Revised Correlations of the Ordovician (Katian, Richmondian) Waynesville Formation of Ohio, Indiana and Kentucky A thesis submitted to the Graduate School of The University of Cincinnati in partial fulfilment of the requirements of the degree of Master of Science in Department of Geology of McMicken College of Arts and Sciences by Christopher D Aucoin B.S. (Geology & Anthropology), State University of New York at the College of Oneonta, Oneonta, NY, 2012 Advisory Committee: Dr. Carlton Brett (Chair) Dr. Benjamin Dattilo (Member) Dr. Dave Meyer (Member) Dr. Arnold Miller (Member) Dr. Brenda Hunda (Member) ABSTRACT The Upper Ordovician Waynesville Formation of the Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana tri-state region is situated during and between two major paleoecological events:, the Richmondian Invasion, and the End Ordovician Extinction. Because of this juxtaposition, understanding the regional stratigraphy of this interval is vital to interpreting these events. Stratigraphic and paleontological work on this interval dates back to the late 1800s, and, as a result, numerous nomenclature schemes (biostratigraphical, lithostratigraphical, and state-line geology) have been developed to characterize the Waynesville Formation. The variety of schemes has inhibited the ability to make detailed bed-by-bed correlations. This study has attempted to rectify this issue by selecting the best nomenclature scheme, and create bed-by-bed correlations that cross state lines. The results of the study herein demonstrate that correlations are indeed possible from the deepest water facies to the shallowest water facies fairly readily. The study has also resulted in the discovery of a Mid-Richmondian Unconformity which has previously gone undocumented. This unconformity, which separates the Waynesville Formation from the overlying Blanchester Formation, at places cuts through the entirety of the Clarksville Member of the Waynesville. If extended further south, this unconformity likely removes the Fort Ancient Member and the underlying Arnheim Formation. The discovery of Mid-Richmondian Unconformity will have important implications for paleoecological studies of this interval. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS There a number of individuals I would like to thank for their assistance in making this project a reality. First and foremost, my advisor Dr. Carlton Brett, for introducing me to the stratigraphical side paleontology, something I value very highly now. Dr. Brett has always been available and enthusiastic to discuss my research and my thesis is all the better for it. I also owe a great deal of thanks to Dr. Benjamin Dattilo who has spent countless hours discussing my project, answering questions and reviewing manuscripts. I would also like to thank my other committee members, Dr. Arnold Miller, Dr. David Meyer, and Dr. Brenda Hunda for all their input into this project and this manuscript. I would also be amiss to not thank all my fellow graduate students, TJ Malgieri, James Thomka, Cameron Schwalbach, Allison Young, Gary Motz and Matt Vrazo, who have assisted with fieldwork and discussions of my research. There have also been a countless number of former and current undergraduate students, who have helped with fieldwork, and I cannot name them all, but among them are Alex Reis, and Ariane Castagner. Much of this work would not have been possible without the assistance of Dan Cooper who has granted me access to his various quarries in the Waynesville. This project was also funded in large part by the Dry Dredgers and its generous members. Lastly, I would like to thank my parents for their love and support throughout this entire process. I certainly would not be where I am now if it were not for them. ii iii CONTENTS ABSTRACT …………………………………………………………………………………….. i ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ……………………………………………………………………. iii LIST OF FIGURES ……………………………………………………………………………vii LIST OF TABLES ……………………………………………………………………………. xii LIST OF APPENDICES ……………………………………………………………………. xiii 1. INTRODUCTION: ………………………………………………………………………….. 1 1.1 Review of Stratigraphic Nomenclature ………………………………………………….. 1 2. GEOLOGICAL SETTING: ………………………………………………………………… 5 2.1 Paleogeography …………………………………………………………………………. 5 2.2 Geochronology ………………………………………………………………………….. 5 3. METHODS: ………………………………………………………………………………….. 6 4. RESULTS: …………………………………………………………………………………… 8 4.1 Lower Richmondian Stratigraphic Units in Ohio and Indiana ………………………... 16 4.1.1 Arnheim Formation: Oregonia Member ……………………………………………... 16 4.1.2 Waynesville Formation: Fort Ancient Member ……………………………………… 17 4.1.2.1 South Gate Hill Submember …………………………………………………… 17 4.1.2.2 Lower Fort Ancient Shale Submember ………………………………………… 19 4.1.2.3 Bon Well Hill Submember ……………………………………………………... 20 4.1.2.4 Upper Shale Submember: Treptoceras duseri Shale – Trilobite Shale ………... 22 4.1.3 Waynesville Formation: Clarksville Member ………………………………………... 24 4.1.3.1 Lower Clarksville Submember: Cincinnetina Epibole Beds …………………... 27 4.1.3.2 Upper Clarksville Submember: Eochonetes-Leptaena Beds …………………... 30 4.1.3.3 Oldenburg Butter Shale ………………………………………………………… 30 iv 4.1.4 Waynesville Formation: Blanchester Member …………………………………….… 30 4.1.4.1 Mid-Richmondian Unconformity ……………………………………………… 31 4.1.4.2 Lowest Glyptorthis insculpta Submember and Rafinesquina "cornflakes" Submember …………………………………………………………………….. 32 4.1.4.3 Lyrodesma -Isotelus Shale Submember ……………………………………...… 35 4.1.4.4 "Lower Disturbed Zone" ……………………………………………………….. 36 4.1.4.5 Strophomena nutans - Tetrapharella neglecta Submember …………………… 38 4.1.4.6 Upper Disturbed Submember ………………………………………………….. 38 4.1.4.7 Coral-Isotelus Submember …………………………………………………….. 39 4.1.5 Liberty Formation (Redefined) ………………………………………………………. 39 4.1.5.1 Middle and Upper Glyptorthis insculpta Submember …………………………. 39 4.1.5.2 Lower Liberty including "Crinoid Beds" ………………………………………. 42 4.1.5.3 Flexicalymene retrorsa minuens-Isotelus Bed …………………………………… 42 4.1.5.4 Upper Liberty …………………………………………………………………... 43 4.2 Lower Richmondian Interval in Kentucky …………………………………...…………45 4.2.1 Bull Fork Formation …………………………………………………………………. 45 4.2.2 Fort Ancient Equivalent ……………………………………………………………… 46 4.2.3 South Gate Hill Submember …………………………………………………………. 47 4.2.4 Coral Bearing/Cherty Lower Shale …………………………………………………... 48 4.2.5 Fisherville Coral Bed ………………………………………………………………… 49 4.2.6 Cyphotrypa Shale ………………………………………………………….…………. 50 4.2.7 Rowland Member …………………………………………………………………….. 53 v 4.2.8 Marble Hill Beds ……………………………………………………………………... 55 4.2.9 Basal Liberty-Bardstown Coral Bed ………………………………………………… 58 4.3 Correlations ……………………………………………………………………………. 58 5. DISCUSSION: ........................................................................................................................ 62 5.1 Nomenclature …………………………………………………………………………... 62 5.2 Mid-Richmondian Unconformity ……………………………………….……………... 67 5.3 Implications for the Richmondian Invasion ……………………………………………. 68 5.3.1 Patterns of Incursion …………………………………………………………………. 68 5.3.2 Paleoecological Implications of the Blanchester-Marble Hill-Rowland Correlation ... 75 6. CONCLUSIONS: …………………………………………………………………………... 82 7. FUTURE RESEARCH: …………………………………………………………………… 83 REFERENCES: ………………………………………………………………………………. 85 APPENDIX: …………………………………………………………………………………… 93 vi LIST OF FIGURES Fig. 1: is a chart summarizing some, but not all, of the nomenclature used in the Cincinnati Arch region. …………………………………………………………………………………………… 4 Fig 2: Map of the Cincinnati Arch based on Holland (1993) showing key outcrop locations used in this study. 1 = Waynesville, OH; 2 = Maysville, KY; 3 = Flemingsburg, KY; 4 = Owingsville, KY; 5 = Brookville, IN; 6 = Oldenburg, IN; 7 = St Leon, IN; 8 = Madison, IN; 9 = Milton, KY; 10 = Bedford, KY; 11 = New Castle, KY; 12 = Fisherville, KY; 13 = Seatonville, KY; Star = Cincinnati. ………………………………………………………………………………………. 7 Fig. 3: Stratigraphic cross section showing the correlation of the Waynesville and Brookville Formations and their members along the western side of the Cincinnati Arch. Datum is the basal Bon Well Hill Submembers. Correlation extends from the northernmost outcrop on the left (#5 on Figure 2) to the southernmost outcrop on the right (#12 on Figure 2). Vertical scale is in meters. ………………………………………………………………………………………….... 9 Fig. 4: Stratigraphic cross section showing the correlation of the key marker beds in the Oregonia-Liberty interval along the western side of the Cincinnati Arch. Datum is the Bon Well Hill Submember. Correlation extends from the northernmost outcrop on the left (#5 on Figure 2) to the southernmost outcrop on the right (#12 on Figure 2). Vertical scale is in meters. ……… 11 Fig. 5: Stratigraphic cross section showing the correlation of the Waynesville and Brookville Formations and their members along the western side of the Cincinnati Arch. Datum is the Mid- vii Richmondian Unconformity. Correlation extends from the northernmost outcrop on the left (#5 on Figure 2) to the southernmost outcrop on the right (#12 on Figure 2). Vertical scale is in meters. ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 13 Fig. 6: Stratigraphic cross section showing the correlation of the key marker beds in the Oregonia-Liberty interval along the western side of the Cincinnati Arch. Datum is the Mid- Richmondian Unconformity. Correlation extends from the northernmost outcrop on the left (#5 on Figure 2) to the southernmost outcrop on the right (#12 on Figure 2). Vertical scale is in meters. ………………………………………………………………………………………….. 15 Fig. 7: Photographs of the South Gate Hill Bed that marks the base of the Waynesville