Pleistocene Geology of the Embarrass Area, St. Louis County
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UNNERSITY OF MINNESOTA This is to certify that I have examined this copy of a master's thesis by James Davis Lehr and have found that it is complete and satisfactory in all respects, and that any and all revisions required by the final examining committee have been made. Charles L. Matsch Name of Faculty Advisor Signature of Faculty Advisor May 12, 2000 Date GRADUATE SCHOOL PLEISTOCENE GEOLOGY OF THE EMBARRASS ST. LOUIS COUNTY, MINNESOTA A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FA CUL TY OF THE GRADUATE SCHOOL OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA BY JAMES DA VIS LEHR IN PARTIAL FULFILMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF SCIENCE May,2000 © James Davis Lehr 2000 TABLE OF CONTENTS Page TABLE OF CONTENTS ..................................................................................................... i LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS .................................................................. ........................... iv ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................ vii INTRODUCTION ............................................................................................................... 1 STUDY AREALOCATION ................................................................................... l STUDY OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................ 3 METHODS OF INVESTIGATION ........................................................................ 3 FIELD METHODS .................................... .................................................. 3 LABORATORY METHODS ...................................................................... 4 LOCATION NUMBERING SYSTEM ................................................................... 5 PHYSIOGRAPHY ................................................................................................... 5 BEDROCK GEOLOGY ........................................................................................ 10 PREVIOUS QUATERNARY INVESTIGATIONS ............................................ .12 PLEISTOCENE SEDIMENTS .......................................................................................... 17 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................. 17 SUBGLACIAL TILL ............................................................................................. 21 SEDIMENT DESCRIPTION .................................................................... 22 MORPHOLOGY OF THE TRANSVERSE RIDGES .............................. 24 ORIGIN OF ROGEN MORAINE ............................................................. 27 OTHER OCCURRENCES OF SUBGLACIAL TILL .............................. 33 SUMMARY OF ENVIRONMENT OF DEPOSITION ............................ 36 SUPRAGLACIAL SEDIMENT ............................................................................ 36 SEDIMENT DESCRIPTION .................................................................... 37 SUPRAGLACIAL TILL ................. .............................................. 37 SUPRAGLACIAL SEDIMENT COMPLEX .......................... ...... 39 GEOMORPHOLOGY .......................................... ..................................... 43 SUPRAGLACIAL TILL ............................................................... 43 Page SUPRAGLACIAL SEDIMENT COMPLEX ............................... .43 PROCESSES OF SUPRAGLACIAL DEPOSITION .............................. .47 ICE-CONTACT DEPOSITS ...................................................... , .......................... 51 SEDIMENT DESCRIPTION .................................................................... 51 GEOMORPHOLOGY ............................................................................... 55 SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT ......................................................... 60 SUMMARY OF THE NATURE OF THE VERMILION MORAINE ..... 68 OUTWASH SAND AND GRAVEL ...... ...............................................................71 SEDIMENT DESCRIPTION .................................................................... 71 GEOMORPHOLOGY ............................................................................... 73 SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT ......................................................... 73 JOKULHLAUP DEPOSITS .................................................................................. 74 SEDIMENT DESCRIPTION .................................................................... 74 GEOMORPHOLOGY .......... :.............. ................. ..................................... 76 SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT ......................................................... 78 LACUSTRINE SEDIMENT ................................................................................. 82 SEDIMENT DESCRIPTION .................................................................... 82 GEOMORPHOLOGY ................................................................................ 84 SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT ......................................................... 87 EOLIAN SEDIMENT ........................................................................................... 89 SEDIMENT DESCRIPTION .................................................................... 91 SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT ......................................................... 91 PRE-WISCONSINAN TILL ................................................................................. 93 EMBARRASS MINE SECTION .............................................................. 94 DUNKA MINE SECTION ........................................................................ 97 BEDROCK-DRIFT COMPLEX ........................................................................... 99 THE RELATIONSHIP OF BEDROCK TO GEOMORPHOLOGY ................................ 99 DRIFT THICKNESS ............................................................................................. 99 DIFFERENTIAL GLACIAL EROSION ................................................ ............ 100 ORIGIN OF THE GIANTS RANGE AND THE EMBARRASS GAP .. 100 OTHER EXAMPLES OF DIFFERENTIAL GLACIAL EROSION ...... 104 DEPTH OF GLACIAL EROSION ................ ................... ................................... 105 11 Page QUATERNARY HISTORY ............................................................................................ 105 PRE-LATE WISCONSINAN .............................................................................. 106 LATE WISCONSINAN ...................................................................................... 108 HAWK CREEK PHASE ......................................................................... 108 GRANITE FALLS PHASE ..................................................................... 109 TORONTO PHASE ................................................................................. 109 ALEXANDRIA PHASE .......................................................................... 110 HEWITT PHASE ..................................................................................... 110 ST. CROIXPHASE ..... ........................... ........................ ......................... 111 AUTOMBA PHASE ... ...................... .. ........................ ................ ............. 113 VERMILLION PHASE .. ............. .. .......................................................... 115 ALBORN PHASE ................................................................................... 126 EMBARRASS PHASE ............................................................................ 128 CASS PHASE .. ............................................................ .................. ... ....... 130 LOCKHART PHASE ............................................. ................... .............. 131 MOORHEAD PHASE .. ... ........ ................................................................ 132 EMERSON PHASE ................................................................................. 132 REFERENCES CITED ......................................................... ...... ..................................... 134 APPENDIX A: GRAIN-SIZE ANALYSIS DATA AND MUNSELL COLORS ......... .150 PLATES .................................................................................................................. in pocket PLATE I: PLEISTOCENE GEOLOGY OF THE EMBARRASS AREA PLATE II: GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE LAURENTIAN DIVIDE AREA PLATE III: BEDROCK TOPOGRAPHY OF THE EMBARRASS AREA 111 LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS Page Figure 1. Study area location ............................................................................ ! ••.••••..•..•••••••.•.•..••• 2 2. Sediment classification scheme ... .. ............ ...................................................... ................ 6 3. Location numbering system ........................................................................................... 7 4. Physiographic areas of northeastern Minnesota ............... .. .......................... .................. 9 5. Bedrock geology of Vermilion district and adjacent areas .................................... .11 6. INQUA till classification diagram ................................................................................ 20 7. Matrix texture of subglacial till .................................................................................... 23 8. Overall texture of sub glacial till ........................................................................... ........ 23 9. Exposure of subglacial till in Rogen moraine ... ... ......................................................