Abstract ATM-9731138 Asmerom, Yemane University of New Mexico Title: SGER: Chronology of Submerged Speleothems form the Blue Hole Belize: Implications for Sea Level and Tropical Climate Change Through Time The SGER award supports a pilot study on the analysis of extant speleothem (carbonate cave deposits) samples recovered from the "Blue Hole," Lighthouse Reef, Belize. The study's objective is to obtain a high resolution U-series chronology and stable isotope record in order to reconstruct an accurate chronology of sea level change and possible isotopic proxy record of tropical paleoclimate. The work will be based on U-series analysis by thermal ionization mass spectrometry (TIMS). These rare samples provide an opportunity for the demonstration of the TIMS methodology may greatly improve our ability to reconstruct fine-scale chronometric series in carbonate sections.
