From Crystals to Climate Change: Columbia River Flood Basalts (IMAGE)

Princeton University

From Crystals to Climate Change: Columbia River Flood Basalts

Caption

Princeton geologists Jennifer Kasbohm and Blair Schoene used tiny zircon crystals found in volcanic ash to rewrite the timeline for the eruptions of the Columbia River flood basalts, a series of massive lava flows that coincided with an ancient global warming period 16 million years ago. Palouse Falls State Park in Washington presents an excellent exposure of lava flows of the Wanapum Basalt, the second-youngest formation of the Columbia River Basalt Group.

Credit

Jennifer Kasbohm, Princeton University Department of Geosciences

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