EXAMINATION OF BULK SEDIMENT AND MICROCHARCOAL EXTRACTION FOR SAMPLES FROM THE BAILEYS LAKE TRENCH SITE, SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH

Six bulk soil samples from two paleoseismic trenches were floated to recover organic fragments suitable for radiocarbon analysis. These samples were collected from the Baileys Lake trench site on the Granger fault in Salt Lake City, Utah, as part of the Utah Geological Survey’s efforts to develop detailed information on the timing and recurrence of paleoearthquakes in the West Valley fault zone. Botanic components and detrital charcoal were identified, and potentially radiocarbon datable material was separated. Four of the samples yielded sufficient charred material that can be submitted for AMS radiocarbon analysis. In the absence of larger-sized charred remains, one of the samples was extracted to recover microscopic charcoal/particulate soil organics for dating. Samples for AMS radiocarbon dating will be submitted to Woods Hole Institute.