CEMOZOIC DEPOSITS in the SOUTHERN FOOTHILLS of the SANTA CATALINA MOUNTAINS NEAR TUCSON, ARIZONA Ty Klaus Voelger a Thesis Submi
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Cenozoic deposits in the southern foothills of the Santa Catalina Mountains near Tucson, Arizona Item Type text; Thesis-Reproduction (electronic) Authors Voelger, Klaus, 1926- Publisher The University of Arizona. Rights Copyright © is held by the author. Digital access to this material is made possible by the University Libraries, University of Arizona. Further transmission, reproduction or presentation (such as public display or performance) of protected items is prohibited except with permission of the author. Download date 25/09/2021 10:53:10 Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10150/551218 CEMOZOIC DEPOSITS IN THE SOUTHERN FOOTHILLS OF THE SANTA CATALINA MOUNTAINS NEAR TUCSON, ARIZONA ty Klaus Voelger A Thesis submitted to the faculty of the Department of Geology in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MASTER OF SCIENCE in the Graduate College, University of Arizona 1953 Approved; , / 9S~J Director of Thesis ^5ate Univ. of Arizona Library The research on which this thesis is based was com pleted by Mr. Klaus Voelger of Berlin, Germany, while he was studying at the University of Arizona under the program of the Institute of International Education. The final draft was written after Mr. Voelgerf s return to his home in the Russian-occupied zone of Berlin. Difficulties such as a shortage of typing paper of uniform grade and the impossibility of adequate supervision and advice on matters of terminology, punctuation, and English usage account for certain details in which this thesis may depart from stand ards of the Graduate College of the University of Arizona. These details are largely mechanical, and it is felt that they do not detract appreciably from the quality of the research nor the clarity of presentation of the results. lirector of Thesis This thesis has been submitted in partial fulfillment of requirements for an advanced degree at the University of Arizona and is deposited in the Library to be made avail able to borrowers under rules of the Library. Brief quota tions from this thesis are allowable without special per mission, provided that accurate acknowledgement of source is made. Requests for permission for extended quotation from or reproduction of this manuscript in whole or in part may be granted by the head of the major department or the dean of the Graduate College when in their judgement the proposed use of the material is in the interests of scholar ship. In all other instances, however, permission must be obtained from the author. SIGNED: - 1- CBNOZOIO DEPOSITS IF THE SOUTHEBF POOTHILIS OF THE SAFTA CATALINA MOUNTAINS NEAR TUCSON,ARIZONA. CONTENTS page Abstract........................................... 6 INTRODUCTION....................................... 7 Location of the area........... ................ 7 Outline of the geography........ ............... 7 Relief....................................... 7 Drainage..................................... 9 Climate...................................... 10 Plant and animal life........................ 10 Outline of the geology.......... ............... 10 - ........ Previous works........ ......................... 16 Problems and approaches......................... 17 Methods of work................................. 18 Aerial photographs....... ............... 18 Sedimentary analyses..................... 18 Acknowledgements ............................... 19 CENOZOIC DEPOSITS.................................. 20 Distribution and modes of occurrence.............20 Composition as basis for division of the Cenozoic............ ........................... 23 General remarks......... .................... 23 Graphic presentation of composition.......... 24 -2- CENOZOIC DEPOSITS -continued page Composition as basis for division of the Cenozoic- -continued Compositional types of Cenozoic deposits....... 26 Rillito formation........................... 27 Alluvial fan deposits....................... 27 Rillito formation.... ..................... ....... 29 Lower member................................... 29 General statement............ .............. 29 Relation to older rocks.................... 29 Facies and distribution..................... 32 Relative age of massive gypsum(site 30).. 35 lithology of the lower member.............. 37 Conglomerate............................. 37 General character..................... 37 Constituents of the lower conglomerate 39 Granite............................ 39 Limestone.............. ........... 42 Volcanic rocks..................... 45 Biotite andesite............... 45 Tuff............................ 47 Diabase......................... 47 Quartzites.................. 48 Redbrown quartzite............. 49 Quartzites of various colors.... 49 Pebbles from the Barnes conglo merate................. ........ 49 Schist and phyllite............... 51 - 3— CENOZOIC DEPOSIIS-continued page Rillito formation -continued Lower memLer-continued Lithology-continued Mudstone deposits.................... 53 Gypsum deposits.......................... 54 Mode of deposition.......................... 55 Structure of the lower member of the Rillito formation..................................... 57 Inclination of strata................... 57 Faulting........................ 58 The Catalina fault................ 59 Middle member.................................... 60 General statement................. ......... 60 Relation to older rocks........ ............ 61 Facies and distribution..................... 62 Lithology................ .................. 62 Conglomerate............................. 62 General character................. 62 Constituents of the middle member con glomerate ............................. 63 Granite....... .................... 63 Lime at one.......... ............... 64 Volcanic rocks................ 64 Latite........................... 64 Porphyritic basalt............. 64 Quartzites.......................... 64 Schist and phyllite............... 64 CEUOZOIC DEPOSITS-continued page Rillito formation-continued Middle member-oontinued t Lithology-continued Conglomerate-continued Constituents of the conglomerate-continued Grneissic "Catalina" rooks.......... 65 v .’A boulder of lower Rillito member.. 66 Mode of deposition...... ................... 66 Structure of the middle member.... 67 Inclination of the strata.......... ... 67 Faulting..... .............. ....... 67 Upper member.••••...... ............ ........... 68 General statement..... ............. ........ 68 Lithology of the conglomerate.............. 69 Composition...... 70 Structure.... .............................. 71 The source of the constituents of the Rillito formation.... .............. 72 a. Interpretation of data which are due to i mechanical action............. 72 ', Roundness............................ 72 d e part id e size............... 74 Imbrication.............................. 75 Cross-stratification........ 76 b. Interpretation of petrology of constituents.............. 76 Granite of the Oracle-type............... 76 - 5- CEHOZOIC DEPOSITS-continued page Rillito formation-continued The source of the constituents etc.-continued h.Interpretation of petrology etc.-continued Limestone............................. 77 Quartzite................................. 78 Gneissic rocks............................ 78 Conclusions.................................. 79 Rillito formation and volcanism................. 81 Structural implications..................... 85 Correlation and age............................. 93 Strong late mid-Tertiary diastrophism....... 93 Deposits older than Gila-Baucarit........... 94 Thrusting as a time-mark..................... 95 Other means of correlation................ 97 APPENDIX............................ 98 REFERENCES CITED 99 -5’ - ILLUSTRATIONS page Plate 1. Block diagram: Area and modes of occurrence of Oenozoic deposits northeast of Tucson...... ....23 2. Table: Composition and other features of Oenozoic conglomerates of the area............... ... in, pocket 3. A, Shattered granite constituent in the conglo merate of the lower member, Rillito formation, northeast of Bellota Ranch; B, Alteration in mudstone or shale due to volcanic intrusion. Northeast of Bellota Ranch............... in appendix 4. A, "Chimney rocks” northeast of Bellota Ranch; B, Steep inclination in the lower member of the Rillito formation..........................in appendix 5. A, Boulder of lower Rillito member conglomerate being a constituent in the middle member of the formation; B, Channel cutting in the middle mem ber............ in appendix 6. A, Conglomerate of the middle member showing branching faults; B, Middle member showing a small graben..................... in appendix 7. A, Fault complex in the middle member; B, Normal faults in the middle member............... in appendix 8 . Stereo-pair of aerial photographs: Twin Hills, east of Tucson.................... in appendix 9. Stereo-pair of aerial photographs: Northeast of Bellota Ranch........... in appendix -6- Abatract Pluviatile-lacustrine deposits are exposed on the southern tajada of the Santa Catalina Mountains north of Tucson, Arizona. The name "Rillito formation" is proposed for these sediments. Their base is not exposed but they overlie in part Oracle gra nite and Cretaceous? sediments. Alluvial fan deposits are rest ing upon the formation. The conglomeratic parts of the Rillito formation contain exotic constituents possibly derived from rocks which' once rested on the gneissic-granitic complex of the Catalinas. Three members of the formation