In and adjacent to the cia, the book and roan cliffs form a set of rugged escarpments figure 1 that face south and southwest along the edge of the west tavaputs or roan plateau, which separates the uinta basin from the price river basin. The initial exercise is followed by the examination of the stacking patterns of the parasequences. With favourable weather and easily accessible outcrops, utah serves up an exciting geological journey. Cretaceous and tertiary formations of the book cliffs carbon. Stratigraphic variations within the sego sandstone, book cliffs, central utah.
This video is a virtual field trip to one of the classic locations in the world book cliffs, utah, usa where the sequence stratigraphy method was developed and tested. The book cliffs are a series of desert mountains and cliffs in western colorado and eastern utah, in the western united states. The video shows some of the field evidence for sealevel change and how the sequence stratigraphy model has been applied to this shallowmarine and fluvial succession. High resolution correlation of the upper cretaceous stratigraphy between the book cliffs and the western henry mountains syncline, utah, u. Roadside geology of utah is a riveting account of the forces that made the brilliant cliffs, mountains, and canyonlands we see today. Films media group open university sealevel change has occurred throughout earths history. Many times these concretions are quite fossiliferous while others contain beautiful crystals of barite andor calcite. In this lab, you will put together your knowledge of nearshore facies and sequence stratigraphy to correlate sections and interpret facies changes in the cretaceous stratigraphy of the book cliffs. Upper cretaceous trace fossils, book cliffs of utah. Stratigraphy and sedimentation of the book cliffs, utah. At some point, this section will contain hundreds of stratigraphic columns from all over the colorado plateau. The exceptional quality of the wasatch plateau outcrop has given rise to a plethora of stratigraphic studies and serves as a natural laboratory in. We explored the birthplace, not of football but of outcrop sequence and parasequence stratigraphy, pioneered in the 1980s and 1990s by exxon production research company. Roadside geology of utah by halka chronic field guide.
Box 687 savannah, georgia 31416 abstract about 25 types of trace fossils occur in major marine facies of the star point and blackhawk formations in the book cliffs of utah. Beginning near helper, utah, and joined at green river, utah, by a second escarpment, the roan cliffs, the 2,000foot 610metre tall mountain wall, winds a 250mile 400km course along the tavaputs and roan. Upper cretaceous strata exposed in the book cliffs of eastcentral utah are widely used as an archetype for the sequence stratigraphy of marginalmarine and shallowmarine deposits. A good appreciation of the nature of reservoir and nonreservoir rocks in the subsurface is of fundamental importance to sound ep decision making. Lcma are located approximately 30 miles southeast of price, utah in the book cliffs coal field plate 1. The stratigraphy and sedimentology of the kayenta and mohave.
The occurrence of firmgrounds, compaction around concretions, and high minuscement porosities indicate that cementation occurred during early diagenesis. Cliffs of utah and other geological highlights in the helperprice, green river, and moab areas. One of the most spectacular regions is the canyonlandsarea of eastcentral utah which is home to two national parks and one of the longest continuous clifflines in the world, the 300kmlong. A road log and guide for public school teachers geological society of america 2002 rocky mountain section annual meeting, cedar city, utah 1011 may 2002 larry e. Stratigraphic control on laterally persistent cementation. Desert member to lower castlegate sandstone stratigraphic interval along the southeastern face. The book cliffs of eastern utah are among the most spectacular outcrops of marginal marine strata anywhere in the world. Beginning near helper, utah, and joined at green river, utah, by a second escarpment, the roan cliffs, the 2,000foot 610metre tall mountain wall, winds a 250mile 400km course along the tavaputs and roan plateaus, ending near grand junction, colorado. The exercises below involve the analysis of parasequence from outcrops.
The campanian book cliffs strata of eastern utah and western colorado has been used to develop, test and refine sedimentological and stratigraphic ideas and models over the years, including the principles and concepts of sequence stratigraphy. Book cliffs, often with intricate and conflicting stratigraphic nomenclature e. Their stratal architectures are classically interpreted in terms of accommodation controls that were external to the sediment routing system allogenic, and that forced the formation of flooding surfaces. The book cliffs are within the colorado plateau geologic province. The authors smooth prose brings the rocks of utah and their long history into sharp and enjoyable focus. Geological survey, along with prices of the last offerings, are given in the currentyear. Towards a sequence stratigraphic solution set for autogenic processes and allogenic controls. This field trip will examine classic outcrops in the northern book cliffs of utah, where many concepts in sequence stratigraphy were formulated.
Home browse collections grand junction geological society book publication book cliffs. The objective of this study is to understand changes in patterns of. Towards a sequence stratigraphic solution set for autogenic. American association petroleum geologists memoir 64. This trip allows participants to understand sequence stratigraphic methods as applied in both outcrop and subsurface focusing on alluvial to marine siliciclastic depositional systems. Palynostratigraphy in relation to sequence stratigraphy. A multidecadelong highresolution outcrop study has revealed that the campanian desert member blackhawk formation to lower castlegate sandstone interval in the book cliffs of utah and colorado western usa does not fit the conventional sequence stratigraphic model. The book cliffs are one of the most recognizable landforms in western colorado and eastern utah. Tectonic controls on late cretaceous sediment provenance. Continuous, wellexposed and easilyaccessible outcrops make it possible to analyze facies relationships of stratigraphic sequences in great detail, both in terms of lateral variation systems tracts and vertical stacking. In fact, helka has a whole series of books detailing the geologic history of the west broken down by state. Frey department of geology university of georgia athens, georgia 30602 james d. Book cliffs, geological feature of eastcentral utah and western colorado, u. Using classic outcrops to revise sequence stratigraphic models.
One of the most spectacular regions is the canyonlandsarea of eastcentral utah which is home to two national parks and one of the longest continuous. Field data from the upper cretaceous blackhawk formation in the book clitfs utahcolorado demonstrate the presence of laterally extensive carbonate cements beneath major marine flooding surfaces. Book cliffs geological feature, utah, united states. Following deposition and lithification, these sedimentary rocks were slowly uplifted to form the magnificent scenery in the western interior of canada and the united states. Field data from the upper cretaceous blackhawk formation in the book clitfs utah colorado demonstrate the presence of laterally extensive carbonate cements beneath major marine flooding surfaces. A case study in coastal sequence stratigraphy, offered annually through w. Information was gathered from a number of sources see info for more information.
Continuous, wellexposed and easilyaccessible outcrops make it possible to analyze facies relationships of stratigraphic sequences in great detail, both in terms of lateral variation systems tracts and vertical stacking patterns. Utah stratigraphic columns overview page these stratigraphic columns are dynamically created on the fly from information stored in a database. Exercise 4the objective of this exercise is to continue learning how to identify vertical sets of parasequence s in clastic sections again from measured sections in the book cliffs while extending this to use of parasequence s and walther s law to determine the depositional setting of a series of shoreline facies and to determine non. Section summary accessible from the selection map, the stratigraphic columns section will eventually be one of the most extensive parts of our database. These data are used to define the earth filter for a synthetic seismic section.
In the 1980s, exxon scientists used the cretaceous strata of the book cliffs to develop the science of sequence stratigraphy. Reevaluating the sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy. Upper cretaceous stratigraphy, depositional environments, and reservoir geology of the henry mountains region, southern utah. Pdf the castlegate sandstone of the book cliffs, utah. Continuous, wellexposed and easilyaccessible outcrops make it possible to analyze facies relationships of stratigraphic sequences in great detail, both in terms of lateral variation systems tracts and vertical stacking patterns parasequences. The book cliffs of eastern utah and western colorado figs. They follow instructions to construct a measured section. Using sequence stratigraphic tools to find and develop prospects at both local and basinwide scales. Book cliffs data sets are often used as outcrop analogues for similar subsurface settings worldwide.
Flint, 1999, a sedimentological and sequence stratigraphic reinterpretation of the upper cretaceous prairie canyon member mancos b and associated strata, book cliffs area, utah, u. Book cliffs location map, utah and colorado, western usa. Sequence stratigraphy of the book cliffs of eastern utah, the. The little book cliffs of this landscape drawing are nothing more than the far. Reevaluating the sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy of. The parasequences are separated from each other using subdividing major surfaces that include ts transgressive surfaces, mfs maximum flooding surface, and sb sequence boundary. The succession is spectacularly exposed in three dimensions at scales ranging up to that of entire depositional. Fisher, erdmann, and reeside 1960 of the stratigraphy, origin, age, and correlation of cretaceous formations in the book cliffs, 100 miles to the north, is applicable to the formations of the circle cliffs area. The stratigraphy and sedimentology of the kayenta and mohave formations, vermillion cliffs region, utah and arizona richard fairfield wilson. Simon provides expertise in the areas of sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy and reservoir geologymodelling and has considerable knowledge of the book cliffs. The book cliffs region is often cited as an analog for subsurface exploration, particularly in foreland basins, and sequence stratigraphy has become one of the leading methods for correlating and mapping depositional packages, leading to significant discoveries of petroleum in fields that had been abandoned, as well as new discoveries. For about 200 miles this escarpment extends from where the colorado river descends south through debeque to price canyon near price, utah. Geology of the circle cliffs area, garfield and kane counties, utah.
The book cliffs of utah have become the premier locality globally for field teaching of sequence stratigraphy. Synthetic seismic sections have been generated from a 125 km long, depositional dip orientated crosssection compiled from outcrop data from the book cliffs of eastern utah, usa. Suu geology field trip to book cliffs near price, utah. Sequence stratigraphy, paleogeography, and tectonic controls andrew d. Stratigraphy of book cliffs price and price canyon. Wavedominated shoreface successions in the spring canyon member of the blackhawk formation will be traced from updip, lagoonal facies through barrier island and offshore settings. Earlier stratigraphic work had predicted that at the type section of the castlegate formation, the castle gate, near price, utah, the unit consists of two sequences separated by a sequence boundary representing approximately one million years of unrecorded time. Matt fey2, eric robinson3, scott birkhead4, department of geology and geophysics. Stratigraphy and sedimentation of the book cliffs, utah cole 1989 field trip guidebooks wiley online library. The geology of utah includes rocks formed at the edge of the protonorth american continent during the precambrian.
Sequence stratigraphy, straight cliffs formation upper cretaceous, kaiparowits plateau, utah u. Book cliffs field trips geology southern utah university. Journal of sedimentary research tectonic control on coarsegrained forelandbasin sequences. Price river basin book cliffs carbon county utah paleogeography mesozoic castlegate sandstone upper cretaceous utah clastic rocks united states sedimentary rocks sandstone cretaceous. An outcropbased dataset has been used in preference to well data though well data have been. The book cliffs are one of the worlds best places to study sequence stratigraphy.
The mancos formation and its stratigraphic equivalent to the east known as the pierre shale, often contain concretions. What can the past tell scientists today about the rise and fall of the planets oceans. These offer a wonderland of stratigraphic sequences to the travelling geologist. Within utah, resides what is commonly referred to as the mecca of sequence stratigraphy, the book cliffs. They are so named because the cliffs of cretaceous sandstone that cap many of the southfacing buttes appear similar to a shelf of books. Bertram, 1995, sequence stratigraphy and marine to nonmarine facies architecture of foreland basin strata, book cliffs, utah, u. The book cliffs coal field is part of the southern rim of the uinta basin, which is an immense structural trough in western colorado and eastern utah, around whose margin the outcrop of coalbearing. The book, roadside geology of utah by helka chronicis exemplary at explaining the geologic history. Together with his experience from spdc shell nigeria, simon effectively demonstrated both theoretical and applied aspects at all levels in a clear, concise and thoughtful manner. Expression of sequence stratigraphy in outcrop, the book. The little book cliffs of this landscape drawing are nothing more than the far eastern end of the book cliffs landform that stretches from the eastern edge of the grand valley near palisade to the san rafael swell 140 miles to the west in utah.
Stratigraphic variations within the sego sandstone, book. An example from the cordilleran foreland basin, utah. A shallow marine sedimentary environment covered the region for much of the paleozoic and mesozoic, followed by dryland conditions, volcanism and the formation of the basin and range terrain in the cenozoic. Simon provides expertise in the areas of sedimentology, sequence stratigraphy and reservoir geology modelling and has considerable knowledge of the book cliffs. Free web tutorials sequence stratigraphy, tutorials carbonate petrology. Stratigraphic variations within the sego sandstone, book cliffs. Synthetic seismic modelling of a largescale geological. Sequence stratigraphy and facies architecture of the upper blackhawk formation and the lower castlegate sandstone upper cretaceous, book cliffs, utah, u. The book cliffs form a sinuous southwardfacing escarpment. Stratigraphic variations within the sego sandstone, book cliffs, central utah article pdf available january 2007 with 165 reads how we measure reads.
Introductory presentation for a professional field course titled. The book cliffs coal field is part of the southern rim of the uinta basin, which. Sequence stratigraphy in the book cliffs, utah goal. The book cliffs are part of an area known as the, colorado plateau. Upper cretaceous strata, book cliffs, utah, usa journal of the. The book cliffs have preserved excellent strata of the foreland basin of the ancient western interior seaway that stretched north from the gulf of mexico to the yukon in the cretaceous time. Expression of sequence stratigraphy in outcrop, the book cliffs, utah. The desert and castlegate sandstones, 2001 pages iiii, 181. The book cliffs, utah have become the premier locality globally for field teaching of sequence stratigraphy. Abstract upper cretaceous strata exposed in the book cliffs of east central utah are widely used as an archetype for the sequence stratigraphy of marginalmarine and shallowmarine deposits. Sequence stratigraphy, paleogeography, and tectonic controls, authorandrew d. Northern colorado plateau by keith rigby geologic history of utah by lehi hintze purchase information. In exercise 2, students work either with polarized microscopic photographs linked online to specific units in their measured section or directly. Upper cretaceous stratigraphy, depositional environments.
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