Erik Gulbranson
University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Geosciences, Faculty Member
- University of California, Davis, Geology, AlumnusUniversity of Minnesota, Duluth, Geology, Alumnusadd
- I am a sedimentary geochemist specialized in the use of stable isotopes, radiogenic isotopes, and elemental geochemis... moreI am a sedimentary geochemist specialized in the use of stable isotopes, radiogenic isotopes, and elemental geochemistry to study deep time climate change. My research incorporates rigorous field studies at the basin-scale with quantitative laboratory work on the geochemistry of plant fossils and soil-formed minerals (e.g., goethite, calcite, kaolinite). The focus of my research is to understand climate-biota-soil interactions, specifically at high-latitudes as a means to enhance our understanding of how polar-regions respond to and influence climatic change. To this end, I am working on developing high-resolution analyses of carbon isotopes in tree rings from permineralized wood from the Late Permian (~260Ma), providing a sub annual record of carbon fixation of plants that grew in polar forests; and I am working with leaf and root fossils from these polar forests to further explore carbon cycling and its relationship to climate change.edit
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The Talampaya Formation is the basal unit of the Ischigualasto-Villa Union rift system and has been traditionally assigned to the Triassic based on stratigraphic relationships. A median UePb age of 252.38 (þ0.09/0.22) Ma was obtained... more
The Talampaya Formation is the basal unit of the Ischigualasto-Villa Union rift system and has been traditionally assigned to the Triassic based on stratigraphic relationships. A median UePb age of 252.38 (þ0.09/0.22) Ma was obtained from volcanic zircons collected from a tuff bed close to the top of this unit at the Bordo Atravesado locality in the Cuesta de Miranda area (La Rioja, Argentina). This radiometric age is very close to the accepted PermianeTriassic boundary indicating that, at least in this locality,
sedimentation occurred during the Late Permian but may have extended into the earliest Triassic. This new evidence indicates that the onset of the extensional event that gave rise to the rift basins in western Argentina started during the Permian. Detailed sedimentological studies of the 260 m thick Talampaya
Formation allowed subdividing the succession into seven facies associations grouped into three evolutionary stages indicating that sedimentary environments initially evolved from alluvial fans to a braided river system. Subsequent intrabasinal volcanism associated with sediment deposition by low-to moderate-sinuosity rivers is recorded in the lower third of the column. The middle and upper part of the unit captures the evolution from ephemeral fluvial systems with an eolian interval to an ephemeral clastic lake with intermittent volcanic ash deposits. These changes indicate a progressive lowering of the landscape and a transition towards arid or semiarid conditions.
sedimentation occurred during the Late Permian but may have extended into the earliest Triassic. This new evidence indicates that the onset of the extensional event that gave rise to the rift basins in western Argentina started during the Permian. Detailed sedimentological studies of the 260 m thick Talampaya
Formation allowed subdividing the succession into seven facies associations grouped into three evolutionary stages indicating that sedimentary environments initially evolved from alluvial fans to a braided river system. Subsequent intrabasinal volcanism associated with sediment deposition by low-to moderate-sinuosity rivers is recorded in the lower third of the column. The middle and upper part of the unit captures the evolution from ephemeral fluvial systems with an eolian interval to an ephemeral clastic lake with intermittent volcanic ash deposits. These changes indicate a progressive lowering of the landscape and a transition towards arid or semiarid conditions.
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Fourteen soil profiles from California were collected in order to measure the d13C of coexisting soil calcite and organic matter. Thirteen of the profiles contained a measurable amount of calcite ranging from 0.04 to 54.6 wt %. Soil... more
Fourteen soil profiles from California were collected in order to measure the d13C of coexisting soil calcite and organic matter. Thirteen of the profiles contained a measurable amount of calcite ranging from 0.04 to 54.6 wt %. Soil calcite d13CPDB (d13C value vs. the calcite standard Peedee Belemnite) values range from 14.4 to 1.3‰, whereas organic matter d13CPDB values range from 24.0 to 27.7‰. The hydrology of these profiles is divided into two broad groups: (1) soils characterized by gravity-driven, piston-type vertical flow through the profile and (2) soils affected by groundwater within the profile at depths where calcite is present. The difference between soil calcite and organic matter d13CPDB
values, D13Ccc-om, is smaller in profiles affected by groundwater saturation as well as most Vertisols and may be a product of waterlogging. The larger D13Ccc-om values in soils with gravity-driven flow are consistent with open-system mixing of tropospheric CO2 and CO2 derived from in situ oxidation of soil organic matter with mean soil PCO2 values potentially in excess of ~20,000 ppmV at the time of calcite crystallization. There is a correlation between estimates of soil PCO2 and a value termed ‘‘EPPT-U’’ (kJm2/yr) among the soil profiles characterized by gravity-driven flow. EPPT-U is the energy flux through the soil during periods of soil moisture utilization, and it is the product of water mass and temperature in the profile during the growing season. Thus, soils with high water-holding capacity/storage and/or low/high growing season temperature may form soil calcite in the presence of high soil PCO2, and vice versa. The results of this research have important implications for reconstructions of paleoclimate from stable carbon isotopes of
calcareous paleosol profiles.
values, D13Ccc-om, is smaller in profiles affected by groundwater saturation as well as most Vertisols and may be a product of waterlogging. The larger D13Ccc-om values in soils with gravity-driven flow are consistent with open-system mixing of tropospheric CO2 and CO2 derived from in situ oxidation of soil organic matter with mean soil PCO2 values potentially in excess of ~20,000 ppmV at the time of calcite crystallization. There is a correlation between estimates of soil PCO2 and a value termed ‘‘EPPT-U’’ (kJm2/yr) among the soil profiles characterized by gravity-driven flow. EPPT-U is the energy flux through the soil during periods of soil moisture utilization, and it is the product of water mass and temperature in the profile during the growing season. Thus, soils with high water-holding capacity/storage and/or low/high growing season temperature may form soil calcite in the presence of high soil PCO2, and vice versa. The results of this research have important implications for reconstructions of paleoclimate from stable carbon isotopes of
calcareous paleosol profiles.
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Research Interests:
Abstract This paper proposes a review of the Late Mississippian to Permian paleoclimatic history for southern South America based on lithologic indicators, biostratigraphic information, and chronostratigraphic data. The region is divided... more
Abstract This paper proposes a review of the Late Mississippian to Permian paleoclimatic history for southern South America based on lithologic indicators, biostratigraphic information, and chronostratigraphic data. The region is divided into three major types of basins: 1. Eastern intraplate basins (eg, Paraná Basin), 2. Western retroarc basins (eg, Paganzo Basin) and 3. Western arc-related basins (eg, Río Blanco Basin). Four major types of paleoclimatic stages are recognized in these basins: 1.
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The Carboniferous and Permian fossiliferous sequences of the central-western Argentina contain abundant plant remains, palynomorphs and invertebrates. They include a continuous record of large distribution in the Paganzo, Rio Blanco,... more
The Carboniferous and Permian fossiliferous sequences of the central-western Argentina contain abundant plant remains, palynomorphs and invertebrates. They include a continuous record of large distribution in the Paganzo, Rio Blanco, Calingasta-Uspallata and San Rafael Basins. The most recent biostratigraphic schemes recognize a floristic succession represented by the biozones: Archaeosigillaria–Frenguellia (AF Biozone), Frenguellia eximia–Nothorhacopteris kellaybelenensis–Cordaicarpus cesarii (FNC ...
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The longest-lived icehouse of the past half billion years, the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA) came to a close in the Early Permian, transitioning into an ice-free warm period that was sustained arguably until the onset of our current... more
The longest-lived icehouse of the past half billion years, the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA) came to a close in the Early Permian, transitioning into an ice-free warm period that was sustained arguably until the onset of our current glacial state~ 34 million years ago.
Aptian-Albian siliciclastic strata of the Cedar Mountain Formation in the area of the San Rafael Swell contain a calcrete succession that captures the C9-C10-C11 C-isotope features of the Cretaceous global carbon isotope... more
Aptian-Albian siliciclastic strata of the Cedar Mountain Formation in the area of the San Rafael Swell contain a calcrete succession that captures the C9-C10-C11 C-isotope features of the Cretaceous global carbon isotope chemostratigraphy. This long-ranging positive carbon isotope excursion (CIE) spanned from about 115 to 112 Ma, and coincided with a peak in Cretaceous volcanism.
The Early Cretaceous Buckhorn Conglomerate lies between fine-grained low-gradient fluvial deposits of the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation and the Cedar Mountain Formation (CMF), recording a distinct shift in fluvial style and dispersal... more
The Early Cretaceous Buckhorn Conglomerate lies between fine-grained low-gradient fluvial deposits of the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation and the Cedar Mountain Formation (CMF), recording a distinct shift in fluvial style and dispersal mechanisms across the Colorado Plateau. Hypotheses for the cause of this shift include 1) a period of regional uplift, 2) a drop in Early Cretaceous sea level, or 3) onset of activity in the Sevier fold and thrust belt in western Utah.
One of most stratigraphically continuous and high fidelity archives of the mid-Carboniferous glaciation occurs in the Paganzo Group of northwestern Argentina. Existing interpretations of mid-Carboniferous glacigenic strata in the Paganzo... more
One of most stratigraphically continuous and high fidelity archives of the mid-Carboniferous glaciation occurs in the Paganzo Group of northwestern Argentina. Existing interpretations of mid-Carboniferous glacigenic strata in the Paganzo Group argue for persistent glaciation, marked by several advance and retreat cycles of moraines associated with tidewater glaciers.
Paleosols of the Pennsylvanian Paganzo Group, Paganzo and Río Blanco basins, northwestern Argentina, preserve a climate history that captures a marked shift from the continental ice sheet-climate feedbacks of the mid-Carboniferous glacial... more
Paleosols of the Pennsylvanian Paganzo Group, Paganzo and Río Blanco basins, northwestern Argentina, preserve a climate history that captures a marked shift from the continental ice sheet-climate feedbacks of the mid-Carboniferous glacial event to a climate regime characterized by progressive aridification driven by ecologic and geomorphic change and atmospheric chemistry.
Soil-formed goethite and calcite comprise the minerals used to reconstruct ancient atmospheric pCO 2 from terrestrial records. In the case of goethite, optimum sampling strategies for reconstructing pCO 2 focus on the portion of the soil... more
Soil-formed goethite and calcite comprise the minerals used to reconstruct ancient atmospheric pCO 2 from terrestrial records. In the case of goethite, optimum sampling strategies for reconstructing pCO 2 focus on the portion of the soil profile that displays steep gradients in both soil CO 2 concentration and δ 13 C of soil CO 2, such that a linear keeling plot can be developed for a given soil and atmospheric pCO 2 can be calculated from it.
Newly developed records from paleo-high-latitude southern Gondwana indicate a surprisingly complex glaciation history for the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA).
Siliciclastic-and carbonate-dominated lacustrine facies in the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation record deposition in overfilled and balanced to underfilled lake basin types under tropical megamonsoonal conditions. Siliciclastic-dominated... more
Siliciclastic-and carbonate-dominated lacustrine facies in the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation record deposition in overfilled and balanced to underfilled lake basin types under tropical megamonsoonal conditions. Siliciclastic-dominated lacustrine facies are present in the Monitor Butte Member in the lower part of the Chinle Formation in northern Arizona and south central Utah. These facies are characterized by steep, muddy clinoforms and rippled sandstone delta fronts and distributary channel/stream-mouth bars.
The late Paleozoic Ice age (LPIA) lasted~ 90 million years beginning in South America and possibly Africa during the Mississippian (Visean) and ending in Australia at the end of the Middle Permian (Capitanian). New data suggest that at no... more
The late Paleozoic Ice age (LPIA) lasted~ 90 million years beginning in South America and possibly Africa during the Mississippian (Visean) and ending in Australia at the end of the Middle Permian (Capitanian). New data suggest that at no time was Gondwana completely covered by ice. However, discrete glacial events, which lasted for 1 to 8 million years and separated by ice-free conditions of equal duration, shifted west to east across Gondwana.
Recent studies of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA) reveal a more dynamic history of glaciation than previously considered, including multiple short-lived glaciations in southern Gondwana. The timing and geographic extent of such discrete... more
Recent studies of the Late Paleozoic Ice Age (LPIA) reveal a more dynamic history of glaciation than previously considered, including multiple short-lived glaciations in southern Gondwana. The timing and geographic extent of such discrete pulses of glaciation, however, are poorly constrained reflecting the paucity of radiometric ages for glacigenic deposits in southern Gondwana. Here we report 9 high-precision (age uncertainties of< 0.1%) U-Pb radiometric ages for the Permo-Carboniferous Paganzo Group, NW Argentina.
The Late Paleozoic Donets Basin of eastern Ukraine records near-continuous, paralic (marine to terrestrial deltaic facies), cyclothemic facies of early Mississippian through early Permian age. Tectonic reconstructions place the Donets... more
The Late Paleozoic Donets Basin of eastern Ukraine records near-continuous, paralic (marine to terrestrial deltaic facies), cyclothemic facies of early Mississippian through early Permian age. Tectonic reconstructions place the Donets Basin in paleotropical eastern Pangea along the northwestern Tethyan margin between 10 S-10 N latitude for the duration of the late Paleozoic ice age (LPIA).
The Río del Peñón Formation (Borrello, 1955 nom. subst. González y Bossi, 1986) forms the upper part of the late Paleozoic outcropping in the Río Blanco anticline (northwest Precordillera, La Rioja Province). This unit is predominantly... more
The Río del Peñón Formation (Borrello, 1955 nom. subst. González y Bossi, 1986) forms the upper part of the late Paleozoic outcropping in the Río Blanco anticline (northwest Precordillera, La Rioja Province). This unit is predominantly composed of a thick (1270 m.) sandstone and mudstone sequence including thin levels of coal and scarce conglomerates (Scalabrini Ortiz, 1972; Scalabrini Ortiz and Arrondo, 1973; González and Bossi, 1986).
Abstract Nodular carbonates (“calcretes”) in continental foreland-basin strata of the Early Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation (CMF) in eastern Utah yield δ 13 C and δ 18 O records of changes in the exogenic carbon cycle related to... more
Abstract Nodular carbonates (“calcretes”) in continental foreland-basin strata of the Early Cretaceous Cedar Mountain Formation (CMF) in eastern Utah yield δ 13 C and δ 18 O records of changes in the exogenic carbon cycle related to oceanic anoxic events (OAEs), and terrestrial paleoclimate. Chemostratigraphic profiles of both forebulge and foredeep sections show two prominent positive δ 13 C excursions, each with a peak value of− 3% 0 VPDB, and having background δ 13 C values of about− 6% 0 VPDB.
North-Central Section - 39th Annual Meeting (May 1920, 2005). Paper No. 9-4, Presentation Time: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM. APPLICATIONS OF PHOSPHOR IMAGING TO GEOLOGIC MATERIALS: DIAGENETIC EMPLACEMENT ...
2003 Seattle Annual Meeting (November 25, 2003). Paper No. 223-7, Presentation Time: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM. NON-MARINE TO MARGINAL-MARINE TRANSGRESSIVE SEQUENCE OF THE CRETACEOUS DAKOTA FORMATION IN NORTHEAST UTAH. ...
Calcrete Overprinting of Palustrine Carbonate Facies: The Role of Phreatic Water Movement. Erik L. Gulbranson and Timothy Demko University of Minnesota Duluth, Duluth, MN. Calcrete modification in paleosols and palustrine ...
2004 Denver Annual Meeting (November 710, 2004). Paper No. 154-8, Presentation Time: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM. CALCRETES AND PALUSTRINE CARBONATES AS INDICATORS OF CLIMATIC SHIFT, LATE TRIASSIC AND ...
2006 Philadelphia Annual Meeting (2225 October 2006). Paper No. 42-12, Presentation Time: 4:20 PM-4:35 PM. U-PB DATING OF AN EARLY CRETACEOUS CALCRETE, CEDAR MOUNTAIN FORMATION, UTAH. GULBRANSON ...