Investigations of the Characteristics, Origin, and Residence Time of the Upland Residual Mantle of the Piedmont of Fairfax County, Virginia
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Investigations of the Characteristics, Origin, and Residence Time of the Upland Residual Mantle of the Piedmont of Fairfax County, Virginia U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1352 Investigations of the Characteristics, Origin, and Residence Time of the Upland Residual Mantle of the Piedmont of Fairfax County, Virginia By MJ, PAVICH, G.W. LEO, S.F. OBERMEIER, and J.R. ESTABROOK U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 1352 Residual soil and saprolite developed from metasediments, metagranite, diabase, and serpentinite have been analyzed petrographically, texturally, mineralogically, and chemically. These analyses are used to interpret the chemical mechanisms of alteration of Piedmont crystalline rock to saprolite and the mechanical and chemical alteration of saprolite to soil UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1989 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR MANUEL LUJAN, Jr., Secretary U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY Dallas L. Peck, Director Any use of trade, product, or firm names in this publication is for descriptive purposes only and does not imply endorsement by the U.S. Government Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data Investigations of the characteristics, origin, and residence time of the Upland residual mantle of the Piedmont of Fairfax County, Virginia. (U.S. Geological Survey professional paper ; 1352) Bibliography: p. Supt.ofDocs.no.: 119.16:1352 1. Weathering Virginia Fairfax County. 2. Saprolites Virginia Fairfax County. 3. Soils Virginia Fairfax County. I. Pavich, M.J. II. Series. QE570.I58 1989 551.3'02'09755291 86-607938 For sale by the Books and Open-File Reports Section, U.S. Geological Survey, Federal Center, Box 25425, Denver, CO 80225 CONTENTS Page Page Abstract--------------------------------------- 1 Regolith profiles developed on quartzofeldspathic Introduction ------------------------------------ 1 rocks Continued Previous work-------------------------------- 2 Discussion of weathering profiles developed on Physiography, bedrock geology, and climatic history of quartzofeldspathic rocks Continued the northern Virginia Piedmont ----------------- 2 Soil Continued General properties of weathering profiles --------------- 4 Soil mineralogy -------------------- 31 Regolith zonation ----------------------------- 4 Soil chemistry- -------------------- 31 Regolith hydrology ---------------------------- Q Zonation and pedologic processes------- 32 Bedrock control of weathering profile--------------- Q Summary and generalized weathering profile - 33 Shear strength and compressibility ---------------- 3 Regolith profiles developed on mafic and Sampling and analytical procedures ------------------- 8 ultramafic rocks ----------------------- 34 Diabase ------------------------------- Regolith profiles developed on quartzofeldspathic rocks - - - - 8 34 Metapelite ---------------------------------- 10 Profile zonation and petrography ---------- 35 Profile zonation and petrography --------------- 10 Mechanical properties ------------------ 35 Mechanical properties ----------------------- 10 Texture----------------------------- 35 Texture---------------------------------- 13 Clay mineralogy ---------------------- 35 Clay mineralogy --------------------------- 13 Chemical zonation --------------------- 38 Chemical zonation -------------------------- 14 Serpentinite ---------------------------- 38 Metagraywacke------------------------------- 15 Profile zonation and petrography- --------- 38 Profile zonation and petrography--------------- 15 Mechanical properties ------------------ 38 Mechanical properties ----------------------- 18 Texture- ---------------------------- 38 Texture---------------------------------- 18 Clay mineralogy ---------------------- 38 Clay mineralogy --------------------------- 19 Chemical zonation --------------------- 41 Chemical zonation -------------------------- 19 Discussion of weathering profiles developed on Granite- ------------------------------------ 20 mafic and ultramafic rocks- ------------ 41 Profile zonation and petrography --------------- 20 Weathered rock ----------------------- 41 Mechanical properties ----------------------- 23 Saprolite- --------------------------- 42 Texture---------------------------------- 23 Massive subsoil- ---------------------- Clay mineralogy --------------------------- 23 42 Chemical zonation -------------------------- 24 Son-------------------------------- 42 42 Discussion of weathering profiles developed on Geologic and geomorphic interpretations ---------- quartzofeldspathic rocks ------------------- 25 Control of regolith thickness by bedrock lithology Weathered rock ---------------------------- 25 and structure- ---------------------- 42 Saprolite--------------------------------- 25 Quartzofeldspathic rocks- --------------- 43 Kinetics of silicate-mineral dissolution -------- 26 Mafic and ultramafic rocks -------------- 46 Saprolite zonation ----------------------- 26 Summary --------------------------- 46 Massive subsoil---------------------------- 28 Residence time of upland regolith------------- 47 Soil- ----.--------.---.----.--------.---- 30 Selected references -------------------------- 49 Soil texture---------------------------- 31 Appendix tables A1-A4 ---------------------- 53 ILLUSTRATIONS [Plates are in pocket] PLATE Generalized lithologic map of Fairfax County, Virginia. Regolith thickness map of Fairfax County, Virginia. Macroscopic descriptions and analyses of cores F2, F3, Fll, F18, and F14, Fairfax County, Virginia. Page FIGURE 1. Location map of physiographic divisions of Fairfax County, Va. ----------------------------------- 3 2. Schematic drawings showing generalized weathering profiles developed on crystalline rocks of the Piedmont in Fairfax County, Va. ------------------------------------------------------------------ 5 3. Graph showing average annual water budget for the Patuxent River basin --------------------------- 7 4. Cross section of metapelite regolith, F2 core site- ---------------------------------------------- 10 5. Photomicrographs of the Peters Creek metapelite regolith, F2 core site ------------------------------ 11 6. X-ray diffraction patterns for untreated <2-^ samples from the F2 core site -------------------------- 13 7. Cross section of metagraywacke regolith, F3 core site ----------:------------------------------- 15 8. Photomicrographs of metagraywacke regolith, F3 core site -------------------------------------- 16 9. X-ray diffraction patterns for untreated <2-^ samples from the F3 core site -------------------------- 19 in IV CONTENTS Page 10. Cross section of granite regolith, Fl 1 core site ------------------------------------------------------- 20 11. Photomicrographs of Occoquan Granite regolith, Fll core site ------------------------------------------- 21 12. X-ray diffraction patterns for untreated and selected glycolated <2-^ samples from the Fll core site --------------- 24 13-16. Graphs showing: 13. Silica release from silicate minerals at 25 °C ------------------------------------------------------ 26 14. Percent of mass loss versus depth for regolith developed on quartzofeldspathic rocks ----------------------- 27 15. Chemical loss or gain versus depth in regolith profiles ---------------------------------------------- 28 16. (Fe2O3 + Al2Og)/SiO2 versus depth in soil developed on metasedimentary and granitoid rocks ----------------- 32 17. Schematic diagram of generalized weathering profile for thick regolith developed on upland quartzofeldspathic rocks - - - 34 18. Photomicrographs of diabase regolith, F18 core site --------------------------------------------------- 36 19. X-ray diffraction patterns for untreated and glycolated <2-^ samples from the F18 core site --------------------- 37 20. Photomicrographs of serpentinite regolith, F14 core site ----------------------------------------------- 39 21. X-ray diffraction patterns for untreated and glycolated <2-^ samples from the F14 core site --------------------- 40 22. Schematic diagram of generalized weathering profile developed on diabase ---------------------------------- 42 23. Graph showing regolith thickness distribution as indicated by well-casing depths ----------------------------- 43 24. Generalized cross sections of typical Piedmont regolith ------------------------------------------------ 44 25. Petrographic sketches of typical metasedimentary, mafic, and ultramafic Piedmont rocks ----------------------- 45 26. Schematic diagram of generalized regolith profile developed on quartzofeldspathic rocks showing rate-controlling steps that affect upland lowering ------------------------------------------------------------------- 48 TABLES Page TABLE 1. Description of weathering profile for igneous and metasedimentary rocks in Fairfax County, Va. ------------------ 5 2. Rock types, boring numbers, and index of chemical data of investigated cores -------------------------------- 8 3. Drilling and coring techniques used to obtain core samples --------------------------------------------- 9 4. Analytical procedures used to determine texture, composition, fabric, and physical properties of core samples -------- 9 5. Relative abundance of clay mineral phases hi weathering profile zones ------------------------------------- 31 INVESTIGATIONS OF THE CHARACTERISTICS, ORIGIN, AND RESIDENCE TIME OF THE UPLAND RESIDUAL MANTLE OF THE PIEDMONT OF FAIRFAX COUNTY, VIRGINIA By M.J. PAVICH, G.W. LEO, S.F. OBERMEIER, andJ.R. ESTABROOK ABSTRACT Similarities in regolith thickness, zonation, mineralogy, and chem istry of quartzofeldspathic