Week Four

Introduction to Stratigraphy and Stratigraphic Correlations

Background: As you have been told numerous times, stratigraphy is an important
division of geology. In order to interpret earth history, you must be able to interpret
stratigraphy and in order to interpret stratigraphy, you have to be able to name rock
units. There is a proper stratigraphy nomenclature that all geologists must follow to
do this. The basic division is a formation. Formations are defined as mappable,
lithologically distinct rock bodies having recognizable upper and lower contacts with
other rock bodies. Less distinct or spatially localized rock bodies may be designated
as members. Occasionally formations will be grouped together on the basis of
similar lithological content. These so called groups are the largest division in the
stratigraphic nomenclature that you will need to know in this class.

Table 4-1: Example of stratigraphic nomenclature

Age Group Formation Member
(Period)
Green Bayou
Hastings

Formation
Group

Biscayne
Jurassic

Formation

Tutira
Formation Fish Scale
Napier

Member
Group

Athabasca
Formation

Figure from Le Conte, J., 1905. Elements of Geology. D. Appleton & Co. New York, 667p.

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Stratigraphic correlations allow geologists to visually portray lateral variations of
formations, members and groups, and to determine relationships between these
strata. Some rock units are laterally continuous and display little thickness variation
over long distances. Others thicken or thin laterally, sometimes even pinching out
entirely (See Figure 4-1). Lateral facies changes, where lithologies change from
place to place, are ubiquitous in sedimentary successions and can be caused through
a number of different processes including transgressions and regressions. The best
way to illustrate facies changes and pinchouts is with cartoons. Figure 4-1 shows the
types of sedimentological variations that you might expect to see along a coastal
environment following a transgression (Figure 4-1B) and a regression (Figure 4-1C).

Figure 4-1: Schematic illustrations of sedimentological changes along a shoreline

environment. A: Beach sediment (quartz arenite) pinches out into shale away from the
shoreline. Further offshore, the shale passes laterally into reef limestone (facies change). B:
After a transgression, shale deposition moves towards the shoreline. C: After a regression,
sand deposition moves away from the shoreline into deeper water. Numbers refer to
stratigraphic section locations for Figure 4-2.

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The main purpose of this laboratory is to give you some experience with stratigraphy
and correlation of rock units. It will also familiarize you with some more sedimentary
rocks (I just know that thrills you!) and introduce you to the concept of
paleogeography. Paleogeography reconstructs the geographical distribution of rock
types that existed in the past. Essentially, you make a map that records the
distribution of depositional environments when the rocks were originally deposited.
Most students find this fun, but there is a certain amount of "artistic interpretation" to
the exercise. In other words, you and your neighbors may end up getting slightly
different maps, but you may all be geologically “correct”.

Stratigraphic correlations also involve a certain amount of interpretation because of

the potential complexity of depositional environments (e.g., pinchouts, facies
changes etc.). Consider the sequence of events depicted in Figure 4-1. The
transgression (Figure 4-1B) forced a change to deeper water sedimentation. Beach
sedimentation would still occur, but inland from where it was happening before sea-
level rose. The regression (Figure 4-1C), shifted beach sedimentation seaward. The
net result is a fairly complex series of lateral and vertical changes. A clever geologist
can resolve both types of change if they are careful with their correlations. Figure 4-2
is a generalized series of sections measured at the 4 points identified in Figure 4-1C.
They aren’t really stratigraphic sections because we have omitted formation names
and rock ages, but they are close. Some rock units are very easy to correlate because
they are blatantly obvious (e.g., the nonconformity atop the granite). Others are
trickier. Figure 4-1 helps us to make the correlations in this exercise (our
interpretation is on the next page), but geologists do not normally have this
information ahead of time. Barring additional information (e.g., fossil content or age
data), some stratigraphic correlations can only be approximated.

Figure 4-2: Very simplified sections showing the basic vertical relationship between rock
units at sections 1, 2, 3 and 4 in Figure 4-1. The correct correlation appears on the next
page.

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 Pinchout

Pinchout

Facies
Change

Figure 4-2 (modified): Our stratigraphic correlations.

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Name: __________________________________________ Grade ________/100

GY 112 Lab Assignment 4

Stratigraphy and Stratigraphic Correlations

Note: You get to see rocks again in this lab, so remember the labeling system that was first
used in lab 1. Samples will be clearly labeled with painted numbers (in this case
white).There may also be a specific RI (Rock Index) number (e.g., RI 3482). If the
specimens are in boxes, the labels in the boxes should match the labels on the rocks. If not, it
is quite possible that samples have been switched. Try not to mix the rocks up.

Part A: Depositional Environments

Complete the table below summarizing depositional environments for each of the
named rock layers in the stratigraphic section. You can't do this just by looking at the
section. You need to be able to look at samples of the formations so they have been
provided for you in one of the storage drawers in room 335. The numbers in the table
refer to the numbers you will find on the rock specimens. Name the rocks before you
describe their paleoenvironment of deposition. (example paleoenvironments include:
shallow marine, deep marine, river channel, floodplain, swamp, beach, alluvial fan,
delta etc.). [44 points].

# Rock Unit Rock name Paleoenvironment

(2 points each) (2 points each)
4-1 Schist Happens Fm. Garnet Schist
4-2 Pelee Basalt Basalt
Formation
4-3 Athabasca Formation
4-4 Tutira Formation
4-5 Fish Scale Member
4-5a Stephanie Formation
4-6a Lower Biscayne Fm.
4-6b Upper Biscayne Fm.
4-7 Green Bayou Fm.
4-8 Knoxville Formation
4-9 Cairns Formation
4-10 Alvarez Gravel Fm.
4-11 Bakersfield Formation
4-12 Burnt Almond Mbr.

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Part B: Stratigraphic correlations
The two stratigraphic sections below summarize the geology at two different
outcrops in a fictitious mountain range somewhere out west. They are approximately
40 km apart. Notice that the rock layers in Section A have all been named. Correlate
the different rock units and any unconformities from Section A to Section B (I’ve
correlated the nonconformity for you as an example to get you started). Note: there is
more than one acceptable correlation for the Bakerfield Formation. [10 points]

Section 1 Section 2
Bakersfield
Formation
Burnt
Almond Mbr.

Alvarez
Gravel Fm.
Cretaceous

Cairns
Formation
Knoxville
Formation
Green
Bayou
Formation

Biscayne
Formation
Jurassic

Stephanie
Formation
Fish Scale Mbr.
Tutira Partial Legend
Formation

Athabasca Roots
Formation
Sea stars
Schist
Dev.

Happens Snails
Formation
Rugose
Pelee Basalt Corals
Formation Cross-
bedding

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2) Refer to the correlations you made in exercise 1. Are there any changes in the
thickness of any of the layers from one section to the other? Are there any facies
changes? If so, what are they and where in the section do they occur? (refer to the
example correlations in Figure 4-2 for help if you need it. [3 points]
__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

3) Can you explain the variations you have observed? (This question is tricky, so here is a
hint: Which section might be closer to a “paleo-shoreline”? Assume that the reef interval of the
Biscayne Formation is an outer shelf deposit) [4 points]

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

4) Using your interpreted paleoenvironments of deposition for each of the

formations, can you identify any transgressions or regressions in the succession? If
so, when did they occur? [3 points]

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________

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Part C: A Baby Paleogeography map
Paleogeographic maps relate the position of major geographic features such as the
position of land and sea, courses of rivers, and spatial distribution of mountain
ranges, at specific times in the past. It is relatively easy to reconstruct
paleogeographic maps. You simply record the depositional environment for a
specific formation at each place that the formation crops out over a given area. Facies
changes allow you to reconstruct the paleogeography . The diagram on the next page
maps out the distribution of rocks during a specific interval of time. The letters A and
B show the locations of sections A and B from Part A. The numbers correspond to
the rocks you looked at in Part B (We have omitted the 4- prefix to preserve clarity).
Using the paleoenvironments you determined in Part B, reconstruct the
paleogeography of the area during the featured time period. Use color to distinguish
different environments [10 points].

2) Which way was the river flowing (compass direction please)?

___________________________________________________________ [2 points]

3) Do you think that there were there any mountains in the area during this time? If
so, where do you think they were? (compass direction please)

____________________________________________________________ [2 points]

4) What was the paleoclimate of the area during this time? Note: it may not have
been consistent across the whole map area. How do you know? [2 points]

____________________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________________

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Part D: A Big Paleogeography map
Ready for another paleogeographic map? How about a big one? How about the entire state of
Alabama? Using the key and data on the next page reconstruct the paleogeography for
Alabama during the late Mississippian period. The map you will produce is a fair
representation of Alabama paleogeography about 330 million years ago. You might also
learn the locations of some of Alabama’s more obscure counties [20 points]

Using the following symbols, plot all the data given on the map showing as much detail as
possible. Do not use a symbol to label the mountainous areas on your map (i.e., leave this
blank), but color it red with the other terrestrial environments.

blank – Mountainous areas C - coal beds (swamps) ∴ - shallow marine sandstone

+ - mixed limestone & shale - - deep marine shale # - lithic (deltaic) sandstone
-|-|- shallow marine limestone { - oolitic limestone • - conglomerate (river)
♦ - Arkose & breccia … - reef limestone * - quartz arenite (beach)

Complete the map by shading the various environments with the following colors:

Red - Terrestrial (land) areas Green - Swampy areas Blue - Marine areas

Data by counties:

Autauga: deep marine shale

Baldwin: mountainous (county name hidden beneath Mobile label)
Barbour: shallow marine sandstone
Bibb: deep marine shale
Blount: mixed limestone and shale
Bullock: shallow marine sandstone
Butler: shallow marine sandstone
Calhoun: mixed limestone and shale
Chambers: deep marine shale
Cherokee: mixed limestone and shale
Chilton: deep marine shale
Choctaw: shallow marine sandstone
Clarke: shallow marine sandstone except southeastern area – arkose & breccia
Clay: deep marine shale
Cleburne: deep marine shale
Coffee: north 1/3rd – Quartz arenite; south 2/3rd - conglomerate
Colbert: oolitic limestone
Conecuh: shallow marine sandstone except extreme SW ¼ - arkose and breccia
Coosa: deep marine shale
Covington: arkose and breccia
Crenshaw: shallow marine sandstone
Cullman: mixed limestone and shale
Dale: north 1/2 – Quartz arenite; south 1/2 - conglomerate
Dallas: deep marine shale
Dekalb: quartz arenite
Elmore: deep marine shale

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Escambia: arkose and breccia
Etowah: mixed limestone and shale
Fayette: deep marine shale
Franklin: mixed limestone and shale
Geneva: arkose and breccia
Greene: deep marine shale
Hale: deep marine shale
Henry: north 1/3rd – Quartz arenite; south 2/3rd – conglomerate
Houston: arkose and breccia
Jackson: south – lithic sandstone; north; coal
Jefferson: deep marine shale
Lamar: deep marine shale
Lauderdale: shallow marine limestone
Lawrence: oolitic limestone except for central portion – reef limestone
Lee: deep marine shale
Limestone: shallow marine limestone
Lowndes: deep marine shale
Macon: deep marine shale (county name hidden beneath Montgomery label)
Madison: west – shallow marine limestone; east; quartz arenite
Marengo: north - deep marine shale; south – shallow marine sandstone
Marion: deep marine shale
Marshall: quartz arenite
Mobile: mountainous (county name hidden beneath Mobile label)
Monroe: shallow marine sandstone except southwest 1/3 –arkose and breccia
Montgomery: deep marine shale
Morgan: oolitic limestone
Perry: deep marine shale
Pickens: deep marine shale except extreme southwest – shallow marine sandstone
Pike: shallow marine sandstone
Randolph: deep marine shale
Russell: deep marine shale (county name hidden beneath Montgomery label)
Shelby: deep marine shale
St. Clair: mixed limestone and shale except for extreme south – deep marine shale
Sumter: shallow marine sandstone
Talladega: deep marine shale
Tallapoosa: deep marine shale
Tuscaloosa: deep marine shale
Walker: mixed limestone and shale
Washington: arkose and breccia except southern 1/3rd - mountainous
Wilcox: shallow marine sandstone
Winston: mixed limestone and shale

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Bonus: Another Big Paleogeography map
Ready for the biggest paleogeographic map of them all? This one comes to you courtesy of
Dr. Wayne Isphording and Ms. Carolyn Davis (two other instructors of GY 112).Using the
key below and the data on the next page reconstruct the paleogeography for United States for
a fictional time in the past. Careful. The rocks types this time are not necessarily the same as
the last map, however, some things are consistent. For example, as before, do not use a
symbol to label the mountainous areas on your map, and color it red with the other terrestrial
environments. [5 point bonus].

blank – mountainous areas C - coal beds (swamps) ∴ - marine sandstone

„ - evaporites - - marine shale # - desert sand dunes
-|-|- limestone • - conglomerate ♦ - arkose & breccia

Complete the map by shading the various environments with the following colors:
Red - Terrestrial (land) areas Green - Swampy areas Blue - Marine areas

Data by States:

Alabama: southern 2/3s -marine sandstones, northwest 1/3 -marine shale

Arizona: western 1/3 -conglomerate, central 1/3 -coal, eastern 1/3 -marine sandstone
Arkansas: marine limestone
California: mountainous
Colorado: western half marine shale, eastern half marine limestone
Connecticut: mountainous
Delaware: mountainous
Florida: mountainous
Georgia: northern ½ shale, remainder mountainous
Idaho: western half conglomerate, eastern half marine sandstone
Illinois: southern 2/3s -marine limestone, northern 1/3 - marine shale
Indiana: marine limestone
Iowa: marine shale
Kansas: marine limestone
Kentucky: eastern 1/3 marine sand, rest shale except for limestone in western corner
Louisiana: southern half marine sandstone, northern half marine shale
Maine: mountainous
Maryland: mountainous
Massachusetts: mountainous
Michigan: evaporites; except for upper peninsula - arkose and breccia
Minnesota: northern 1/3 desert dunes, middle 1/3 arkose & breccia,
southern 1/3 marine sand
Mississippi: southern half marine sandstone, remainder marine shale
Missouri: marine limestone
Montana: conglomerate innorthern half , remainder marine sandstone
Nebraska: northern half marine shale, remainder limestone
Nevada: conglomerate in eastern half, remainder -mountainous
N. Hampshire: mountainous
New Jersey: mountainous
New Mexico: western half marine shales, eastern half limestone
New York: arkose and breccia in western half, remainder - mountainous

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No. Carolina: western half marine sandstones, eastern half -mountainous
No. Dakota: northern half desert sands, southern half arkose and breccia
Ohio: western half marine shales, eastern half marine sandstone
Oklahoma: limestone
Oregon: mountainous
Rhode Island: mountainous
So. Carolina: western tip marine sandstones; remainder -mountainous
So. Dakota: northern half marine sandstone, southern half marine shale
Pennsylvania: marine sandstone in western third, remainder -mountainous
Tennessee: eastern 2/3s -marine shale, western 1/3 -limestone
Texas: limestone
Utah: southwest corner coal beds, remainder -marine sandstones
Vermont: mountainous
Virginia: western third marine sandstones, remainder -mountainous
Washington: mountainous
West Virginia: marine sandstone
Wisconsin: arkose and breccia except for marine shale in southern third
Wyoming: western third marine sandstones, remainder -marine shales

Notes

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 Name: ________________________________

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