Rates of erosion in the Japanese Alps during the Quaternary; Insights from trapped charge thermochronometry

Bartz, M.*; King, G. E.*; Anderson, L.*; Herman, F.*; Sueoka, Shigeru   ; Tsukamoto, Sumiko*; Tagami, Takahiro*

The Japanese Alps uplifted throughout the Quaternary and reached elevations of up to 3,000 m. However, understanding the interaction between rates of Earth surface processes, tectonics and climate is challenging, partly due to the difficulties of measuring changes in the rates of Earth surface processes at the timescale of glacial-interglacial cycles. In particular, the youth of the Japanese Alps has made measurement of their exhumation histories complicated. Here we investigate the potential of ultra-low temperature thermochronometers based on the luminescence and electron spin resonance (ESR) of feldspar and quartz minerals respectively for understanding changes in exhumation rates. We focus on Tateyama (Hida range), which was glaciated during the late Quaternary period. In total, eight samples were analysed by luminescence and ESR thermochronometry. While most luminescence signals have already reached their upper dating limit, ESR signals give insights into Pleistocene exhumation rates. We measured the ESR dose response and thermal decay properties of all samples, specifically targeting the Al and Ti centres. In general, thermal stability is higher for the Ti signals, resulting in ESR ages of between 0.5-0.9 Ma, although some signals are close to or above the upper dating limit of the Ti centre. In contrast, the Al signal still grows with time and is suitable for determining finite exhumation rates. Initial inversions reveal rock cooling rates on the order of 80 deg. C/Ma, which can be inverted to preliminarily rates of rock exhumation of <3 mm/a within the past 1 Ma. In the next step, we will relate these rates to the climatic (glacial) and tectonic history of the Tateyama region.