reflect variations in water-table levels related to groundwater recharge and, at times, local rains

Anomaly mediated neutrino-photon interactions at finite baryon density

We propose new physical processes based on the axial vector anomaly and described by the Wess-Zumino-Witten term that couples the photon, Z-boson, and the omega-meson. The interaction takes the form of a pseudo-Chern-Simons term, $\sim \epsilon_{\mu\nu\rho\sigma}\omega^\mu Z^\nu F^{\rho\sigma}$. This term induces neutrino-photon interactions at finite baryon density via the coupling of the Z-boson to neutrinos. These interactions may be detectable in various laboratory and astrophysical arenas. The new interactions may account for the MiniBooNE excess. They also produce a competitive contribution to neutron star cooling at temperatures >10^9 K. These processes and related axion--photon interactions at finite baryon density appear to be relevant in many astrophysical regimes.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures; references adde