Development of a Dendrochemical Method to Date Cinder Cone Volcanoes

Author(s): Mark D. Elson; Paul R. Sheppard; Michael H. Ort

Year: 2005

Summary

Understanding the full range of interactions between human groups and volcanic eruptions is of great importance, not only for predicting volcanic hazards and potentially saving lives, but also for insights into human behavior and specifically, on the ways in which populations adapt to catastrophic events. However, most accounts of human/volcano interaction are confined to the past few hundred years, thereby limiting the number of cases and the formulation of predictive models. In this multidisciplinary study, partially supported by a grant from the National Park Service, Flagstaff Area Monuments, we develop methods using a combination of dendrochronology and geochemistry that will enable the dating of prehistoric and unrecorded historic period eruptions with a high degree of both accuracy and precision. Dates derived from our methods can then be combined with the archaeological record or with historic documentation to investigate and model the ways in which human groups interact with volcano eruptions.

Preliminary geochemical data gathered from trees affected by the eruption of Paricutin Volcano in Michoacan, Mexico, show changes in the chemical signatures in phosphorus and perhaps in calcium and strontium during the known historic Paricutin eruption. Significantly, some of these same signatures show up in the mid-11th century A.D. in our preliminary investigation of wood from prehistoric structures in the Sunset Crater vicinity. These data were used as a pilot study in our successful request for funding from the National Science Foundation (Earth Sciences Division). The procurement of this grant will enable us to increase the sample size and replicate these findings before they are used widely in other volcanological settings and in the re interpretation of prehistoric adaptations to the Sunset Crater eruption.

Cite this Record

Development of a Dendrochemical Method to Date Cinder Cone Volcanoes, 10. Mark D. Elson, Paul R. Sheppard, Michael H. Ort. 2005 ( tDAR id: 448137) ; doi:10.48512/XCV8448137

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Keywords

Culture
Historic • Hohokam • Huhugam

Material
Ceramic • Dating Sample

Investigation Types
Historic Background Research • Records Search / Inventory Checking • Site Evaluation / Testing

General
Dendochronology

Geographic Keywords
Arizona (State / Territory) • Flagstaff, AZ • Little Springs Volcano • Michoacán, Mexico • Parícutin Volcano • Sunset Crater

Temporal Keywords
Prehistoric Period

Spatial Coverage

min long: -112.014; min lat: 35.241 ; max long: -111.173; max lat: 35.895 ;

Individual & Institutional Roles

Contact(s): Desert Archaeology, Inc.

Prepared By(s): Desert Archaeology, Inc.

Record Identifiers

Contract No.(s): P7470-02-0040

File Information

  Name Size Creation Date Date Uploaded Access
tr2005_10_final_OCR_PDFA.pdf 753.08kb Mar 26, 2005 Mar 5, 2019 4:50:11 PM Public

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