Comment on "Uranium series dating of Great Artesian Basin travertine deposits: Implications for palaeohydrogeology and palaeoclimate" by Priestley et al. (2018)

Uysal I. T., Ring U., Unal-Imer E., YÜCE G., Shulmeister J., İMER A., ...More

PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY, vol.537, 2020 (SCI-Expanded) identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Editorial Material
  • Volume: 537
  • Publication Date: 2020
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.palaeo.2019.109420
  • Journal Name: PALAEOGEOGRAPHY PALAEOCLIMATOLOGY PALAEOECOLOGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Artic & Antarctic Regions, BIOSIS, CAB Abstracts, Environment Index, Geobase, Veterinary Science Database, DIALNET
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

Widespread travertine deposits occur in the southwestern Great Artesian Basin (GAB) in central Australia. Priestley et al. (2018) reported uranium-series ages of travertine deposits and concluded that elevated travertine deposition rates are synchronous with wet periods and that times of travertine deposition represent times of high regional rainfall. We propose an alternative explanation that CO2 degassing from the mantle associated with active faulting played a major role in travertine precipitation in the southwestern GAB.