Temporally and spatially uniform rates of erosion in the southern Appalachian Great Smoky Mountains

A. Matmon; P. R. Bierman; J. Larsen; S. Southworth; M. Pavich; M. Caffee

doi:10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0155:TASURO>2.0.CO;2

Temporally and spatially uniform rates of erosion in the southern Appalachian Great Smoky Mountains

A. Matmon^*, P. R. Bierman, J. Larsen, S. Southworth, M. Pavich, M. Caffee

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

161 Scopus citations

Abstract

We measured ¹⁰Be in fluvial sediment samples (n = 27) from eight Great Smoky Mountain drainages (1-330 km²). Results suggest spatially homogeneous sediment generation (on the 10⁴-10⁵ yr time scale and > 100 km² spatial scale) at 73 ± 11 t km^-2 yr^-1, equivalent to 27 ± 4 m/m.y. of bedrock erosion. This rate is consistent with rates derived from fission-track, long-term sediment budget, and sediment yield data, all of which indicate that the Great Smoky Mountains and the southern Appalachians eroded during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic at ∼30 m/m.y. In contrast, unroofing rates during the Paleozoic orogenic events that formed the Appalachian Mountains were higher (≥10² m/m.y.). Erosion rates decreased after termination of tectonically driven uplift, enabling the survival of this ancient mountain belt with its deep crustal root as an isostatically maintained feature in the contemporary landscape.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	155-158
Number of pages	4
Journal	Geology
Volume	31
Issue number	2
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0155:TASURO>2.0.CO;2
State	Published - Feb 2003
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Cosmogenic nuclides
Erosion
Great Smoky Mountains
Sediment generation

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10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0155:TASURO>2.0.CO;2

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title = "Temporally and spatially uniform rates of erosion in the southern Appalachian Great Smoky Mountains",

abstract = "We measured 10Be in fluvial sediment samples (n = 27) from eight Great Smoky Mountain drainages (1-330 km2). Results suggest spatially homogeneous sediment generation (on the 104-105 yr time scale and > 100 km2 spatial scale) at 73 ± 11 t km-2 yr-1, equivalent to 27 ± 4 m/m.y. of bedrock erosion. This rate is consistent with rates derived from fission-track, long-term sediment budget, and sediment yield data, all of which indicate that the Great Smoky Mountains and the southern Appalachians eroded during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic at ∼30 m/m.y. In contrast, unroofing rates during the Paleozoic orogenic events that formed the Appalachian Mountains were higher (≥102 m/m.y.). Erosion rates decreased after termination of tectonically driven uplift, enabling the survival of this ancient mountain belt with its deep crustal root as an isostatically maintained feature in the contemporary landscape.",

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author = "A. Matmon and Bierman, {P. R.} and J. Larsen and S. Southworth and M. Pavich and M. Caffee",

year = "2003",

month = feb,

doi = "10.1130/0091-7613(2003)031<0155:TASURO>2.0.CO;2",

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AU - Matmon, A.

AU - Bierman, P. R.

AU - Larsen, J.

AU - Southworth, S.

AU - Pavich, M.

AU - Caffee, M.

PY - 2003/2

Y1 - 2003/2

N2 - We measured 10Be in fluvial sediment samples (n = 27) from eight Great Smoky Mountain drainages (1-330 km2). Results suggest spatially homogeneous sediment generation (on the 104-105 yr time scale and > 100 km2 spatial scale) at 73 ± 11 t km-2 yr-1, equivalent to 27 ± 4 m/m.y. of bedrock erosion. This rate is consistent with rates derived from fission-track, long-term sediment budget, and sediment yield data, all of which indicate that the Great Smoky Mountains and the southern Appalachians eroded during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic at ∼30 m/m.y. In contrast, unroofing rates during the Paleozoic orogenic events that formed the Appalachian Mountains were higher (≥102 m/m.y.). Erosion rates decreased after termination of tectonically driven uplift, enabling the survival of this ancient mountain belt with its deep crustal root as an isostatically maintained feature in the contemporary landscape.

AB - We measured 10Be in fluvial sediment samples (n = 27) from eight Great Smoky Mountain drainages (1-330 km2). Results suggest spatially homogeneous sediment generation (on the 104-105 yr time scale and > 100 km2 spatial scale) at 73 ± 11 t km-2 yr-1, equivalent to 27 ± 4 m/m.y. of bedrock erosion. This rate is consistent with rates derived from fission-track, long-term sediment budget, and sediment yield data, all of which indicate that the Great Smoky Mountains and the southern Appalachians eroded during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic at ∼30 m/m.y. In contrast, unroofing rates during the Paleozoic orogenic events that formed the Appalachian Mountains were higher (≥102 m/m.y.). Erosion rates decreased after termination of tectonically driven uplift, enabling the survival of this ancient mountain belt with its deep crustal root as an isostatically maintained feature in the contemporary landscape.

KW - Cosmogenic nuclides

KW - Erosion

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KW - Sediment generation

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ER -

Temporally and spatially uniform rates of erosion in the southern Appalachian Great Smoky Mountains

Abstract

Keywords

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