Tracing dust provenance and paleoclimate in the Wasatch Mountains using strontium isotopes

Olivia Miller

Previous work

(Grousset and Biscaye, 2005) (Goran, 1994)

Sr ratio in soil water taken up by the trees moves towards that of water (.71).

Dust landing on snow

Black = observedPurple = modeled without dust

• Earlier melt and less runoff• Dust increases with drought and soil

disturbance

~85% of SLC water comes snowmelt water

Deficiencies my study will address

Where is the dust coming from?Can we see the dust record in tree rings?Is the dust source changing over time?