Order Number 9307776 Sedimentologic, mineralogic, and geochemical evaluation of the provenance and paleoclimatic record of Permian mudrocks from the Beardmore Glacier area, Antarctica Homer, Timothy Charles, Ph.D. The Ohio State University, 1992 UMI 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor, MI 48106 SEDIMENTOLOGIC, MINERA LOGIC, AND GEOCHEMICAL EVALUATION OF THE PROVENANCE AND PALEOCLIMATIC RECORD OF PERMIAN MUDROCKS FROM THE BEARDMORE GLACIER AREA, ANTARCTICA DISSERTATION Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy in the Graduate School of the Ohio State University By Timothy C. Homer, B.S., M.S. ***** The Ohio State University 1992 Dissertation Committee: Approved By: Dr. Lawrence A. Krissek Dr. James W. Collinson Dr. Gunter Faure Advisor Department of Dr. David H. Elliot Geological Sciences Copyright by Timothy C. Homer 1992 ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I wish to thank the members of my committee for their guidance during my work at Ohio State. Their critical review during early phases of the project helped shape my ideas, and resulted in a better dissertation. Special appreciation is extended to Larry Krissek for offering sound scientific advice when I needed help, and letting me progress on my own when I had an idea to explore. I also acknowledge the financial support and long term guidance given by Jim Collinson. This work was funded by National Science Foundation Grants DPP 84-18354 and DPP-8817023. Additional financial assistance was obtained through an Arco Oil and Gas Company research grant, the Shell Oil Company Fellowship and research grant at The Ohio State University, and a Geological Society of America research grant. Special love and appreciation go to my wife Toni. She gave me the moral and financial support to pursue my studies at my own pace, and never questioned my judgement. In her own way, Toni has worked hard to make this dissertation possible, and I share the results with her. VITA May 19, 1957 ....................................................Born - Boston, Massachusetts 1979 ...................................................................... B. S., Geology Bucknell University Lewisburg, Pennsylvania 1979-1980 ............................................................. Mud Logger Core Laboratories Midland, Texas 1980-1981 ........................................................ Exploration Geologist J. W. Humbard and Associates Midland, Texas 1981 ..................................................................Mud Logger Advance Consultants Midland, Texas 1983 ..................................................................Geologist/Engineer U. S. Forest Service Baker, Oregon 1983-1984 ............................................................. Teaching Assistant Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas 1985-1987, 1988-1989, 1990 ............................ Research Assistant The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 1986 ..................................................................M. S., Geology Texas Tech University Lubbock, Texas ut 1988 ................................................................... Shell Fellow The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio 1989-1992 ..........................................................Teaching Assistant The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio PUBLICATIONS Homer, T. C., and Krissek, L. A., in press, Statistical analysis of geochemical patterns in Fine-grained Permian sediments from the Beardmore Glacier region, Antarctica: Sixth International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences, Ranzan-Machi, Japan. Krissek, L. A., Homer, T. C., Elliot, D. H., and Collinson, J. W., in press, Stratigraphy and sedimentology of vertebrate bone-bearing beds in the Triassic (and Jurassic?) Fremouw and Falla Formations, Beardmore Glacier region, Antarctica: Sixth International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences, Ranzan-Machi, Japan. Krissek, L. A., and Homer, T. C., 1992, Paleoenvironmental controls on Permian sediment production along the paleo-Pacific margin of Antarctica: evidence from geochemistry, paleo-slopes and paleosols: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 24, p. 193. Homer, T. C., and Krissek, L. A., 1991, Sedimentology, thermal alteration and organic carbon content as factors in paleoenvironmental interpretation of fine-grained Permian elastics from the Beardmore Glacier region, Antarctica, in Elliot, D. H., ed., Contributions to Antarctic Research II: American Geophysical Union Antarctic Research Series, v. 53, p. 33-65. Homer, T. C., and Krissek, L. A., 1991, Permian and Triassic Paleosols from the Beardmore Glacier region, Antarctica: Antarctic Journal of the United States, v. 26, no. 5., p. 7-8. Homer, T. C., and Krissek, L. A., 1991, Geochemical and statistical analysis of Permian mudrocks from the Beardmore Glacier region, Antarctica: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 23, no. 5., p. 70. Krissek, L. A., and Homer, T. C., 1991, Clay mineralogy and Provenance of fine grained Permian elastics, central Transantarctic Mountains, in Thomson, M. R. A., Crame, J. A., and Thomson, J. W., eds, Geologic Evolution of Antarctica: Cambridge University Press, p. 209-214. Homer, T. C., and Krissek, L. A., 1990, Sedimentologic implications of the geochemistry of fine-grained Permian sediments from the Beardmore Glacier region, Antarctica: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 22, no. 7, p. 318. Homer, T. C., 1990, Distribution of total organic carbon and controls on its occurrence within the Beacon Supergroup, central Transantarctic Mountains: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 22, no. 5, p. 14. Homer, T. C„ and Krissek, L. A., 1989, Organic carbon characteristics in the Permian Mackellar Formation, central Transantarctic Mountains: Antarctic Journal of the United States, v. 24, no. 5., p. 17-19. Homer, T. C., and Jacka, A. D„ 1989, Rock fabric as a control on dolomitization and paragenesis in the Mississippian Mission Canyon Formation of the Williston Basin: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 21, no. 5, p. 95. Homer, T. C., and Krissek, L. A., 1989, Paleogeographic interpretations using organic carbon and mineral abundance patterns in the Permian Mackellar Formation, Antarctica: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 21, no. 4, p. 15. Krissek, L. A., and Homer, T. C., 1989, Geochemical indicators of provenance in fine-grained sediments of the Permian Beacon Supergroup, Central Transantarctic Mtns., Antarctica: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 21, no. 6, p. 347. Krissek, L. A., and Homer, T. C., 1988, A preliminary study of REE distributions in mudrocks of the Permian Beacon Supergroup, Central Transantarctic Mountains: Evidence for early development and preservation of LREE enrichment: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 72, p. 208. Krissek L. A„ and Homer, T. C., 1988, Geochemical record of provenance in fine grained Permian elastics, central Transantarctic Mountains: Antarctic Journal of the United States, v. 23, no. 5, p. 19-21. v Homer, T. C., and Krissek, L. A., 1987, Depositional environments of the Permian Mackellar Formation, central Transantarctic Mountains: A synthesis of field data and mineralogy: Cambridge, England, Fifth International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences Abstracts, p. 70. Krissek, L. A., and Homer, T. C., 1987, Clay Mineralogy and provenance of fine-grained Permian elastics, central Transantarctic Mountains: Cambridge, England, Fifth International Symposium on Antarctic Earth Sciences Abstracts, p. 82. Krissek, L. A., and Homer, T. C., 1987, Provenance evolution recorded by fine grained Permian elastics, central Transantarctic Mountains: Antarctic Journal of the United States, 1987 Review, v. 22, no. 5, p. 26-28. Krissek, L. A., and Homer, T. C., 1986, Sedimentology of fine-grained Permian elastics, central Transantarctic Mountains: Antarctic Journal of the United States, 1986 review, v. 21, no. 5, p. 30-32. HELD OF STUDY Major Field: Geological Sciences TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS................................................................................... ii VITA .......................................................................................................................... iii LIST OF TABLES ..................................................................................................xi LIST OF FIG URES ................................................................................................xiv CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................ 1 Statement of P u rp o se .............................................................................. 1 Study A r e a ............................................................................................ 5 Previous W o r k ........................................................................................ 5 Pre-Permian Geologic History of the Beardmore Glacier Region . 7 Basement G eology ...................................................................................11 Beacon Supergroup ................................................................................... 13 Carboniferous(?)/Permian to Lower Triassic Stratigraphy .... 14 Present-day Physiography of the Transantarctic Mountains .... 23 II. SEDIMENTOLOGY........................................................................................ 25 Introduction ................................................................................................