Thesis Abstracts Thinking Is More Important Than Elaborate
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Thesis Abstracts thinking is more important than elaborate FRANK CARNEY, PH.D. PROFESSOR OF GEOLOGY BAYLOR UNIVERSITY 1929-1934 Objectives of Geological Training at Baylor The training of geologists in a university covers but a few years; their educations continue throughout their active lives. The purposes of training geologists at Baylor University are to provide a sound basis of understanding and to foster a truly geological point of view, both of which are essential for continued professional growth. The staff considers geology to be unique among sciences since it is primarily a field science. All geologic research including that done in laboratories must be firmly supported by field observations. The student is encouraged to develop an inquiring objective attitude and to examine critically all geological concepts and principles. The development of a mature and professional attitude toward geology and geological research is a principal concern of the department. Cover: The Five Springs structure located along the western front of the Bighorn Mountains of north-central Wyoming (from Willis). BAYLOR GEOLOGICAL STUDIES BULLETIN NO. 56 THESIS ABSTRACTS These abstracts are taken from theses written in partial fulfillment of degree requirements at Baylor University. The original, unpublished versions of the theses, complete with appendices and bibliographies, can be found in the Jesse Jones Library, Baylor University, Waco, Texas. BAYLOR UNIVERSITY Department of Geology Waco, Texas Fall Baylor Geological Studies EDITORIAL STAFF Janet L. Burton, Editor Joe C. Jr., Ph.D., Science Adviser, Associate Editor Thomas Goforth, Ph.D. hydrogeology and environmental geology geophysics Peter M. Allen, Ph.D. Robert C. Grayson, Ph.D. hydrology, environmental geology, and urban stratigraphy, conodont biostratigraphy, and geology sedimentary petrology Stacy Atchley, Ph.D. Don M. Greene, Ph.D. stratigraphy and petroleum geology physical geography, climatology, and earth sciences Harold H. Beaver, Ph.D. stratigraphy and petroleum geology Cleavy L. McKnight, Ph.D. geological and environmental remote sensing Rena M. Bonem, Ph.D. paleontology and paleoecology Don F. Parker, Ph.D. igneous petrology, volcanology, and tectonics William G. Brown, Ph.D. structural tectonics Kenneth T. Wilkins, Ph.D. vertebrate paleontology, biogeography, and John A. Dunbar, Ph.D. systematics geophysics, geodynamics, and plate tectonics Stephen I. Dworkin, Ph.D. geochemistry, diagenesis, and sedimentary petrology STUDENT EDITORIAL STAFF John Monroe, Cartographer The Baylor Geological Studies Bulletin is published by the Department of Geology at Baylor University. The Bulletin is specifically dedicated to the dissemination of geologic knowledge for the benefit of the people of Texas. The publication is designed to present the results of both pure and applied research which will ultimately be important in the economic and cultural growth of the State. ISSN 0005-7266 Additional copies of this bulletin can be obtained from the Department of Geology, PO Box 97354, Baylor University, Waco, Texas 76798. CONTENTS Page Crustal Velocity Structure of Central Texas Jessie Lafayette Banner, Master's Thesis (Director: Thomas Goforth) 4 Subsurface Geology of the Permian Tannehill Sandstone in King, Knox, and Baylor Counties, North-Central Texas Gary Crowe, Master's Thesis (Director: Harold H. Beaver) 6 Hydrogeologic Assessment of Shallow Groundwater Flow Systems, Central Texas David L. Feckley, Master's Thesis (Director: Joe C. Yelderman Jr.) 8 A Petroleum Prospect Analysis of the Gabes Meridional Permit in the Gulf of Gabes, Tunisia Denna K. Johnson, Master's Thesis (Director: Thomas Goforth) 10 Surface and Subsurface Analysis of the Woodford Anticline, Carter County, Oklahoma John Jostes, Bachelor's Thesis (Director: William G. Brown) 12 Structural Geology of the Bud Kimball and Big Spring Anticlines, Southern Bighorn Basin, Washakie County, Wyoming Scott M. Krauszer, Bachelor's Thesis (Director: William G. Brown) 14 A Geochemical Investigation of a Shallow Fracture-Flow System in the Washita Prairie, Central Texas Christopher Legg, Master's Thesis (Director: Joe C. Yelderman Jr.) 16 Water Budget in an Eagle Ford Shale Sub-Watershed, Blackland Prairies, Central Texas Rolando R. Perez, Master's Thesis (Director: Peter M. Allen) Geology and Geochemistry of the Los Mogotes Volcano, San Juan Mountains, Colorado Bethany D. Rinard, Bachelor's Thesis (Director: Don F. Parker) 20 Surface to Subsurface Structural Analysis, Northwest Arbuckle Mountains, southern Oklahoma Christopher Paul Saxon, Master's Thesis (Director: William G. Brown) 22 A Displacement Transfer Between the Little Canyon Creek Monocline and the Big Spring Anticline, Southeastern Bighorn Basin, Washakie County, Wyoming Robert J. Spang, Bachelor's Thesis (Director: William G. Brown) 24 Foreland Deformation James J. Willis, Doctoral Dissertation (Director: William G. Brown) 26 A Geologic Field Guide to the Llano Uplift and Surrounding Area Michelle Hollon Wilson, Master's Thesis (Director: Don F. Parker) 28 Crustal Velocity Structure of Central Texas Jessie Lafayette Bonner Structural and velocity models were generated for the in western Texas, northern Mexico, southern Oklahoma, crust of Central Texas through the inversion of and southern Texas have maximum energy in the Lg phase, compressional, shear, and surface wave data recorded at the which indicates that the propagation path is dominated by W.M. Keck Foundation Seismological Observatory continental crust. Earthquakes recorded from central (international code BUTX) at Baylor University, Waco, Mexico have equal amounts of energy in the Lg and Sn Texas. By determining crustal velocity structure for the (shear energy refracted from the mantle) phases, which region, location of local earthquakes is accomplished more suggests a transition between oceanic crust to continental accurately, and a better understanding of the upper crust is crust approximately half-way along the path. Finally, obtained. The observatory became operational in April, earthquakes occurring offshore of Louisiana produce only 1992, and data used in this research were obtained during Sn at BUTX, due to a lack of continental crust beneath the the first 18 months of operation. The recording of Gulf of Mexico. earthquakes from all over the world has allowed the Shear velocity models of the upper 1.5 km of the detection limits of the observatory to be established. These Central Texas crust were obtained by inverting dispersed limits include: magnitude 1.5 for events in Texas; 3.9 in Rayleigh and Love waves from local quarry blasts. California; and 4.1 in South Carolina. Earthquakes of Multiple filter analysis techniques (Fig. 1) were used to magnitude 6.5 or greater at any point in the earth can be obtain high-quality dispersion curves for the surface waves, detected at the observatory. and inversion techniques were applied to produce shear Limestone quarries located in several directions from velocity models. Recordings of the blasts from quarries in BUTX detonate two to fifteen tons of explosives several Crawford and Clifton, Texas, show dispersed Rayleigh times per week. Portable digital acquisition systems were waves in the period band 0.22 to 2.0 seconds. Models from placed at each quarry to determine blast origin times. dispersion along the Clifton and Crawford path (Fig. 2) Recordings of the blasts at BUTX show sharp onset of show excellent resolution in the upper 0.5 kilometers of the compressional and shear waves. The compressional phase crust. The Washita Group (Cretaceous) was distinguished observed from blasts of epicentral distance less than 30 km as the top layer of the velocity model with shear velocities is Pg, compressional wave energy which has traveled of approximately 1.00 km/sec. A faster section in the model through the crust directly from source to seismometer. Pg (1.12 km/sec) is caused by the hard limestones of the phases produced from quarries in Crawford and Clifton, Edwards and Glen Rose Formations (Cretaceous) of the Texas, have slow velocities, 2.42 and 2.57 km/sec, Fredericksburg and upper Trinity Groups, respectively. A respectively, indicating a shallow propagation path as layer with shear velocities of only 1.05 as the absence of dense rock. Pg velocities obtained from is related to the basal Cretaceous sands of the lower Trinity regional earthquakes are much faster, with average Group. Inversion of dispersed Love waves from Clifton, velocities of 5.47 to 6.07 km/sec, indicating much deeper Texas, shows a different model from that produced from penetration of the waves into the crust. Rayleigh waves along the same path. Anisotropy in the Regional earthquakes from western and southern upper crust causes this of different SH and SV Texas, northern and central Mexico, southern Oklahoma, velocity structure. Shear wave velocity determined by the and offshore Louisiana were studied for their shear wave inversion of Love waves from blasts in Midlothian, Texas, phase content. The presence or absence of Lg, a is faster than along Clifton and Crawford paths, due to the continental-guided shear phase, helped determine the deep presence of buried, metamorphosed rocks of the Paleozoic crustal structure for Central Texas. Earthquakes originating Ouachita facies. 4 GROUP VELOCITY (KM/SEC) Fig. 1. Multiple Filter Analysis of the short-period vertical component from a Crawford, Texas, quarry blast. Group velocity is determined by dividing the epicentral distance by the travel time for each period of the waveform. Gaussian filters are implemented and the four highest amplitudes at each period are determined and plotted as squares, triangles, circles, or plus signs. The amplitudes are then contoured, and the group velocities are extracted. SHEAR VELOCITY (KM/SEC) RESOLVING KERNELS 0.89 1.03 1.18 1.32 1.4 6 , 0.1 0.2 1.0 1.1 0.00 0.24 0.24 0.36 0.36 0.48 0.60 0.60 a: a, 0.72 0.72 - 0.84 0.84 0.96 0.96 - 1.08 e 1 . t r i a 1 1 6 modl.triall6 1.08 1.20 1.20 Fig. 2. Rayleigh wave inversion for shear velocity structure along Crawford path. Modi.triall6 represents an input start model that had layers of km thickness increasing with depth at a constant rate.