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Magnetostratigraphy of the Upper Triassic Chinle Group of New Mexico: Implications for Regional and Global Correlations Among Upper Triassic Sequences

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Magnetostratigraphy of the Upper Triassic Chinle Group of New Mexico: Implications for Regional and Global Correlations Among Upper Triassic Sequences Magnetostratigraphy of the Upper Triassic Chinle Group of New Mexico: Implications for regional and global correlations among Upper Triassic sequences Kate E. Zeigler1,* and John W. Geissman2,* 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC 03-2040 Northrop Hall, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA 2Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, MSC 03-2040 Northrop Hall, University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, New Mexico 87131, USA, and Department of Geosciences, ROC 21, University of Texas at Dallas, 800 West Campbell Road, Richardson, Texas 75080-3021, USA ABSTRACT polarity chronologies from upper Chinle graphic correlations (e.g., Reeve, 1975; Reeve and strata in New Mexico and Utah suggest that Helsley, 1972; Bazard and Butler, 1989, 1991; A magnetic polarity zonation for the strata considered to be part of the Rock Point Molina-Garza et al., 1991, 1993, 1996, 1998a, Upper Triassic Chinle Group in the Chama Formation in north-central New Mexico are 1998b, 2003; Steiner and Lucas, 2000). Conse- Basin, north-central New Mexico (United not time equivalent to type Rock Point strata quently, the polarity record of the mudstones and States), supplemented by polarity data from in Utah or to the Redonda Formation of east- claystones, which are the principal rock types in eastern and west-central New Mexico (Mesa ern New Mexico. the Chinle Group, is largely unknown. Redonda and Zuni Mountains, respectively), In our study of Triassic strata in the Chama provides the most complete and continuous INTRODUCTION Basin of north-central New Mexico, we sam- magnetic polarity chronology for the Late pled all components of the Chinle Group, with Triassic of the American Southwest yet avail- The Upper Triassic Chinle Group, prominent a focus on mudstones and claystones at Coyote able. Most of the Chinle Group sequence in the Mesozoic stratigraphy of the American Amphitheater, which exposes a nearly complete is composed of hematitic mudrocks that Southwest, is continental in origin and reflects and continuous section of these rocks, as well as typically carry a well-defined, well-grouped a complex environment of fluvial, lacustrine, selected subintervals at other nearby localities magnetization (residing in both pigmen- and aggradational fan deposition (Blakey, 1989; (Fig. 1). Each stratigraphic datum was sampled tary and detrital hematite), with laboratory Dubiel, 1987, 1989a, 1989b, 1994; Weissmann with sufficient density (N = five or more inde- unblocking temperatures as high as 680 °C. et al., 2007) with a drainage basin that encom- pendent samples) to allow for robust evaluation Demagnetization experiments isolate mag- passed most of western North America. Based on of the paleomagnetism of these rocks. netizations of south- or north-seeking dec- vertebrate biostratigraphy, palynostratigraphy, Two additional sections were sampled to lination and shallow inclination, which are and limited geochronology, the Chinle Group test magnetostratigraphic correlations between interpreted as early acquired, Late Trias- has typically been inferred to span most of the modern physiographic basins, and to evaluate sic magnetizations. Our proposed polarity Late Triassic (Stewart et al., 1972; Litwin, 1986; previous lithostratigraphic and biostratigraphic correlations, coupled with biostratigraphic Lucas and Hunt, 1992; Hunt and Lucas, 1993a, correlations. The Six Mile Canyon section in the observations and recent U-Pb age determi- 1993b; Steiner and Lucas, 2000; Lucas et al., Zuni Mountains (central New Mexico) includes nations on detrital zircon–bearing strata in 2003, 2005; Riggs et al., 2003). The global-scale the upper Bluewater Creek Formation and the Chinle Group in western New Mexico, changes in tectonics and evolution over the time the lower Blue Mesa Member of the Petri fied West Texas, and Arizona, indicate that period represented by strata of the Chinle Group Forest Formation, from which Irmis and Mundil deposition of Chinle strata likely spanned a emphasize the critical need for accurate corre- (2008) reported a detrital zircon date of 219.2 ± much shorter time span than previously con- lation of marine and non marine Upper Triassic 0.7 Ma as a maximum depositional age. The sidered. If this interpretation is correct, the strata on regional and global scales (Olsen et al., Mesa Redonda section (eastern New Mexico) Chinle Group can be correlated with only 2009; Lucas, 2010a). One means of correlating includes the Redonda Formation (Fig. 1), parts part of the Newark Supergroup or the Upper diverse strata, of both continental and marine of which were originally sampled by Reeve and Triassic Tethyan sections. On a local scale, affinity, is through magnetostratigraphy. Helsley (1972), Reeve (1975), and Bazard and lower Chinle strata in the Chama Basin are Early efforts to construct a stratigraphically Butler (1989, 1991). Here we present a new significantly older than the Bluewater Creek continuous magnetic polarity chronology for the magnetic polarity chronology for the Upper Tri- Formation in western New Mexico, and the Chinle Group and to provide key paleomagnetic assic Chinle Group in New Mexico and use this base of the Poleo Formation represents a dis- poles for the Late Triassic primarily involved new information to test both local and regional conformity of >13 m.y. duration. Magnetic sampling sandstones and siltstones from inde- lithostratigraphic correlations and to provide pendent sections of Chinle strata from different tentative correlations of Chinle strata with the *Emails: Zeigler: [email protected], Geissman: subbasins and outcrop belts, and these data were Newark Supergroup in eastern North America [email protected]. stitched together based on lithologic and biostrati- and Tethyan Triassic strata in Europe. Geosphere; June 2011; v. 7; no. 3; p. 802–829; doi:10.1130/GES00628.1; 15 figures; 4 tables; 1 supplemental text file. 802 For permission to copy, contact [email protected] © 2011 Geological Society of America Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-pdf/7/3/802/3341178/802.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 Upper Triassic Magnetostratigraphy, New Mexico 108° Colorado 106° 104° 37° Chama W. New Mexico N. New Mexico E. New Mexico Basin Okl. after Stewart after Zeigler after Lucas et al., 1972 et al., 2008 et al., 2001 Gallup Moenave- 6 Santa Fe equivalent? I-40 Tucumcari Albuq. 7 35° Redonda Zuni Mtns. ?? ?? s xa ona Bull Te upper Petrified Petrified Ariz I-25 Forest Canyon 33° Forest Sonsela I-10 Las Cruces Interval lower Petrified Poleo Trujillo Texas Mexico Forest A 200 km Bluewater Salitral Tecovas Creek 107° 106°30′ Shinarump Shinarump Santa Rosa C E. AZ, SE UT N. New Mexico E. New Mexico Chama Basin after Stewart after Zeigler after Lucas et al., 1972 et al., 2008 et al., 2001 36°30′ Moenave- Moenave equivalent? 4 Ghost Ranch Rock Point Redonda Youngsville 2 Owl Rock ?? ?? 1 3 Gallina Abiquiu upper Petrified Bull Petrified Canyon 10 km Forest Forest B D Figure 1. Chinle Group strata of the American southwest. (A) Distribution of Triassic outcrop area (approximates outline of southeast- ern Chinle Basin). (B) Expanded view of Chama Basin Chinle Group outcrops. General sampling localities are numbered: 1—Coyote Amphitheater, 2—Youngsville, 3—Abiquiu Dam, 4—Ghost Ranch, 5—El Cobre Canyon, 6—Six Mile Canyon, Zuni Mountains, 7—Mesa Redonda. (C) Stratigraphic nomenclature in New Mexico for Upper Triassic strata (after Stewart et al., 1972; Lucas et al., 2001; Zeigler et al., 2008) (D) Stratigraphic nomenclature for the upper Chinle Group in the Four Corners area (AZ—Arizona; UT—Utah). GEOLOGIC SETTING AND been assigned to five formations (in ascending a revised nomenclature of Upper Triassic strata STRATIGRAPHY order): Shinarump (Agua Zarca and Zuni Moun- in New Mexico was proposed. The Shinarump tains Formations), Salitral, Poleo, and Petrified Formation is a color-mottled, coarse-grained Chama Basin, North-Central New Mexico Forest Formations and strata interpreted as part quartz sandstone and conglomerate with clasts of the Rock Point Formation (Lucas and Hunt, composed primarily of chert and quartzite, In general, the Chinle Group consists pre- 1992; Hunt and Lucas, 1993a, 1993b; Lucas inter bedded with green claystones. The Salitral dominantly of red and purple mudstones, with et al., 2003, 2005; Zeigler et al., 2008; Fig. 1 Formation, which conformably overlies the lesser orange siltstones and buff sandstones and 2). In Zeigler (2008) and Zeigler et al. Shina rump Formation, is a brick-red mudstone and conglomerates. Upper Triassic strata in the (2008), descriptions of the Upper Triassic stra- that is occasionally color mottled (Figs. 2B, 2C). Chama Basin of north-central New Mexico have tigraphy in the Chama Basin were provided and Vertebrate fossil material from the Salitral For- Geosphere, June 2011 803 Downloaded from http://pubs.geoscienceworld.org/gsa/geosphere/article-pdf/7/3/802/3341178/802.pdf by guest on 28 September 2021 Zeigler and Geissman Mesa Redonda Coyote Amphitheater r. Ghost Ranch r. Ju Entrada r. Ju M. Ss. Entrada Ju M. Entrada Ss. M. Ss. 60 MR 31 5 m 58 MR 30 MR 29 MR 28 56 MR 27 MR 26 Abiquiu Dam 54 6 MR 25 oint Fm. MR 24 erred Rock Pet. For. P 52 5 MR 23 AD-1 Inf MR 22 Fm. AD-2 50 4 AD-3 48 3 not AD-4 Chama Basin (CB) sampled AD-5 46 AD-6 ointFm. AD-7 44 not MR 18 AD-8 sampled rmation MR 17 AD-9 42 AD-10 calcrete Fo MR 16 AD-11 40 9 MR 15 n AD-12 conglomerate erred RockP AD-13 38 8 MR 14 AD-14 sandstone Inf MR 13 iassic Chinle Group 36 Redonda rmatio AD-15 7 MR 12 Tr AD-16 okout Fo siltstone 34 6 int (GRRP) Lo AD-17 MR 11 iassic Chinle Group Po AD-18 ’s te 32 5 Tr MR 10 oleo AD-19 mudstone Coelo. quarry P MR 9 AD-20 Upper Coyo iassic Chinle Group CB 1, 2 4 AD-21 30 Tr MR 8 AD-22 28 3 AD-23 Upper MR 7 2 AD-24 Ghost Ranch Rock rest Fm.
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