FIELD PROBLEMS IN
SEDIMENTARY GEOLOGY
Dept. #0423, Course #C19-0
Date & time: 3 week summer field trip + Fall Quarter TBA; (alternate years).
Average enrollment: 6 (this is minumum enrollment for field course to run)
COURSE DESCRIPTION: Field methods in stratigraphy and sedimentology;
interpretation of depositional systems and paleoenviroments; methods of
observations, data recording and analysis, and presentation of geological
information (maps, cross sections). Course involves 2.5-week field trip to
Colorado/Utah in late August - mid September (returning to Evanston in time for
regular classes) and meets through the Fall quarter. Prerequisite - C13
Sedimentary Geology.
PREREQUISITES: GEOL C13
TEACHING METHODS: Two days of lecture followed by 3.5 week field trip
METHOD OF EVALUATION: Lecture participation/preparation
C13 term paper review/rewrite
Field trip participation
Field notes and final field report
READING: 1) Chap 1-4, 10-12 in Compton, R., 1962, Manual of Field Geology,
Wiley & Sons, NY, 378 pp.
2) Chap. 10-13 in Boggs,1995, Principles of Sedimentology and
Stratigraphy, Freeman and Co., N.Y., 410 pp.
3) Chap. 1-4, 7-10, 12, 14 in Walker, R.G. & James, N.P. (eds.),
1992, Facies Models, Response to Sea Level Change,
Geological Assoc. of Canada, 409 pp.
4) Ager, D., 1973, The Nature of the Stratigraphical Record
3rd ed., Wiley & Sons, NY, 151 pp.
COURSE OUTLINE:
C19 is students will preregister for C19 in the Spring quarter. The
course will be scheduled for the Fall quarter, but the field trip will
actually take place in early September just prior to beginning of the Fall
quarter. Final reports will be due at the end of the Fall quarter (12/2).
The course has four components:
a) Preparatory phase (Spring quarter; June-August): Background for the
course is introduced in GEOL C13 during the Spring quarter. Students
in C13 who will take C19 in the Fall will complete a C13 term paper on
a field trip site. The term paper will be included in the C19 guidebook
and these students will present a field lecture on their site during
the field trip. In addition, background reading for the field trip will
be assigned at the end of Spring quarter to all students who preregister
for C19.
b) Lecture phase (2-days in early September): After arrival in Colorado,
there will be 8 hrs of lecture and workshop to review concepts (depositional
systems, facies models, and field methods), evaluate retention of background
reading, and provide instructions for the format of field notebooks and
field exercises.
c) Field trip/field exercise phase (approx. 20 days in the field): A
series of sites have been chosen with specific field exercises to be
performed at each. Students will record measurements and observations.
Each day will end with a summary discussion. See below for sites/
exercises.
d) Write-up phase: Fall Quarter lab sessions will be scheduled upon
return. The lab sessions will be devoted to discussion of field notes,
interpretations of data, and format for the final report. Evaluation of
student performance will be based on the quality of the field notebook,
participation in the field exercises, quality of field lecture, mastery
of the reading material, and quality of the final report (including
completed maps and charts and interpretative write-up).
SYLLABUS
Lecture Topics
(4 two-hour lectures + workshops)
1) Review - Depositional environments/facies models
2) Nonmarine environments/facies models
3) Marine siliciclastic environments/facies models
4) Marine carbonate environments/facies models
5) Pennsylvanian through Cretaceous History of Colorado
6) Sedimentologic field methods
7) Stratigraphic field methods
8) Field trip itinerary and exercises
Field Trip Exercises
1) General descriptions of stratigraphic units - (All formations seen on field trip)
2) Detailed measured sections (using jacob staff, tape measures, etc.)
a) Lee Hill Rd. - Fountain Fm. to base of Cretaceous
b) Lykins Gulch Section - Carlile Shale to Ft. Hayes Limestone
c) 6-mile Fold - Carlile Shale to Ft. Hayes Limestone
d) Alameda Rd. and Turkey Creek outcrops - Dakota Fm.
e) Rock Canyon Anticline - Dakota SS; Greenhorn LS to Ft. Hayes LS
f) Wahweap Wash, Utah - Dakota SS and Mancos Shale
3) Detailed descriptions of sedimentary and biogenic structures
a) Fountain Fm. (Pennsylvanian), Lee Hill Rd.
b) Lyons SS (Permian), Lyons Quarry
c) Dakota SS (Cretaceous), North Boulder, Alameda Parkway, Turkey
Creek, Rock Canyon, Wahweap Wash.
d) Greenhorn Formation, Rock Canyon
e) Codell SS to Ft Hayes LS, Rock Canyon
4) Descriptions of modern sedimentary processes
Eolian Processes - GSD Natl. Park
Field Trip Itinerary - Exercise areas
5 days - Boulder-Denver, CO area - Fountain through Greenhorn
3 days - Rock Canyon, CO area - Greenhorn and Niobrara cyclothems
3 days - CO to UT traverse - trace Greenhorn west
3 days - Wahweap Wash, UT area - Dakota SS and Tropic Shale
2 days - Castle Dale, UT - Ferrron SS
Final Report must include:
1) Measured Sections
a) Generalized measured section for Front Range succession
(Pennsylvanian - Cretaceous).
b) Detailed measured section of Fountain-Lyons transition.
c) Detailed measured sections for Dakota Group (CO and UT).
d) Detailed measured section for Greenhorn Formation.
d) Detailed measured section for Blue Hill SH through Ft. Hays LS.
e) Detailed measured section for Dakota-Mancos Formations.
2) Correlation diagram
Correlation of Dakota interval
Correlation of Greenhorn interval
3) Interpretive reports
Write up of each section with a) interpretation of depositional
environment for each unit; b) interpretation of sequence stratigraphy
and sea level history; summary of geologic history. Reports must
cite field observations (from field notebooks - also handed in)
in support of all interpretations.