GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 1971

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY RESEARCH 1971

Chapter B

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 750-8

Scientific notes and summaries of investigations in geology, hydrology, and related fields

UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE, WASHINGTON: 1971

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

ROGERS C. 0. MORTON, Secretary

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY

William T. Pecora, Director

--

For sale by the Superintendent of Documsnh, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402 - Price $3.50

GEOLOGIC STUDIES

Structural geology Page

Structures related to thrust faults in the Stansbury Mountains, Utah, by E. W. Tooker and R. J. Roberts- - - - - - - - - - - - B1 Displacement of the Pocahontas Formation by the Russell Fork fault, southwest Virginia, by K. J. Englund- - - - - - - - - - 13

Paleontology and stratigraphy The Twowells Sandstone Tongue of the Dakota Sandstone and the Tres Hermanos Sandstone as used by Herrick (1900),

western New Mexico, by C. H. Dane, E. R. Landis, and W. A. Cobban . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Lisburne Group, Cape Lewis-Niak Creek, northwestern Alaska, by A. K. Armstrong, B. L. Mamet, and J. T. Dutro, Jr- 23 Stratigraphic interpretations of some Cretaceous microfossil floras of. the Middle Atlantic States, by J. A. Wolfe and H. M.

Pakiser - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - , - - - - - - - - 35 Paleocene mollusks from the Gulf of Alaska Tertiary province-A significant new occurrence on the North Pacific rim, by

W. 0. Addioottand George Plafker---- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 48 Two new fossil pollen genera from upper Campanian (Cretaceous) rocks of Montana, by B. D. Tschudy-- - - - - - - - - - - - - 53

Petrology The Landfall Peak Adamellite and regional comparison of petrochemical and age data from the Thurston Island-Eights

Coast area, West Antarctica, by A. A. Drake, Jr., R. F. Marvin, T. W. Stern, and H. A. Hubbard - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 62 Amphibolites near Salida, Colo., by R. E. Van Alstine . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 74 Minor-element changes in pelitic Belt rocks caused by metamorphism in the Pend Oreille area, Idaho-Montana, by J. E.

Harrison and J. C. Hamilton - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 82 Strontium isotopic composition of two basalts representative of the southern Snake River volcanic province, by E. H.

McKee and R.K. Mark- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 92

Economic geology Volcanic-sedimentary belts and s a d e occurrences in Wisconsin, by C. E. Dutton- - - -----------------------------. 96

Geomorphology Changes in coastal morphology of Monomoy Island, Cape Cod, Mass., by R. N. Oldale, J. D. Friedman, and R. S.

Williams, Jr- - -- -- -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - -- - - - -- - - - - - -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 101

Glaciology Movement measurements on two rock glaciers in the eastern Elk Mountains, Colo., by Bruce Bryant - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 108

Geophysics Magnetic intensities in a differentiated gabbroio body, the Dufek intrusion, Pensacola Mountains, Antarctica, by M. E.

Beck,Jr.,and.N. L. G f l n . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - - 117 Geophysical data relating to a possible Pleistocene overflow of Lake Bonneviile a t Gem Valley, southeastern Idaho, by

D.R.Mabey . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - 122 Gravity and magnetic data in the vicinity of the Calaveras, Hayward, and Silver Creek faults near San Jose, Cali., by

5. L. Robbins- -- - -- -- - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - --- -- -- -- -- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - -- -- - - - - -- - - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - 128

Geochemistry The effect of a strong oxidizing enviroment on the stability of the gold iodide complex, by C. W. Gale 3d--- - - - - - - - - - - 140 Geochemical reconnaissance of the Cura~d River basin area, Bahia, Brazil, by R. W. Lewis, Jr., S. de Q. Mattoso, and

R. J. P. Brim . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . - - 143 Extraordinary trace-element accumulations in roadside cedars near Centerville, Mo., by J. J. Connor, H. T. Shacklette,

and J. A. Erdman - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 151

Geochronology - -

Ages of some Tertiary and latitic volcanic rocks in the Prescott-Jerome area, north-central Arizona, by M. H. Krieger, 8. C. Creasey, and R. F. Marvin ----------------------------------------------------------- --------------- 157

N CONTENTS

Analytical methods Page.

Rapid scanning technique for low levels of Cot in silicate rocks, by Leonard Shapiro ,------------------------------ Determination of sulfur in pyritic rocks by a single precipitation of barium sulfate after nitrate fusion, by L. E. Reichen- Chemical analysis of sphene-Spectrophotometric determination of silicon, aluminum, titanium, total iron, and phos-

phorus, by Robert Meyrowitz . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determination of mercury in crude oils, by M. E. Hinkle- -- - - - - - ---- - - - - - - ---- - - --------- ------------------ - - - - Application of triple coincidence counting and of fire-assay separation to the neutron-activation determination of iridium,

by L. P. Greenland, J. J. Rowe, and J. I. Dinnin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . I ----------- Determining fluoride in rocks with a specific ion electrode, by B. L. Ingram and Irving May ------------------------ Chromium content of U.S. Geological Survey standard rocks P C G 1 (peridotite) and DTS-1 (dunite), by Claude

Huffman, Jr., V. E. Shaw, and J. A. Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Determination of tellurium in geologic materials in the parts-per-billion range, by A. E. Hubert ------------------,-- Substoichiometric determination of tantalum by neutron activation, by L .P. Greenland and E. Y. Campbell-- - ------ Thermal method for quantitative determination of nahcolite in Colorado oil shale, by J. R. Dyni, Wayne Mountjoy,

P. L. Hauff, and P. D. Blackmon . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Identification of serpentine varieties by infrared absorption, by R. W. Luce . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Remote sensing

Thermal infrared detection of glaoial gravel, Yellowstone National Park, Wyo., by H. A. Waldrop ------------- --,--- 202

Laboratory facilities

A dean laboratory for mineralogical and geochemical studies, by M. B. Duke and R. F. Commeau-- ---------------- 207

HYDROLOGIC STUDIES

Estuarine hydrology

Dispersion computation and temperature simulation for the Connecticut River estuary by mathematical model, by L. A . W e i s s - , - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 211

Urban hydrology

Effects of urbanization on sediment transport in Be1 Pre Creek basin, Maryland, by T. H. Yorke and W. J. Davis----- 218

Ground water

Water-level surfaces in the aquifers of western Long Island, N.Y., in 1959 and 1970, by G. E. Kimmel--------------- 224 Availability of ground water from limestone and dolomite aquifers in northwest Ohio and its relation to geologic structure,

by 6 . E. Norris and R. E. Fidler . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 229 Preliminary consideration of movement of ground water from infiltration areas on the Llano Estacado, Texas and New

Mexico, by C. V. Theis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 236 Origin of mineralized ground water in Precambrian rocks, northeast Brazil, by S. L. Schoff . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 244 Regional specific yield of Coamo fan, Puerto Rico, computed by water-budget method, by E. V. Giusti-- - - - - - - - - - - - - 248 Earthquake-accelerated decline of water level in an observation well in St. Thomas, V.I., by T. M. Robison--- - - - - - - - - 252

Surface water

Resistance to flow in flat-bed sand channels, by C. H. Scott and J. K. Culbertson- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - 254

Hydrologic techniques

The unit hydrograph-A technique for routing reservoir releases, by V. B. Sauer . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 259 A method of calculating permeability from electric logs, by M. G. Croft--- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - ------- - - - - - - - - - - - 265 The use of well logging in recharge studies of the Ogallala Formation in west Texas, by W. S. Keys and R. F. Brown- - 270

INDEXES


This collection of 46 short papers is the first published chapter of "Geological Survey Research 1971." The papers report on scientific and economic results of current work by members of the Geologic and Water Resources Divisions of the U.S. Geological Survey.

Chapter A, to be published later in the year, will present a summary of significant results of work done in fiscal year 1971, together with lists of investigations in progress, reports published, cooperating agencies, and Geological Survey offices.

"Geological Survey Research 1971" is the twelfth volume of the annual series ~ e o l o ~ i c a l Survey Research. The eleven volumes already published are listed below, with their series designations.

Prof. Paper 400 424 450 475 501 525 550 575 600 650 700


LISBURNE GROUP, CAPE LEWIS-NIAK CREEK, NORTHWESTERN ALASKA

By A. K. ARMSTRONG, B. 1. MAMET,' and J. THOMAS DUTRO, Jr.,

Menlo Park, Calif., Montreal, Canada, Washington, D.C.

Abstract.-Sections of Lisburne Group, Carboniferous (Missis- sipian), were measured in structurally complex terrane on rootless allochthonous thrust sheets. Exposures a t Cape Lewis exceed 3,100 stratigraphic feet and consist of 1,284 feet of Visean (lower Chester) shales and carbonates of the Nasorak Forma- tion and 1,864 feet of "Namurian" (middle and upper Chester) carbonates of the Kogruk Formation. An incomplete 215-foot- thick section of the Nasorak Formation a t Niak Creek is upper- most Meramec, lowermost Chester equivalent. On an underly- ing thrust sheet a t Niak Creek, an incomplete section of the Kogruk Formation is 715 feet thick and is a Meramec age equivalent. Within these sections six foraminifera1 assemblage zones are recognized and tied to the Cordilleran and Eurasian standards. A fauna of 14 taxa of lithostrotionoid carols is also present in the beds of Meramec and earliest Chester age. Corals are rare in beds younger than earliest Chester.

sures of these rocks, whereas inland, on the rubble- covered slopes of the Lisburne Hills, the Lisburne Group is very poorly exposed.

The 3,100-foot-thick composite section at Cape Lewis is formed by three measured sections, 68A-9, 68A-10, and 68A-11. These sections are believed to be one thrust sheet and make up a nearly complete representation of the Lisburne Group. The Cape Lewis section is trun- cated at its base by structurally complex terrane and tundra cover; the top of the section is tundra cover and a possible thrust fault surface (figs. 3, 4).

The two sections near Niak Creek are incomplete partial sections of the Lisburne Group. Section 68A-12, north of Niak Creek, is 715 feet thick. The base of the section is above a thick tectonic breccia zone and the top is a thrust fault surface (fig. 5A) . Section 68~-13,

In lQ6' Dutm and Armstrong measured and south of Niak Creek, is 215 feet thick and is bounded by samples from five sections of the Lisburne Group on ses

(fig. 55). cliffs adjacent to the Arctic Ocean in northwestern A zonation for the Lisburne in Alaska (figs. 1 and 2). Carbonate classification used is the central and eatenl Range Dunham's the exPosums studied are On by Armstrong, Mamet, and Dutm (1970). The pgra less thrust sheets. The sea cliffs afford excellent expo- phic and biostratigraphic relations of the measured

1 Universite de Montreal. sections on the sea cliffs of northwestern Alaska to the

70'

69'

68'

166' 164" 162" 160" 158" 156" 154" 152" 150' 148' 146' 144" 142'

FIQUBE 1.-Index map of arctic Alaska, showing location of sectiow referred to in figurea3 2 and 6.

U.8. GEOL. SURVEY PROF. PAPER 750-B. PAGES B2&BM B23

B24 PALEONTOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY

0 1 2 3 4 5 MILES

E~QUBE 2.-Index map ~howing location of measured sections described.

Lisburne Group of the central and eastern Brooks Range is shown in figures 1 and 6.

The oldest carbonate rock found in the sea cliff sections is at the base of section 68A-12, north of Niak Creek. These rocks now rest on a thick zone of tectonic breccias. Undoubtedly, there were older carbonates in this section before the tectonic activity that produced the thick breccia zone (fig. 5d) . The higher beds of seotion 68A-12 are extensively dolomitized; the Foram- inifera present indicate an undetermined Vikan age for this interval.

Section 68A-13, oil the south side of Niak Creek, is on a higher thrust sheet which overrides the thrust sheet bearing section 68A-12. Below the base of section 68A- 13 is a sequence of pamlic sediments : dark-gray shales, coals, siltstones, and sandstones. These secliments a p pear to be in gradational contact with the marine limestones of section 68A-13. Detailed study of these paralic clastic sediments is difficult bemuse exposures are poor, and there are numerous small folds and faults. The Foraminifera of section 68A-13 are of late zone 15 and represent an age near or equivalent of the Meramec- C11ester boundary.

The thick composite section a t Cape Lewis compris- ing sections 68A-9, 68A-10, and 68A-11 is a b u t 3,100 feet thick ; microfossils indicate a late ViAan age (early Chester), zone 16i a t the base and a "Namurian" zone 18 (late Chester) in the youngest exposed beds. As the top of section 68A-11 is covered by soil and tundra, beds younger than zone 18 may be present in the Kogruk Formation.

NASORAK FORMATION

The Nasorak Formation was named by Campbell (1967, p. 7), who designated as its type section a section in a sea cliff adjacent to the mouth of Nasorak Creek near Cape Thompson.

South of Cape Lewis, the Nasorak Formation is exposed in the sea cliffs (fig. 3A), where 1,282 feet of the lower part of section 68A-9 was assigned to this forrna- tion (figs. e 4 , B ) . At this locality the Nasorak Forma- tion can 'be divided irrto four lithic units.

The base of the measured section begins at or on the beach. Neither the composition nor the age of the under- lying rocks is known, but they probably are Mississip pian clastic rocks deposited in paralic or continental environments. The lowest unit consists of 355 feet of shales, siltstones, argillaceous limestones, limestones, and minor amounts of sandstones. The limestones and shale beds are generally 1 to 5 feet thick.

Unit 2, which is 295 feet thick, is composed primarily of dark-gray shales with lesser amounts of siltstone and sandstone. A massive limestone, about 15 feet thick, occurs near the middle of the unit. This limestone is overlain by gray to inedium-brown calcareous shales that have a gradational contact with the massive cherty limestones of unit 3 (fig. 48).

This dark-gray carbonaceous shale zone could pos- s?bly, under proper conditions, be a source bed for petroleum.

Unit 3 consists of 250 feet of massive-bedded light- gray to gray echinoderm-bryozoan packstone. Two covered intervals, 15 and 35 feet thick, are present (fig. 48). The top of unit 3 is marked by a creek bed. The highest 20 feet of the unit contains a large number of lithostrotionoid corals. The gravel and soil associated with the creek bed covers some 150 stratigraphic feet of section.

Unit 4 is 232 feet thick. The base, exposed on the north side of the creek, is a 15-foot-thick sequence of thin-bedded gray limy mudstones and gray calcareous shales. The next 51 feet is covered. This is followed by 164 feet of shales, calcareous gray shales, and thin- bedded argillaceous lime mudstones.

The top of the Nasorak Formation at Cape Lewis was picked at the occurrence of the first massive gray

ARMSTRONG, MAMET, AND DUTRO B25

FIGURE 3.-Gape Lewis, oblique view to tlhe east. -4, South end of sea cliff, showing loeation of secbion 686-9. B, Middle part of sea cliff, showing location of section 68A-10. C, North end of sea cliff, M40, showing location of section 686-11. The section marked "620-1090" is the upper part af

section 686-10 ( See B ) .


Cape Lewis 68A-9

a m *E

N

K 0 .-

4-

m - E L

0 LL

Y m L

0 V)

m Z

Ic Ln a,

68A-9 . Base of section Base of section 68A- 10

F r a w ~ 4.-Stratig~apbic sections at Cape Lewis. Mimofossil collections C5 to El7 shown in the section "Microfossil Lists." A, Stratigraphic section 688-9, Nasaak Formation. B, Stratigraphic section 688-9, continued ; section 688-10, Nasomk and Kogruk Formations. C, Stratigraphic section 688-10, continued ; section 68A-11, Kogruk Formation.

ARMSTRONG, MAMET, AND DUTRO B2T

echinoderm-bryozoan wackestones and packstones (figs. 400 ------ LITHOLOGIC

I 3 8 and 4 3 ) not followed by another cycle or sequence h2

of shale or argillaceous limestone. Limestone The section 68A-13, south of Niak Creek, is only 215

639 feet thick and is a partial representation of the lower Dolomitic part of Nasorak Formation. The section (fig. 58, B ) is limestone a rhythmic sequence of dark-gray calcareous shales, Ei!l argillaceous limestones, and 1- to 5-foot beds of me-

Calcareous d i m - to dark-gray bryozoan-echinoderm wackestones dolomite

Ea and packstones. Dark-gray nodular chert is common,

Dolomite and commonly the limestones are slightly dolomitized. Dolomite is common as scattered rhombs within the

Top of section Shale rnicrite matrix.

68A-10 tL] KOGRUK FORMATION Sandstone

Sable and Dutro (1961, p. 592) named the Kogruk 2; Chert Formation for the thick sequence of Carboniferous

0 (Mississippian) limestone in the western DeLong Corals Mountains. The Kogruk Formation in the Cape Lewis

sections is more than 1,864 feet thick. The lower 232 feet of the Kogruk Formation is in the upper part of section 68A-9. These beds are massive, light-gray to gray, crossbedded echinoderm-bryozoan packstones and wackestones. An inaccessible interval, possibly 100 to 200 feet thick, that forms a cliff separates the top of section 688-9 from the base of section 68A-10 (fig. 4 B ) . Section 68A-10, which is 1,090 feet thick, is composed of massive carbonates. The lower 247 feet is a series of shallow-water cyclic carbonates. The cycles, each of which may be 20 feet thick or may exceed 120

Top of section 68A.11 and the Cape feet, are formed by a series of 1- to 50-foot-thick beds Lewis section; tundra which range in composition from grainstone formed

i by rounded bioclasts of bryozoans and echinoderms upward into packstones and wackestones that are capped by fine-grained siliceous and cherty dolomites. A 63- foot-thick light-gray, crossbedded echinoderm-bryozoan packstone-grainstone (fig. 4B) is present from 247

" to 320 feet above the base of 68A-10. From 360 to 470 2 feet is a massive sequence of medium- to thin-bedded brownish-gray to brownish-black lime mudstone to - well-sorted fine-grained bryozoan-echinoderm packstone. The unit contains 1- to 3-inch-long bodies of irregular-shaped grayish-black to black chert (fig. 7). From 570 to 1,090 feet is a sequence consisting of thin- to medium-bedded, gray to medium-gray cherty echinoderm grainstones that grade upward into lime mudstones and dolomites.

The base of section MA-11 (fig. 40) is believed to be within a few tens of feet stratigraphically from the

Base of section C

top of 6811-10. Section 68A-11 is approximately 542 68A- 1 1 feet, thick, and the top is marked by tundra and soil

FIQUBE 4. cover. The nature of the beds that overlie this section is


~ ~ n h o w n . Section 68A-11 is composed of light-gray to p a y limestone 'and dolomites containing light-_pay to gray nodular chert. The limestones are primarily echinoderm-bryozoan wackestones and packstones. The beds tend to be massive.

Section 68A-12, north of Niak Creek (fig. 5A: B), is 715 feet thick and is %n incomplete section of the Iiog- ruk Formation bounded a t its top land bottom by fault surfaces.

The bottom 45 feet of the section (fig. 8) is darli-gray argillaceous wackestones containing abundant colonial corals. The remaining 670 feet is composed of light- to medium-gray limestones and dolomites with nodular chert in varying amounts. The rock types are wacks- stones to echinoderm-bryozoan grainstones. Dolomiti- zation is common. The beds from 35 to 225 feet above the base am light-brown-gray dolomites. The remainder of the section is a series of beds composed of lime mudstones, echinoderm-bryozoan packstones, and grainstones showing varying degrees of dolomitization.

United States (Sando and others, 1969). Armstrong, Mamet, and Dutro (1970) used these microfaunal assemblage zones to correlate the Lisburne Group of the eastern and central Brooks Range.

The microfacies of Alaska, as in most of the Taimyr- Alaska foraminifera1 realm (Mamet, 1962; Mamet and Belford, 1968), are generally poor in foraminifers and dgae. Within the sections of the Lisburne Group studied in the sea cliffs of northwestern Alaska, six foraminiferal assemblages can be recognized and tied to the Cordilleran and Eurasiatic Carboniferous zona- tions (Sando and others, 1969).

The middle Vi&an zone 13 is identified on the presence of archaediscids (Archuediscus of the Group A. krestounikovi Rauzer-Chernoussova) , endobhyrids (Eo- endothymnnopsis of the group E. pressa Grozdilova in Lebedeva) , Globoendothyra sp., eoforschiids (Eofor- schia) , and primitive bradyinids (Endothyranopsis) .

No characteristic assemblage zone 14 has been found. The top of zone 15 is recognized on the basis of en-

dothyrids, and the 15/161 boundary is placed at the ex- BIOSTRATIGRAPHY tinction of Eoendothyranopsis-Eoforschia; Endothyra

Microfavnal assemblage zones sensu strict0 and ZeZZek become an important ele- Microfaunal assemblage zones are used in this &udy. ment the microfauna.

These zones have been used by Mamet and Gabrielse Zone 161 is poorly represented throughout the en- (1969), Mamet and Mason (1968), and Mamet (1968) tire Cape Lewis 688-9 section ; the microfauna is re- to correlate the Carboniferous of western Canads with duced to scarce small endothyrids, archaediscids, and the Carboniferous of the northern Cordilleran of the tetrataxids.

A FIGWE 5.-Stratigraphic sections on Niak Creek. Mtcmfossil collections A1 to B4 shown in the section "Microfossil Lists."

A, North Niak Creek section, 688-12, and south Niak Creek section. 68A-13. Oblique view to the east. B, Stratigraphic section 688-12, north Niak Greek, and section 688-13, south Niak Creek.

ARMSTRONG, M A I LET, AND DUTRO B29

N

68A-12 Base of section

orth Niak Creek 68A- 12

South Niak Creek 68A- 13

Top of section ,68A-13 1

Base of section 68A- 13

Zone 16, is characterized by the outburst of Neo- archwdiscus Plunospirodiscus, and zone 17 by tlie ap- pearance of Asteroarchaediscus.

The youngest Carboniferous zone identified in this report is in the late early "Namurian" (Eumorphoceras equivalent) zone 18, identified on the presence of Glo- 6ivalz1ulina? of the group G. pama Chernysheva mixed with very abundant Asteroarchaediscus and Planospirodiscus.

Microfossil lists (stratigraphic location shown on figs. 4 and 5)

A1 (0-220 feet) Microf acies

Archaediscus sp. Archaediscus of the group A. krestovnikovi Rauzer-Chernous-

sova. Brunsia sp. Calcisphaera sp. CaEcisphaera laevis Williamson. Calcisphaera pachysphaerica (Pronina) . Earlandia, sp. Earlandia clavatula (Howchin). Earlandia vulgaris ( Rawer-Chernousmva and Reitlinger). Endothyra sp. Endothyra? of the group E.? prisca Rauzer-Chernoussova and

Reitlinger. Endothyranopsis sp. Endothyranopsis compresw (Rauzer-Chernoussova and Reit-

linger). Eoendothyranopsis sp. Eoendothyranopsis of the group E. pressa (Grozdibva in

Lebedeva) . Eoendothyranopsis? redwalli ( Skipp) . Eoforschia sp. Glo boendothyra sp. Globoendothyra of the group Q. tomilienais (Grozdilova) . Palaeotextularia sp. Parathurarnmirro sp.

Age: zone 13, late middle VisBan, St. Louis equivalent.

M(220-400 feet) Micmfacies

Archaediscus sp. Archaediscus of the group A. krestovnikovi Rawer-Chernous-

sova. Brunsia sp. Calcisphaera sp. Calcisphaera laevis Williamson. Caloisphaera pachysphaerica (Pronina) . Endothyra sp. Endothyra of the group 1. bowmani Phillips in Brown. Globoendothyra sp.

Age : undetermined V N a n zone.

A3 (600-710 feet) Microf acies

Arohaedisous of the group A. krestovnikovi Rauzer-Chernous sova.

Endothyra of the group 1. bowmani Phillips i n Brown. Age : undetermined Vi&an zone.

#30 PALEONTOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY

F I Q ~ E 6.-Regional stratigraphic correlaticm chart for the Lisburne G m p of northwestern Alaska with the Lisburne Group of the central and eastern Brooks Range.

ARMSTRONG, MA LVET, AND DUTRO B31

F I G ~ E 7.-Sea cliff showing the massive, thin-bedded dark- brownish-gray limestone present in section 68A-10, from 375 to 450 feet above the base. These beds a r e overlain by light- gray bryozoan-echinoderm wackestones and packstones.

FIBUEE 8.-View of the sea clifP a t the base of section 68A-12, north of Niak Creek. Below the 715-foot level is a thick zone of tectonic breccia. The arrows point to two lithostrotionoid coral colonies. The bedding surface and the sides of the bed contain numerous coralla. Although coralla a r e very abundant, only 5 taxa are present.

B4 (C215 feet) ~Microf acies

Calcisphaera sp. Calcisplmera laevia WiPliamson. Calcisphaera sp.

Earlandia of the group E. clavatula ( Howchin). Earlandia of the group E. vcblgcuris (Rauzer-Chernoussova and

Reitlinger). Endothyra sp. Endothyra of the group E. bowman$ Phtllips i n Brown. Endothyranopsis sp. Endothyranopsis cf. E. orassa (Brady) . Eoendotkyranopsis sp. Eoendothyrampsis of the group E. pressa (Grozdilova in

Lebedeva ) . Glo boendothyra sp. Tetrataxis sp.

Bge : zone 15 (top of the zone), middle late Vidan, Meramec- Chester bound,ary equivalent.

C5 (0-1543 feet) Microf acies

Archaediscus sp. Calcisphaera laevis Williamson. Cornuspira sp. Endothyra sp. Endothgra of the group E. bowrnani Phillips in Brown. Globoendothyra sp. T e t r a t a d sp. Tetrataxis of the group T . angusta Vissarionova. Tetrataxis of the group T. oonica. Ehren~berg emend von MBller. Zellerina sp.

Age: zone 16,, early late late Vidan, early Chester.

C6 (225-355 feet) ivlicrof acies

Calcisphaera sp. Cornuspira sp. Earlandia ,sp. Endothyra sp. Endothyra of the group E. bouimani Phillips i n Brown. Endothyra? of the group E.? prisca Rawer-Chernoussova and

Reitlinger. Globoendothyra sp. T e t r a t a d sp. Tstrataxis of the group T . angusta Vissarionova. Tetrataxis of t h e grorup T. c&oa Ehrenlberg emend von Moller.

Age: zone 161, early late la te Vidan, early Chester equivalent.

C7 (450-460 feet) Xicrofacies

Calcisphaera sp. Ear lwdia sp. Earlmdia vulgaris ( Rauzer-Chernoussova and Reitlinger). Endothyra sp. Endothyra of bhe group E. bOum~Z& Phillips i n Brown. cf. Neoarchaediscus sp. Tetrataxis sp.

Age: zone 161, early late late Vidan, early Chester equivdent.

CS (575-740 feet) Xicrofacies Age : undetermined.

Earlandia sp. Earlandia sp. Emdothyra sp.


CS (770-900feet) Microf acies

Calcisphaera sp. Ewlandia sp. Earlandia vulgaris (Rauzer-Chernoussova and Reitlinger). Endothyra sp. Endothura of the group E. bowmani Phillips in Brown. Endothyra? of the group E.? prisca Rauzer-Chernoumova and

Reitlinger. ffloboendothyra sp. Tetratanis sp. Tetratania of the group T. angzlsta Vissarionova. Tetrataxis of the group T. conioa Ehrenberg emend won Mdller.

Age: zone 161, early late ViS&n, early Chester equivalent.

Clo (1,120-1,415 feet) Mimof acies

Calcisphaera sp. Earlandia sp. Endothyra sp.

Age : undetermined

C l l (1,415-1,500 feet) Microfacies

Archaediscus sp. Archaediscus krestovnikovi Rauzer-Chernoussova. Brunsia sp. Diplosphaerina sp. EarZandia sp. Endothyra sp. Neoarchaediscus sp. Planospirodiscus 8p.

Pseudoglomospira? sp. Age : zone 16., latest Visean, early Chester equivalent.

Dl2 (0-75 feet ) Microfacies

Archaediscus sp. Archaediscus krestovnikwi Rauzer-Chernoussova. Brunsia sp. Calcisphaera sp. Cornuspira sp. Endothyra (sp. ,

h-arnaem sp. Pseudoglomospira sp. Stacheoides sp.

Age : undetermined.

Dl3 (125-175 feet) Microfacies

Archaedisczls sp. Archaediscus kres twnikwi Kauzer-Chernoussova. Brumia sp. Calcisp hacra sp. Cornuspira sp. Endothyra sp. Stacheoides sp.

Age : undetermined.


Archaediscus sp. Archaedhwa of the group A. chernoussovensis Mamet.

Archaediscus of the group A. moelleri Rauzer-Chernoussova. Archaediscus krestovnikovi Rauzer-Chernoussova. . Asteroarchaedisczrs sp. Brunsia sp. Endothyra sp.

Age : zone 17, earliest "Nan~urian," Glen Dean equivalent of the Chester Series.


Calcisph.aera sp. Earlandia sp. Eostaffella sp.

Age : undetermined.

Dl6 (1,050-1,090 feet) Microfacies

Archaediscus sp. Archaediscus of the group A. chernoussovensis Mamet. Archaediscus krestovnikovi Rauzer-Chernoussova. Archaediscus of the group A. moelleri Rauzer-Cl~ernoussova. Asteroarchaediscus sp. Endothyra sp. Endothyra of the group E. bowmani Phillips i n Brown. Eostaffella sp. Palaeotextula?-ia sp. Planospirodiscus sp.

Age: zone 17, earliest "Namurian," Glen Dean equivalent of the Chester Series.

El7 (375525 feet) Microfacies

Archaediscus sp. Archaediscus lcrestowl~ikovi Rauzer-Chernoussova. Asteroarchaediscus sp. Calcisphaera sp. Cornuspira sp. Endothyra sp. GZobivalvuZian? of the group Q. ? parva Chernysheva. Planospirod~cus sp. Pseudoendothyra sp. Stacheoides sp.

Age: zone 18, late early 'Namurian," late Chester equivalent.

lithostrotionoid coral zones

The known stratigraphic distribution of lithostrotionoid coral species within the Lisburne Group (Mis- sissippian) of the Lisburne Hills and sea cliff exposures and species from DeLong Mountains (Armstrong, 1970b) are shown in figure 9.

The base of the Korth Niak Creek section 68A-l2 contains the oldest coral fauna known in the region. Although a large number of lithostrotionoid corals were collected, thin-section studies reveal only four species : Lithostrotion (Siphonodendron) warre& Nelson, Lith - ostrotionella banffensis (Warren), and two new and undescribed species of Lithostrotionella. This coral fauna is found in association with a middle Visean (middle Meramec), late zone 13 microfauna.

ARMSTRONG, MA LMET, AND DUTRO B33

FIGTJBE 9.-Stratigraphic range of lithostrotionoid corals in the Lisburne Group of northwestern Alaska.

S y s t e m

S e r i e s Provincial series

Microfaunal assemblage zones

Lithostrotionella aff. L. banffensis (Warren)

Lithostrotionella sp. A. -- - - - - - --- - Lithostmtionella banffmsis (Warren) - -- -- Lithostrotwn (S.) sinuosum (Kelly) - - - - - - - Lithostrotion (S.) warreni Nelson - - - - - - - Lithostrotionella sp. B - - - - - - - - - - - - Lithostrotionella mclareni (Sutherland) -- -- Thysanophyllum as traei fme (Warren) - - - - Thysanuphyllum orientale Thomson - - - - - - Seiophyllum lambarti Harker and Mclaren -. - - SciophyUum alaskaensis Armstrong - - - - - - Lithostrotionella birdi Armstrong -- - - - - - - Lithostmticm (S.Isp.A

Diphyphyllum aff. D. klamkensis Armstrong-

Lithostmtionella aff. L. mclareni (Sutherland)-

Lithostrotionella sp. C . -- - - -- - - - - -,

The South Niak Creek section 68A-13, which is at the zone 15-16 boundary, contains a prolific fauna of lithostrotionoid corals, Lithostrotion (Siphonodend- ron) sinuosum (Kelly), L. (8.) warreni Nelson, a new and undescribed species of Lithostrotwn (Siphonodelz- dron) , Diphyph yllum aff. D. kZawockemis Armstrong, Lithostrotionella banffemis (Warren), L. birdi Arm- strong, L. mclareni (Sutherland) , Thysanoph ylZum astraeiforme (Warren), Xciophyllum lambarti Harker and McLaren, and S. alaskaemis Armstrong.

The lower 900 feet of the Cape Lewis section 68A-9 is equivalent to the basal Chester, zone 16, as indicated by the Foraminifera, and has a lithostrotionoid coral fauna of Lith ostrotion (Siphonodendron) sinuosum (Kelly) , L. (8.) warreni Nelson, a new species of Lith- ostrotion (Xiphonodend~on) , Diph yph yllma aff. D. klawockensis Armstrong, Lithostrotionella banffelzsis (Warren), L. birdi Armstrong, L. mclareni (Suther- land), Thysanophyllum astraeifome (Warren), and Sciophyllum Zambarti Harker and McLaren.

Many of the species collected from the Lisburne Hills sea cliffs are known to occur in the Kogruk For- mation of the DeLong Mountains. Armstrong (1970b) reports the following species of coral from the Meramec zones 14 and 15 of the Kogruk Formation of the De- Long Mountains : Lithostrotion (Siphonodendron) sinuosum (Kelly) , L. (8.) warreni Nelson, Lith ostro- t~onelh banfen& (Warren), L. birdi Armstrong, L. mzareni (Sutherland) , Th ysanoph ylZum astraeifome

(Warren), Scioph ylhm lambarti Harker and Mc- Laren, and S. alaskaemis Armstrong.

A middle to late Meramec coral fauna that is associated with a Foraminifera fauna is reported by Arm- strong (1970a) from the northwestern coastal regions of the Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska. This coral fauna has in common with the fauna of this report the following species : L. (8.) warreni Nel- son, Diphypkyllum klawockemis Armstrong, L. banffensiis (Warren), L. birdi Armstrong, T. astraeifome (Warren), and S. alaskaemis Armstrong.

Comparison of the coral faunas of &he Lisburne Group with the four coral assemblages of Macqueen and Blamber (1968) from the Mount Head Formation of southwestern Albenta suggests that khe extinotion of L. (8.) zoarreni Nelson, Thysamophyllum astraeifom (Warren), and Lithostrotionella melaremi (8uther- land) could <be slightly later in Alaska than in Alberta, Canada.

M i s s i s s i p p i a n

Foraminifera suggest that &he Lisburne Group coral fauna at the nonth of the Niak Creek section (68A-12) is la time equivalent of Macqueen and Bamber's faunal assemblage 2 from the Mount Head Formaltion and of Sando, Mamet, and D&roys coca1 zone E from the northern Cordillera of the United States. The coral fauna from South Niak Creek section 68A-13 and the lower 900 feet of the Cape Lawis section 68A-9 is an equivalent of Macqueen 'and Bamber's fossil assemblage 4 and of the upper part of Sando, Mamet, and Dutro's (1969) coral zone F.

Meramec

13 / 14 / 15 --- --

-- --

-- --

The limikations encountered in attempting to corn- pare athe coral fauna of northwestern Al'aska with those of Alberta are ,matly magnified when comparisons a1.e made with coral faunas of the northern Cordillera of the United States. Sando, Mamet, and Dutro's list of fossil corals (1969, p. E7) from the Cordilleran region of the United Stahes shows no species in common with the Lisburne Group faunas.

The microfossil assemblage (fig. 9) indicates that the prolific Kogruk Fomation cord fauna straddles the Meramec-Chester boundary and extends into &he lower Chester. Field studies in the Cape Lewis-Niak Creek region, and also across lthe Brooks Range, indicate that this coral assemblage became extinct during the early part of zone 16,.

Above zone 16,, colonial corals are relattively rare. Specimens of two new species of lithostrotionid corals were collected in the canbonates of zone 16, at Cape Lewis. A few solitary corals were the only corals found at Cape Lewis in the upper Chester limestones of zones 17 and 18.

U p p e r Chester

16i 1 16, / 17 1 18

- -


REFERENCES

Armstrong, A. K., 1970a, Niesimippian rugose corals, Peratro- vich Formation, west coast, Prince of Wales Island, southeastern Alaska. U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 534, 44 p. - 1970b, Ca-nate facies and lithoetrotionid corals of the

Wssissippian K o m k Formation, DeLong Mountains, northwestern Alaska: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 664, 38 g.

Armstrong, A. K., Mamet, B. L., and Dutro, J. T., Jr., 1970, Foraminifera1 zonation and ca~bomte facies of the Mississippian and Pennsylvanian Lisburne Group, central and eastern Brooks Range, Alaska: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., V. 54, no. 5, p. 687-898,4 figs.

Bmsher, A. L., and Dutro, J. T., Jr., 1957, The Paleozoic motion in the Shainin Lake area, centml Brooks Range, Alaska: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 303-8, 39 p., 6 pls., 4 figs.

Oampbell, R. H.. 1967, Areal geology in the vicinity of 6he Chariot site, Lisburne Peninsula, nonthwestern & a s h : U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 395, 71 p., 1 pl., 28 figs.

DunZlsm, R. J., 1962, Classifi~8~tion of carbonate rocks according to depositional texture, in Cla~sification of carbonate rocks-A symposium : Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Mem. 1, p. 108-121,8 pls.

Macqueen, R. W., and Bamber, E. W., 1968, Stratigwphy and facies relationshibp of the upper MissLsippian Mount Head Formation, Rocky Mountains and foothills, southwestern Alberta : Canadian Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., v. 16, no. 3, p. 225-287.

Mamet, B. L., 1962, Remarques sur la microfaune de Fommini- feres du Dinantien: Soc. Geol. Belgique Bull., v. 70, no. 2, p. 166-173.

1968, Foraminifera, Etherington Formation (Chrbonifer- ous), Alberta, Canada: Canadian Assoc. Petroleum Geolo- gists Bull., r. 16, no. 2, p. 167-179.

Vamet, B. L., and Belford, D. J., 1968, Cafioniferous Foramini- fera, Bonaparte Gulf Basin, northwestern Austmlk : Micro- paleontology, v. 14, no. 3, p. 339-847.

Mamet, B. L., and Gabrielse, H., 1989, Foraminifera1 zonation and stratigraphy of ,the type section of the Nizi Formation (Carrboniferous systems, Chwteran Stage), British Colum- bia : Canada Geol. Survey Paper 69-16, p. 1-21,6 .figs.

Mamet, B. L., and Mason, D., 1968, Foraminferal zonation of the lower Ca&oniferous Connor Lake section, British Columbia : Canadian Assoc. Petroleum Geologists Bull., v. 16, no. 2, p. 147-166.

Sable, E. G., and Dutro, J. T., Jr., 1961, New Devonian and Mississippian Formations in DeLong Mountains, northern Alaska: Am. Assoc. Petroleum Geologiets Bull., v. 45, no. 5, p. 585-593,4 figs.

Sando, W. J., Mamet, B. L., and Dutro, 3. T., Jr., 1969, Car- lboniferous megafauml and microfctunal zonation in the northern Cordillera of the United States : U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 61S-E, 29 p.


PALEOCENE MOLLUSKS FROM THE GULF OF ALASKA

TERTIARY PROVINCE-A SIGNIFICANT NEW OCCURRENCE

ON THE NORTH PACIFIC RIM

By WARREN 0 . ADDICOTT and GEORGE PLAFKER, Menlo Park, Calif.

A betract.-Marine mollusks of Paleocene age occur near the STRATIGRAPHIC OCCURRENCE - - - --- base of a sequence Of continental and marine strata mapped as the Kul'thieth Formation in the foothills of the St. Elliag Moun- The TurritezZa and indeterminate fmgments tains, southern Alaska. The g a s t r o w Turritella meriami bre- mollusks, including a nuculanid, were collected from a vttabulata Aterriam and ~ u i n e r indicates correlation with the hard, massive sandstone near the base of a sequence of upper Paleocene "Meganos Stage" of the Pacific m 2 of the conterminous United States. The fossils from the Makspina district (lat 60" N.) provide evidence of the oldest marine strata thus far recorded from the Gulf of Alaska Tertiary province, the oldest previously known strata being of middle or late Bocene age. They also record the first occurrence of marine Paleocene from north of California ( b t 40' N.). Accordingly, Paleocene seas were not of restricted distribution but in act extended over broad areas along the North Pacific rim.

One of the more puzzling aspects of the paleogeo- graphic history of the North Pacific basin has been the apparent constriction of marine deposition during the Paleocene in contrast to the widespread occurrence of marine strata of Late Cretaceous and Eocene age. Mai rine Eocene strata, for example, occur along the west coast of the conterminous United States, Canada, and southern Alaska, but rocks of Paleocene age have previously been reported only from low latitudes-no far- ther north than northern California near lat 40" N. (fig. 1)-

I n this paper we report the first documentation of marine strata of Paleocene age from the north Pacific margin near l& 60" N. The new record is based upon the gastropod TurriteZZa ~nerriami brevitabulata Merriam and Turner (1937). The collection was made in 1968 by George Plafker in a remote part of the rugged southern foothills of the St. Elias Mountains within the Gulf of Alaska Tertiary province (fig. 2).

B48 U.S. GEOL. SURVEY PROF.

FIGURE 1.-Index map of the northeastern part of the Pacific Basin, showing Paleocene occurrences of Turritella Herriami brevitabulata Merriam and Turner.

PAPER 760-B, PAGES B48-852

ADDICOTT AND PLAFKER B49

i

Dotted where concealed. Sawteeth an upper plate

55'- + Approximate axin

of anticline + Strike and dip of beds

RGUBE 2.-Index map of the northern Gulf of Alaska region, showing the approximate outcrop areas of lower !&rtiary rocks and 1oca.lities referred to in the text.

terrestrial and marine strata mapped by Plafker and Miller (1957) as tlie Kulthieth Formation. The Kul- thieth Formation is part of a belt of Paleogene sedimentary and volcanic rocks that fringes the margin of the Gulf of Alaska from the vicinity of Yakutat Bay westward to the Trinity Islands (fig. 2). At the fossil locality (USGS M4109), at least 3,900 feet of the Kulthieth Formation is exposed in a homoclinal section that strikes roughly north and dips between 90" and 75", with tops to the west (fig. 2). The sequence consists predominantly of uniformly bedded, light-gray to greenish-gray, hard, arkosic sandstone, pebbly sandstone, and sandy pebble conglomerate. Interbedded with the coam clastic rocks are subordinate amounts of

reddish-brown- to orange-weathering, leaf-bearing calcareous sandstone, dark-gray siltstone, and thin beds of sheared bituminous coal.

The Kulthieth Formation is in contact to the east with a highly contorted and sheared sequence of greenish-gray-weathering, gray to dark-gray siltstone containing minor amounts of he-grained laminated sandstone in thin beds or lenses. These rocks were mapped as an unnamed siltstone sequence by Plafker and Miller (1957). Tlie contact between the two units is crudely conformable but is marked by crumpling and slickensiding indicative of differential fault movement between the Kulthieth Formation and the relatively incompetent siltstone sequence. Tlie general map rela-

I352 PALEONTOLOGY AND STRATIGRAPHY

MacNeil, F. S., Wolfe, J. A., drmler, D. J., and Hopkins, D. M., 1961, Correlation of Tertiary formations af Alaska: Am. Aseoc. Petroleum Geologiets Bull., v. 45, no. 11, p. 1801-1800.

Memiam, C. W., 1941, Fwil Turritellas from the Pacific Coa& region of North America : California Univ., Dept. Geol. Sci. BuU, v. 26, no. 1, p. 1-214, pls. 1-41.

Merriam, C. W., and Turner, F. E., 1937, The Capay middle b)ocene of northern California : California Univ., Dept. Geol. Sci. Bull., v. !&I, no. 6, p. 91-114, pls. 5,6.

Miller, D. J., 1951, Qeology of the southeastern part of the Robin- son Mountains, Yakataga district, Alaska: U.S. Geol. Sur- vey Oil and Gas Inv. Map OM-187, scale 1 : 63,360.

1961, .Qeology of the Katalla district, Gulf of Alaska Ter- tiam Province, Alaska : U.S. Geol. Survey open-file map.

Plaiker, George, 1987, Geologic map of the Gulf of Alaska Ter- tiam Province, Alaska: U.S. Geol. Survey Misc. Geol. Inv. Map 1 4 .

Plafker, George, and MacNeil, F. S., 1966, Stratigraphic signifi- cance of Tertiary fossils from the Orca Group in the Prince William Sound region, Alaska, in, Geological Survey Re- search 1966: U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 550-B, p. B62- B68.

Plaiker, George, and Miller, D. J., 1957, Reconnaissance geology of the Malaspina district, Alaska: U.S. Wl. Survey Oil and Gas Inv. Map OM-189, scale 1 : 125,000.

Rathbun, M. J., 1926, The fossil stalk-eyed Crustaceti of the Pacific slope of North America: U.S. Natl. Mus. Bull. 138, 155 p, 39 pls.

Stoneley, Robert, 1967, The structural development of the Qnlf of Alaska sedimentary province in southern Alaska : Qeol. Soc. London Quart. Jour., v. 123, p. 25427.

Weaver, C. E., chm., and others, 1944, Correlation of the marine Cenozoic formations of western North America [Chart 111 : Geol. Soc. America Bull., v. 55, no. 5, p. 56WB8.

Wolfe, J. A., 1969, P a l m e floras from the Gulf of Alaeka region : U.S. Oeol. Survey open-file rept, 110 p.

GEOLOGICAL SURVEY 1971

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