Geology of Umnak and Bogoslof Islands Aleutian Islands Alaska
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Geology of Umnak and Bogoslof Islands Aleutian Islands Alaska By F. M. BYERS, JR. INVESTIGATIONS OF ^ALASKAN VOLCANOES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY BULLETIN 1028-L Prepared in cooperation with the Office, Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON : 1959 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR FRED A. SEATON, Secretary GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Thomas B. Nolan, Director For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington 25, D.C. PEEFACE In October 1945 the War Department (now Department of the Army) requested the Geological Survey to undertake a program of volcano investigations in the Aleutian Islands-Alaska Peninsula area. Field studies under general direction of G. D. Robinson, were begun as soon as weather permitted in the spring of 1946. The results of the first year's field, laboratory, and library work were assembled as two administrative reports. Part of the data was published in 1950 in Geological Survey Bulletin 974-B, "Volcanic Activity in the Aleutian Arc", by Robert R. Coats. The rest of the data has been included in Bulletin 1028. The geologic investigations covered by this report were recon naissance. The factual information presented is believed to be accu rate, but many of the tentative interpretations and conclusions will be modified as the investigations continue and knowledge grows. The investigations of 1946 were supported almost entirely by the Military Intelligence Division of the Office, Chief of Engineers, U.S. Army. The Geological Survey is indebted to that Office for its early recognition of the value of geologic studies in the Aleutian region, which made this report possible, and for its continuing support. in CONTENTS Page Abstract__________._..!__'_____.--__-___________________ 267 Introduction. _________________ ___ _______________________________ 268 Fieldwork and acknowledgments____.-_________________---____ 269 History and previous geologic work____________________-___-_____ 270 Russian period, 1741-1867.-___---____--__.-_-_-_____ 270 United States Territorial period._______-_-_______._----__-- 271 Geography____________________________________________ 272 Location, settlements, and accessibility_-___-___-_---_-__--_-__- 272 Hydrography and topography___________---___-___-____--_-_-_ 272 Climate, vegetation, and animal life_______-_-_-_-_-_______-_-_ 275 General geologic setting________________________________________ 276 The eastern Aleutian arc-__-__-_-_----__--_-----_--_------_--_- 276 Area of this report________________._---____.____--._ 278 Rock names used in this report_______________________________ 279 Geology of Umnak______________________________________________ 285 General features______________________-_----__-_.___--_-_-- 285 Albitized sedimentary and igneous complex___-_______._-_____-_-_ 285 Distribution and thickness___---______-_-_--__--___---_--_ 285 Structure__--__________._____-_-_ --_._------- 286 Relation to younger rocks.-_-__--___-____-----_-_-_-------- 286 Petrography.._______________.._._.._.....-_.-----__ 286 Argillite__________._-_.___._._____... 286 Tuff.._____._..._._._.________________--_--_- 287 Albitized intrusive rock________________________________ 287 Keratophyre_____________-_- _-----------.-_ 288 Age and correlation..____.___--_-___________________---_--_ 289 Plutonic rocks____.._____._.___._.___.____.____'______'______ 289 , Geologic relations. .__.____-__-_-_______._._-____-_----__- 289 Petrography _________________._._..._..._._-_-___ 290 Diorite__________________..__-________._ 290 Quartz diorite______--_-.______-_-_----_______--__-__ 290 Quartz monzonite.-..-- -_-_-----_-----_------ ----_ 291 Granophyre___________-________._---_-__-.--_--__--_ 292 Altered contactrock__-____-__-_-__--_-_--_--_-_----___ 292 Volcanic rocks of central Umnak_________.__________.__----_._ 293 Geologic relations______--____-__-____--_-_-_--__-_--_-_- 293 Age and correlation..____._________________________._______' 294 Petrography and chemical composition.______________________ 295 Volcanic rocks of Mount RecheschnoL_____.__---__-----_-----_ 297 General geologic features..--_________________-____-----_-_ 297 . Hypersthene ahdesite______-_---__----__--_---------------- 297 Mafic phenocryst basalt of Kshaliuk Point________.-__-___-_ 298 Youngest hypersthene andesite flows.________________________ 298 Pyroclasticflow...__________________-____-_---_- 298 Lava flows______.-._-___---..________-_--_-.,-_ 299 VI CONTENTS Geology of Umnak Continued Volcanic rocks of Mount Recheschnoi Continued Page Rhyolite domes.__________....---.______._-.____._____ 299 Quartz-olivine andesite flow____ ............................. 299 Age of lavas of Mount Recheschnoi.-____._.__.______-__ _ _ _ 299 Petrography ..................^.^......................... 299 Hypersthene andesite_-___-____..______________________ 300 Rhyolite__________.--_-____-_-___.____________ 301. Quartz-bearing olivine andesite. ......................... 302 Volcanic rocks of Mount Vsevidof-----------__----_---__-__-____ . 304 General geologic features_____:_____._.___.__________________ 304 Age and correlation_---__--___-------_-__----__--_-__--- _ 304 Petrography. ............................................. 305 Basaltic andesite flows..:_---__.-------l--_-_----_-_-_- 305 Andesite and latite flows-__-_----_------_-_--__-------- -306 Andesitic and rhyodacitic pyroclastic beds.______-____-_-- 307 Volcanic rocks of Okmok volcano.._ ............................. 308 Rocks of precaldera age. ................................... 309 Ashishik basalt_________-----__---_-_-_----___---_-________ 309 Mafic phenocryst basalt.___'__-__ '.'...................... 309 Palagonitized pyroclastic rocks_____:____________________ 310 Aphyric and feldspathic bas'alt_l--_-l--_---_'____________ 311 Volcanic rocks of minor vents__----__-----___-__---_________ 312 Vitreous andesite____--_---_-____--_-_.________________ 312 Rhyolite--_______________________...__.._....__._ 312 ; Plagioclase-olivine basalt of satellitic vents___1 __________ 312 Crater Creek basalt..______________________________________ 313 Age of precaldera rocks___________________________________ 314 Okmok volcanics of caldera age.. ........................... 314 Agglomerate deposits-----_-l_---_-----_----__-_-_-___- 315 Bedded ash_-__----____________-___-___---_-_____-_-_- 321 '; Origin and emplacement of Okmok volcanics--_____________ 321 ; Age of the Okmok volcanics--------- -----__------__-__ 322 1 Basalt flows outside Okmok Caldera_'_____'__.______________ 323 ; Mafic phenocryst basalt on caldera rim_________________ 323 Basalt flows on the arcuate ridges.___--_-------__---_-__ 323 Basalt flow oh Cape Aslik______-_l__-_---_---_-__--_.__ 324 Basalt flow near Cape Idak_______^_____________________ 324 Anorthite basalt flows near Inariudak Bay.__-____-_-___._ 324 Rocks of postcaldera age within Okmok Caldera_____________ 324 Rocks contemporaneous with caldera lake .1.............. 325 Basaltic flows later than caldera lake___________________ 327 Petrography of Okmok Volcaho_-_--_-----_--____-----_---__ 329 Olivine-rich basalt.-____________._________ 330 Plagioclase-olivine basalt_________-________________--__- 330 Plagioclase-augite-olivine basalt_____________--_-_---_-__ 330 Anorthite basalt.___'-__"- __'___'________--_____-___--_-- 332 Aphyric basalt and feldspathic basalt._.___----___-_--___ 334 Andesite and latite___________________________________ 335 Rhyolite_____-_::__-____----_._____-__------_-----_--- 336 Palagonitized pyroclastic rocks.__________-_-_____----_-- 336 Structure of Okmok Volcano..__________._- ____.___._..--- 337 Origin of Okmok Caldera.--.--------_________------------ 340 CONTENTS VII Geology of Umnak Continued Surficial deposits.__-_____-____-----_------_--__----- -------- 343 Till___________.______.__--_____-_--------_--------------_ 343 "Outwash__-__...___._.-.-_--_.-. -. _--- 344 Beach deposits.__________-_-___-_-_____--.___-_____-_--_-_ 344 Sand dunes----_.__-_-__---------------------------------- 346 Talus and other colluvium.--------------------------------- 346 Alluvium________________-_-_-_---___-___--_-__----------- 346 Glacier ice._--_-.__-______--___-_--_-__--_-_------_--__-_- 346 Erosional features.___________________-___-----_-_-_-_-_---__-- 347 Crater Creek valley_____________-_-_-_-______-_ ___----_ 347 Pedimentlike slopes on Okmok Volcano-_.___-___-._---___-_- 348 The Nikolski plain Evidence of an older glaciation.__________ 348 Geologic history____-_________------_---_------_-_--__--------- 349 Geology of Bogoslof_________,._-____-___-----_--___---_____ 353 Geology of Bogoslof in 1947_______.-._-_-_-__-_-_____--_____ 353 Vent agglomerate of 1796____-_____--_____-.._______--- 354 Hornblende andesite of Castle Rock.________________________ 354 Hornblende basalt of Fire Island.__--_--__-___--___-____-___ 355 Basaltic extrusive rocks.of 1926-27...-_______________________ 356 Beach deposits.__-_-_-_._---_--_--_----_--^-------__-__-_- 357 Structure_-___..____. _______________________________________ 357 Geologic history.___J___________-_____-.____--_-_______________ 357 Literature cited-_________.-__-_____-_-.-----___-.___--______-__-_. 361 Index. ______________________________.________.-.-_..____ 367 Page PLATE 39. Generalized geologic map of Umnak, Bogoslof, and part of Unalaska Islands, showing adjacent submarine topog- graphy____________________________l_____________ In pocket ' 40. Geologic map and sections of southwestern Umnak Island. In pocket 41. Geologic map and sections