The geochronology of White Sands Locality 2 is resolved

PaleoAmerica
By: , and 

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Abstract

Rhode et al. (2024) allege that there are many “unresolved issues” with the geochronology of White Sands National Park (WHSA) Locality 2. They suggest there are substantial age offsets due to hard-water effects in the aquatic plants that were dated and that radiocarbon ages of pollen may be anomalously old due to reworking. In their view, the luminescence ages are likely to be maximum ages because of the probable presence of partially bleached quartz grains, overestimation of water content, and stratigraphic position of the samples. They also assert the ages of the footprint trackways are not as internally consistent as suggested and can be interpreted in various ways. We review each of these issues and show they are without merit, often irrelevant, at odds with first principles, and stem from a lack of firsthand understanding of the studies we conducted at WHSA Locality 2.

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Publication type Article
Publication Subtype Journal Article
Title The geochronology of White Sands Locality 2 is resolved
Series title PaleoAmerica
DOI 10.1080/20555563.2024.2376298
Volume 10
Issue 1
Year Published 2024
Language English
Publisher Taylor & Francis
Contributing office(s) Geosciences and Environmental Change Science Center
Description 17 p.
First page 28
Last page 44
Country United States
State New Mexico
Other Geospatial White Sands National Park Locality 2
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