Petrographic Analyses of Late Pennsylvanian Limestones
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PETROGRAPHIC ANALYSES OF LATE PENNSYLVANIAN LIMESTONES WITHIN THE NORTHERN APPALACHIAN BASIN, USA A thesis presented to the faculty of the College of Arts and Sciences of Ohio University In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science Christopher F. Cassle June 2005 This thesis entitled PETROGRAPHIC ANALYSES OF LATE PENNSYLVANIAN LIMESTONES WITHIN THE NORTHERN APPALACHIAN BASIN, USA BY CHRISTOPHER F. CASSLE has been approved for the Department of Geological Sciences and the College of Arts and Sciences by Elizabeth H. Gierlowski-Kordesch Associate Professor of Geological Sciences Leslie A. Flemming Dean, College of Arts and Sciences Cassle, Christopher F. M.S. June 2004. Geological Sciences Petrographic Analyses of Late Pennsylvanian Limestones within the Northern Appalachian Basin, USA (245p.) Director of Thesis: Elizabeth H. Gierlowski-Kordesch Marine influence in the Pennsylvanian-Permian rocks of the northern Appalachian basin supposedly ended during the deposition of the mid-Conemaugh Group of the lower Upper Pennsylvanian (Missourian). However, evidence for marine influence extends up to the Permian Dunkard Group. It is difficult, however, to delineate the exact positions of land vs. ocean within cyclothemic sequences at outcrop scale. The cyclothemic rocks in this basin are interpreted as sediments from upper to lower deltaic plains, estuaries, and nearshore marine situated along an extensive lowland coast. The transition between marine and freshwater environments is blurred because of long-term sea level changes as well as short-term marine incursions of a daily, seasonal, or catastrophic nature along a coastal setting. To define freshwater, brackish, and marine paleoenvironments more precisely in an attempt to understand the coastal transition zone of Pennsylvanian age cyclothems, limestone samples from 52 localities in Ohio, Kentucky, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania within the Conemaugh Group, as well as the overlying Monongahela Group, were collected for sedimentologic and paleontologic analyses. The brackish or marine influence in the cyclothems can be defined by the presence of the marine worm tube Spirorbis, which is restricted to cm-scale units within freshwater limestones. Their presence indicate episodic marine incursions on a time scale less then that of a cyclothemic cycle. A coastal zone similar to that of the tidally influenced coast at the mouths of the Amazon River in northern Brazil is envisioned where marine incursions occur on all time scales. Work needs to be done on the distribution of fossils within the associated siliciclastics in the cyclothems to better refine the pattern of marine influence throughout the Pennsylvanian to Permian in the northern Appalachian basin. Approved: Elizabeth H. Gierlowski-Kordesch Associate Professor of Geological Sciences This thesis is dedicated in loving memory to my stepfather Paul B. Pack, whose character and wisdom set the standard by which I strive to live my life. Acknowledgments I greatly appreciate the assistance and guidance of Beth Gierlowski-Kordesch, Dave Schneider, Greg Nadon, and the rest of the geology department. Daphne Metts and Vicky Tong also deserve my gratitude, without them this thesis would not have been possible. Many thanks to Ron Martino of Marshall University, as well as Vik Skema and John Harper of the Pennsylvania Geological Survey for assisting with locating sample localities, Lisa Park of the University of Akron for ostracode analysis, and Jake Glascock and Kevin Kallini for providing thin sections. I would also like to extend thanks to Zak Wessel for his assistance with field reconnaissance, sample collection, and unconditional friendship. 7 Table of Contents Page Abstract........................................................................................................................... 3 Dedication....................................................................................................................... 5 Acknowledgments........................................................................................................... 6 List of Figures.................................................................................................................9 List of Tables ................................................................................................................ 10 Chapter 1: Introduction ................................................................................................. 11 Chapter 2: Geologic Background................................................................................... 13 2.1 Introduction................................................................................................ 13 2.2 Pennsylvanian Cyclothems......................................................................... 19 2.3 General Stratigraphy and Depositional Environments................................. 20 2.4 Lacustrine Limestones................................................................................ 22 2.5 Overview of Tropical vs. Temperate Lakes................................................. 24 2.6 Brackish Water Environment...................................................................... 31 2.7 Spirorbis .................................................................................................... 34 Chapter 3:Methodology................................................................................................. 38 Chapter 4: Facies Descriptions and Interpretations ........................................................ 42 4.1 Introduction................................................................................................ 42 4.2 Type 1: Micrite........................................................................................... 44 4.3 Type 2: Ostracodal Wackestone to Packstone............................................. 47 4.4 Type 3: Intraclastic Microbreccia ............................................................... 50 4.5 Type 4: Mottled Micrite and Microbreccia.................................................. 53 4.6 Type 5: Spirorbis-bearing Biomicrite ......................................................... 56 4.7 Type 6: Matrix-supported Siliciclastic Microbreccia................................... 62 4.8 Type 7: Wackestone ................................................................................... 65 4.9 Type 8: Packstone ...................................................................................... 68 Chapter 5: Ostracode Analysis ...................................................................................... 71 8 Chapter 6: Depositional Environment Discussion.......................................................... 73 6.1 Marine Environment................................................................................... 73 6.2 Freshwater Environment............................................................................. 73 6.3 Brackish Environment................................................................................ 75 6.4 Modern Analog Environment ..................................................................... 77 6.5 Pennsylvanian/Permian Environment ......................................................... 78 Chapter 7: Conclusions ................................................................................................. 82 References .................................................................................................................... 84 Appendix A: Sample Localities................................................................................... 109 Appendix B: Photomicrographs of the 174 Studied Samples ....................................... 146 Appendix C: Facies Types and Characteristics of the 174 Studied Samples................. 233 9 List of Figures Page 1. Late Pennsylvanian Paleogeography of North America ............................................. 14 2. Structural Architecture of the Northern Appalachian Basin........................................ 15 3. Outcrop Pattern of the Conemaugh Group and Monongahela Group.......................... 17 4. Generalized Stratigraphic Column of the Northern Appalachian Basin ...................... 18 5. Photograph of Modern Spirorbis Worm Tubes .......................................................... 35 6. Localities of Sampled Limestone Units ..................................................................... 41 7. Photomicrograph of Sample JG-1-24......................................................................... 44 8. Photomicrograph of Sample K-49B........................................................................... 45 9. Photomicrograph of Sample PA-5-B ......................................................................... 45 10. Photomicrograph of Sample R-32c-FP-23 ............................................................... 46 11. Photomicrograph of Sample JG-1-26....................................................................... 47 12. Photomicrograph of Sample PA-6D-A .................................................................... 48 13. Photomicrograph of Sample WV50-2T.................................................................... 48 14. Photomicrograph of Sample WV79-6B ................................................................... 49 15. Photomicrograph of Sample WV79-6C ................................................................... 50 16. Photomicrograph of Sample WV79-2M..................................................................