This document summarizes a ground-penetrating radar survey of a delta front reservoir analog in the Wall Creek Member, Frontier Formation in Wyoming. It was conducted by seven authors from the University of Texas at Dallas to map the geometry and estimate sediment volumes of a top-truncated lowstand delta front. Eleven GPR profiles totaling 4,400 meters were acquired and identified four major subsurface reflections correlated with boundaries between clean sandstone and bioturbated sandstone/mudstone facies deposited during different periods. Analysis of the GPR data combined with outcrop sedimentology allowed estimation of average bar size and minimum sediment volumes as the delta migrated over time.
LATE QUATERNARY STRATIGRAPHIC EVOLUTION OF THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO MARGINDaniel Matranga
This document provides an introduction and overview for a volume that presents studies on the late Quaternary stratigraphy of the northern Gulf of Mexico margin. It summarizes that the studies characterize deposition and strata formation from different fluvial and deltaic systems during the most recent glacioeustatic cycle through the analysis of high-resolution stratigraphic data. A key goal is to compare paleogeography and depositional system evolution in different areas to better understand the influences of factors like climate, sediment supply, and sea-level change on stratigraphic architecture. The integration of chronologies between studies allows for the comparison of contemporaneous depositional systems and testing of sequence stratigraphic models.
Subsurface prediction of fluvial systems by Aislyn BarclayDaniel Matranga
This document discusses fluvial depositional models and uses the Late Triassic Chinle Formation in Petrified Forest National Park as a case study. It finds that the Chinle Formation represents a distributary fluvial system rather than a tributary one. As subsidence decreased over time, the fluvial system prograded in a coarsening upward sequence. Paleosol changes reflected relative elevation to the water table rather than changes in aridity. Both tributary and distributary fluvial systems should be considered when interpreting continental strata.
The document discusses developing a new stratigraphic system called "geomechanical stratigraphy" or "fortistratigraphy" to classify rock layers based on their mechanical properties and predict spatial variations in properties. The authors analyze lab and borehole data on rock strength from core samples and well logs to identify trends in properties within depositional sequences. They believe this new stratigraphic approach could help predict geomechanical properties between known stratigraphic boundaries but requires further comparison to other stratigraphic interpretations.
Yavar moshirfar presentation on ESR-A5 program Yavar Moshirfar
This document provides background information on Yavar Moshirfar, including his educational qualifications and research interests. It discusses his field and research experience studying paleontology, stratigraphy, and paleoclimate reconstruction. The main topic of the document is drivers of biodiversity changes in the Ponto-Caspian region. It proposes using dinoflagellate taxonomy, biostratigraphy, and paleoecological proxies combined with statistical analysis to identify environmental drivers that impacted biodiversity, including factors like nutrition, salinity, climate, tectonics, and sea level changes.
The integrated study characterized the reservoir quality and stratigraphy of the Mowry Shale and Muddy Sandstone in the Powder River Basin. Five depositional facies were identified in the Muddy Sandstone based on core and well log analysis, with the cleanest reservoir sands found in tidal inlet and channel deposits. The overlying Mowry Shale consisted of three parasequences deposited in a restricted shelf environment. Seismic inversion and lithofacies modeling were used to map the facies distributions across the 3D seismic volume. The results provide insights into the stratigraphic framework and reservoir characteristics of the two plays to better assess their exploration potential.
Sequence stratigraphy and its applicationsPramoda Raj
Sequence stratigraphy is the study of rock strata in terms of depositional sequences that are genetically related and bounded by unconformities or correlative conformities. It was pioneered by James Hutton in 1788 and further developed by researchers like Sloss and Vail to understand global eustatic sea level changes and their control on sediment deposition. Key concepts include systems tracts like transgressive, highstand, and parasequences which are building blocks of sequences. Sequence stratigraphy is useful for basin analysis, hydrocarbon exploration, and understanding past sea level fluctuations. Case studies have applied it to outcrops and subsurface sediments.
Sequence stratigraphic analysis; methods & methodologyOmar Radwan
This document outlines the methodology for sequence stratigraphic analysis. It begins with background on key principles and concepts like facies, facies associations, and depositional environments. It then discusses various data sources and methods used in the analysis, including facies analysis using sedimentary petrography, ichnology, and paleocurrent directions. Additional methods covered are well logs, seismic data, age dating, and integrating these different data sources and analyses. The workflow progresses from initially evaluating the tectonic setting, to paleodepositional environments, to developing the detailed sequence stratigraphic framework. The goal is a unified, interdisciplinary analysis and interpretation of the stratigraphy.
1. The document discusses multicomponent seismic stratigraphy and elastic wavefield stratigraphy methods. It provides definitions for key terms used in seismic stratigraphy like chronostratigraphic surface, lithostratigraphic surface, depositional sequence, and seismic sequence.
2. Elastic wavefield stratigraphy is a method that uses different wavefield modes to provide unique seismic sequence or facies information not observable with other modes.
3. The document presents examples comparing P-P and P-SV data and reflectivities from brine versus gas-charged sediments.
LATE QUATERNARY STRATIGRAPHIC EVOLUTION OF THE NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO MARGINDaniel Matranga
This document provides an introduction and overview for a volume that presents studies on the late Quaternary stratigraphy of the northern Gulf of Mexico margin. It summarizes that the studies characterize deposition and strata formation from different fluvial and deltaic systems during the most recent glacioeustatic cycle through the analysis of high-resolution stratigraphic data. A key goal is to compare paleogeography and depositional system evolution in different areas to better understand the influences of factors like climate, sediment supply, and sea-level change on stratigraphic architecture. The integration of chronologies between studies allows for the comparison of contemporaneous depositional systems and testing of sequence stratigraphic models.
Subsurface prediction of fluvial systems by Aislyn BarclayDaniel Matranga
This document discusses fluvial depositional models and uses the Late Triassic Chinle Formation in Petrified Forest National Park as a case study. It finds that the Chinle Formation represents a distributary fluvial system rather than a tributary one. As subsidence decreased over time, the fluvial system prograded in a coarsening upward sequence. Paleosol changes reflected relative elevation to the water table rather than changes in aridity. Both tributary and distributary fluvial systems should be considered when interpreting continental strata.
The document discusses developing a new stratigraphic system called "geomechanical stratigraphy" or "fortistratigraphy" to classify rock layers based on their mechanical properties and predict spatial variations in properties. The authors analyze lab and borehole data on rock strength from core samples and well logs to identify trends in properties within depositional sequences. They believe this new stratigraphic approach could help predict geomechanical properties between known stratigraphic boundaries but requires further comparison to other stratigraphic interpretations.
Yavar moshirfar presentation on ESR-A5 program Yavar Moshirfar
This document provides background information on Yavar Moshirfar, including his educational qualifications and research interests. It discusses his field and research experience studying paleontology, stratigraphy, and paleoclimate reconstruction. The main topic of the document is drivers of biodiversity changes in the Ponto-Caspian region. It proposes using dinoflagellate taxonomy, biostratigraphy, and paleoecological proxies combined with statistical analysis to identify environmental drivers that impacted biodiversity, including factors like nutrition, salinity, climate, tectonics, and sea level changes.
The integrated study characterized the reservoir quality and stratigraphy of the Mowry Shale and Muddy Sandstone in the Powder River Basin. Five depositional facies were identified in the Muddy Sandstone based on core and well log analysis, with the cleanest reservoir sands found in tidal inlet and channel deposits. The overlying Mowry Shale consisted of three parasequences deposited in a restricted shelf environment. Seismic inversion and lithofacies modeling were used to map the facies distributions across the 3D seismic volume. The results provide insights into the stratigraphic framework and reservoir characteristics of the two plays to better assess their exploration potential.
Sequence stratigraphy and its applicationsPramoda Raj
Sequence stratigraphy is the study of rock strata in terms of depositional sequences that are genetically related and bounded by unconformities or correlative conformities. It was pioneered by James Hutton in 1788 and further developed by researchers like Sloss and Vail to understand global eustatic sea level changes and their control on sediment deposition. Key concepts include systems tracts like transgressive, highstand, and parasequences which are building blocks of sequences. Sequence stratigraphy is useful for basin analysis, hydrocarbon exploration, and understanding past sea level fluctuations. Case studies have applied it to outcrops and subsurface sediments.
Sequence stratigraphic analysis; methods & methodologyOmar Radwan
This document outlines the methodology for sequence stratigraphic analysis. It begins with background on key principles and concepts like facies, facies associations, and depositional environments. It then discusses various data sources and methods used in the analysis, including facies analysis using sedimentary petrography, ichnology, and paleocurrent directions. Additional methods covered are well logs, seismic data, age dating, and integrating these different data sources and analyses. The workflow progresses from initially evaluating the tectonic setting, to paleodepositional environments, to developing the detailed sequence stratigraphic framework. The goal is a unified, interdisciplinary analysis and interpretation of the stratigraphy.
1. The document discusses multicomponent seismic stratigraphy and elastic wavefield stratigraphy methods. It provides definitions for key terms used in seismic stratigraphy like chronostratigraphic surface, lithostratigraphic surface, depositional sequence, and seismic sequence.
2. Elastic wavefield stratigraphy is a method that uses different wavefield modes to provide unique seismic sequence or facies information not observable with other modes.
3. The document presents examples comparing P-P and P-SV data and reflectivities from brine versus gas-charged sediments.
Ages and stratigraphy of lunar mare basalts a synthesisSérgio Sacani
This document summarizes ages and stratigraphy of lunar mare basalts based on a synthesis of crater counting efforts over more than 10 years. The key points are:
1) Lunar volcanism was active for almost 3 billion years, starting around 3.9-4 billion years ago and ceasing around 1.2 billion years ago.
2) Most basalts erupted during the late Imbrian period around 3.6-3.8 billion years ago.
3) Significantly fewer basalts were emplaced during the Eratosthenian period.
4) Basalts of possible Copernican age have only been found in limited areas of Oceanus Procellarum.
Geochemistry and mineralogy of the campanian sandstone ofAlexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that analyzed the geochemistry and mineralogy of Campanian sandstones from the Lokoja-Basange Formation in the Anambra Basin in Nigeria. Twenty-six sandstone samples from two sections were investigated using mineralogical, geochemical, and pore water chemistry analyses. The results revealed quartz and kaolinite as major minerals, with the sandstones classified as mature lithic arenites and protoquartzites. Geochemical indices suggested intense chemical weathering and a felsic source rock. Discrimination diagrams placed the samples in active and passive continental margin settings. Low Cu/Zn ratios indicated deposition under oxidizing conditions. The study aimed to determine the provenance, tect
This document defines sequence stratigraphy and discusses its basic concepts. Sequence stratigraphy studies genetically related rock units bounded by unconformities. It is based on dividing strata into sequences bounded by sea level changes. Key concepts discussed include depositional sequences, parasequences, flooding surfaces, system tracts, accommodation space, and the importance of sequence stratigraphy for understanding basin evolution and resource exploration.
Paleodepositional environment and sequence stratigraphy of outcropping sedime...Alexander Decker
- The document analyzes the paleodepositional environment and sequence stratigraphy of outcropping sediments in parts of the Southern Middle Niger Basin in Nigeria.
- Three main lithofacies were identified (sand, shale, silt) with seven subfacies. Depositional environments were determined to be continental fluvial for the Lokoja Formation and shallow marine to transitional for the Patti Formation.
- Three sequence stratigraphic systems tracts were established - a lowstand systems tract for the Lokoja Formation, a transgressive systems tract for the lower Patti Formation, and a highstand systems tract for the upper Patti Formation. An unconformity and candidate maximum flooding surface were identified.
The document summarizes the elemental geochemistry of sedimentary rocks analyzed by the Curiosity rover at Yellowknife Bay, Mars. Key findings include:
1) The rocks have compositions similar to iron-rich basalt and contain elevated levels of iron, chlorine, and calcium sulfate compared to most Martian soils.
2) Mineralogical analysis found phyllosilicates, magnetite, calcium sulfates, and an amorphous component in the mudstones.
3) Geochemical evidence suggests magnetite is likely a diagenetic mineral that formed after deposition rather than a detrital mineral delivered from another source.
4) Ternary diagrams of elemental compositions indicate secondary alteration minerals
This document discusses seismic stratigraphy, which uses seismic data to extract stratigraphic information about subsurface rock layers. It defines seismic waves and methods, including refraction and reflection. Reflection seismic is more commonly used to identify structures like folds and faults beneath the surface. Key parameters for interpretation are reflection configuration, continuity, amplitude, frequency, and interval velocity. Depositional environments are also identified based on their relationship to the wave base.
Engineering geology involves applying geological principles to engineering projects. It requires studying the geology of an area to ensure geological factors will not negatively impact projects. The document outlines the basic knowledge required for engineering geology, which includes understanding rock and soil types, their properties, and how they are influenced by geologic processes and structures. It also discusses various methods used in geological investigations and their applications to engineering projects.
In situ radiometric_and_exposure_age_dating_of_the_martian_surfaceSérgio Sacani
The document summarizes research on the Sheepbed mudstone sample collected by the Curiosity rover in Gale crater on Mars. Key points:
- Potassium-argon dating of the mudstone yielded an age of 4.21 ± 0.35 billion years, consistent with the expected antiquity of rocks in Gale crater.
- Cosmogenic neon-21, helium-3, and argon-36 isotopes in the mudstone yielded concordant surface exposure ages of 78 ± 30 million years, indicating recent exposure by wind erosion rather than during initial transport and deposition.
- The mudstone's composition and mineralogy suggest it has not been heated above 200°C and may preserve
This document discusses the provenance of quartz arenite sandstones from the early Paleozoic midcontinent region of the USA. The authors present new detrital zircon geochronology data from 15 Cambrian and Ordovician quartz arenite samples. They compare this to existing data from older sedimentary basins in the region, including the Huron basin and midcontinent rift deposits. Mixing models using the older basin zircon populations indicate the early Paleozoic sandstones represent mixtures derived primarily from erosion of these two source areas.
Volatile and organic_composition_of_sedimentary_rocks_in_yellowknife_bay_gale...Sérgio Sacani
This document summarizes the results of experiments analyzing the volatile and organic compositions of sedimentary rock samples from Yellowknife Bay in Gale Crater, Mars. The samples were obtained using the Curiosity rover's drill. Analysis found the samples released water, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, oxygen, and other gases when heated. The water and oxygen releases suggest the presence of hydrated minerals like phyllosilicates and oxychlorine compounds. Small amounts of organic compounds, including chlorinated hydrocarbons, were also detected, though the carbon source is uncertain. The sediments appear to have preserved evidence of past environmental conditions and potential habitability in Yellowknife Bay.
This document provides a summary of a geological survey of the Buttston 7.5-minute Quadrangle in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. The key findings are that the Brevard fault zone lithologies in this area are difficult to separate into distinct map units due to gradational contacts. Structures related to the D1 Neoacadian metamorphism are truncated by the Katy Creek fault, while D1-D2 structures are undisrupted. Plastic deformation during the D2 Alleghanian event created mylonitic textures along the Abanda fault. Cataclasite zones along the Abanda fault mark the final brittle movement during the Mesozoic rifting of Pangea. The
Earth Science is a major Subject of life. Earth Science encompasses hundreds of branches. Geology is the scientific study of the all constituents of planets, their internal and external forms and processes. More precisely, it is the study of nature, structure and history of the planet. Earth is the home to all life, well known to the humankind. Geology, itself, is a major part of The Earth and atmospheric sciences, which were born as twins . The subject of geology encompasses all aspects including the composition, structure, physical properties, and history of a planets'( like Earth's) inter-related components and the processes that are shaping the features on the surface.
The document summarizes a geological field study conducted in Malekhu, Nepal. Key points:
- The study aimed to familiarize students with geological structures, engineering significance, and different rock and soil types. Measurements of dip, strike, and attitudes of bedding planes were taken.
- Engineering geology is important for civil engineering projects to understand subsurface conditions and design earthworks and foundations. Site investigations assess natural hazards.
- The field study location was selected for its accessible rocks, river morphology, natural topography, and mass movements. Objectives included learning identification and mapping techniques.
- Field observations and measurements of planar features like bedding, foliation, and joints were made using a Brunt
This document discusses key aspects of engineering geology and its importance in modern development. It provides examples of how poor subsurface conditions, lack of safety measures, and lack of studies can lead to infrastructure failures. It emphasizes the role of engineering geology in properly studying soil and subsurface conditions before construction to select the best design and safety remedies. Methods discussed include field and laboratory investigations to understand rock quality and recommend appropriate structural support.
This document provides an overview of the different branches of geology. It discusses the definition of geology as the study of the Earth, including its origin, structure, composition and history. Some of the key branches mentioned include physical geology, mineralogy, crystallography, petrology, structural geology, geophysics, stratigraphy, geochemistry, paleontology, historical geology, economic geology, mining geology, hydrogeology, geology of Pakistan, resources engineering, photo geology, remote sensing, engineering geology, and field geology. Each branch is studied to better understand different aspects of the Earth and its materials.
Geology is the scientific study of the all constituents of planets, their internal and external forms and processes. More precisely, it is the study of nature, structure and history of the planet. Earth is the home to all life, well known to the humankind. Geology, itself, is a major part of The Earth and atmospheric sciences, which were born as twins . The subject of geology encompasses all aspects including the composition, structure, physical properties, and history of a planets'( like Earth's) inter-related components and the processes that are shaping the features on the surface. Geologists are the scientists who study the origin, occurrence, distribution and utilities of all materials(metallic, non-metallic, inorganic, etc), minerals, rocks, sediments, soils, water, oil and all other inorganic natural resources. It is a very vast subject covering a wide spectrum of scientific principles and holding hundred and fifty plus scientific branches. This report enumerates and highlights most of them, in a nutshell, for all those who intends to know for planning their career path.
This document provides information about geology and the geological timescale of Bangladesh. It begins with definitions of geology and describes Bangladesh's geology as being characterized by rapid subsidence and the deposition of thick deltaic sediments. It then discusses the geological timescale and maps the major eras, periods, and epochs represented in Bangladesh. The major geological formations in Bangladesh are also outlined, including alluvium, Pleistocene terraces, and Miocene and Paleogene formations. Finally, the importance of geology and geological timescales to geography is discussed, in terms of understanding resource distribution, land usage, and environmental and planetary history.
The UH-YBRA field geology course focuses on geological mapping, measurement and interpretation of stratigraphic sections over 4 major projects. Students work in small teams to map various geologic environments in Montana, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park. Grades are based on student performance on mapping projects, which include structural mapping of a doubly-plunging anticline in the Bighorn Basin, mapping a Laramide basement uplift in the Beartooth Front, and mapping a system of imbricate thrust faults folded by slip along a deeper thrust in the Sevier thrust belt. The course also includes side trips to various geological features in the region.
Rachel Meili is completing a six-month internship at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, a non-profit organization that rescues abused and abandoned exotic cats. Throughout her internship, Rachel has provided extreme dedication and commitment to caring for over 100 exotic cats through tasks like cleaning, feeding, medicating, and monitoring the animals. She also educates visitors about the exotic animal trade and species topics. The letter recommends Rachel for any zoological position due to her intelligence, dedication, compassion for the animals, and excellent public speaking and animal handling skills.
The Hanging Houses of Cuenca, Spain are houses built clinging to rocky outcroppings high above the city due to lack of space for expansion. Some reached 7-8 gravity-defying stories extending over the valley below. They were once common throughout Cuenca but now the only intact structure remaining is Las Casas Colgadas, containing a museum and restaurant.
The document discusses various technologies used in creating a film project and what was learned from using each one. A video camera was used for filming and the learner gained skills in camera angles, movements, and proper shooting. A tripod was used to keep the camera steady during shots and tracking shots. iMovie was used to edit the film and the learner became proficient in its tools. Photoshop was used to create a logo and the learner discovered tools for creating moving images. Google was a useful search tool when help was needed with other programs. Overall the learner gained experience with various technologies through completing this film project.
The Hanging Houses of Cuenca, Spain are houses built clinging to rocky outcroppings high above the city due to lack of space for expansion. Some reached 7-8 stories tall, defying gravity for the 15th-18th century era. Known as "hanging houses" or "skyscrapers", they extended out over the valley below. The only remaining intact hanging house structure is Las Casas Colgadas, now home to a museum and restaurant.
Ages and stratigraphy of lunar mare basalts a synthesisSérgio Sacani
This document summarizes ages and stratigraphy of lunar mare basalts based on a synthesis of crater counting efforts over more than 10 years. The key points are:
1) Lunar volcanism was active for almost 3 billion years, starting around 3.9-4 billion years ago and ceasing around 1.2 billion years ago.
2) Most basalts erupted during the late Imbrian period around 3.6-3.8 billion years ago.
3) Significantly fewer basalts were emplaced during the Eratosthenian period.
4) Basalts of possible Copernican age have only been found in limited areas of Oceanus Procellarum.
Geochemistry and mineralogy of the campanian sandstone ofAlexander Decker
This document summarizes a study that analyzed the geochemistry and mineralogy of Campanian sandstones from the Lokoja-Basange Formation in the Anambra Basin in Nigeria. Twenty-six sandstone samples from two sections were investigated using mineralogical, geochemical, and pore water chemistry analyses. The results revealed quartz and kaolinite as major minerals, with the sandstones classified as mature lithic arenites and protoquartzites. Geochemical indices suggested intense chemical weathering and a felsic source rock. Discrimination diagrams placed the samples in active and passive continental margin settings. Low Cu/Zn ratios indicated deposition under oxidizing conditions. The study aimed to determine the provenance, tect
This document defines sequence stratigraphy and discusses its basic concepts. Sequence stratigraphy studies genetically related rock units bounded by unconformities. It is based on dividing strata into sequences bounded by sea level changes. Key concepts discussed include depositional sequences, parasequences, flooding surfaces, system tracts, accommodation space, and the importance of sequence stratigraphy for understanding basin evolution and resource exploration.
Paleodepositional environment and sequence stratigraphy of outcropping sedime...Alexander Decker
- The document analyzes the paleodepositional environment and sequence stratigraphy of outcropping sediments in parts of the Southern Middle Niger Basin in Nigeria.
- Three main lithofacies were identified (sand, shale, silt) with seven subfacies. Depositional environments were determined to be continental fluvial for the Lokoja Formation and shallow marine to transitional for the Patti Formation.
- Three sequence stratigraphic systems tracts were established - a lowstand systems tract for the Lokoja Formation, a transgressive systems tract for the lower Patti Formation, and a highstand systems tract for the upper Patti Formation. An unconformity and candidate maximum flooding surface were identified.
The document summarizes the elemental geochemistry of sedimentary rocks analyzed by the Curiosity rover at Yellowknife Bay, Mars. Key findings include:
1) The rocks have compositions similar to iron-rich basalt and contain elevated levels of iron, chlorine, and calcium sulfate compared to most Martian soils.
2) Mineralogical analysis found phyllosilicates, magnetite, calcium sulfates, and an amorphous component in the mudstones.
3) Geochemical evidence suggests magnetite is likely a diagenetic mineral that formed after deposition rather than a detrital mineral delivered from another source.
4) Ternary diagrams of elemental compositions indicate secondary alteration minerals
This document discusses seismic stratigraphy, which uses seismic data to extract stratigraphic information about subsurface rock layers. It defines seismic waves and methods, including refraction and reflection. Reflection seismic is more commonly used to identify structures like folds and faults beneath the surface. Key parameters for interpretation are reflection configuration, continuity, amplitude, frequency, and interval velocity. Depositional environments are also identified based on their relationship to the wave base.
Engineering geology involves applying geological principles to engineering projects. It requires studying the geology of an area to ensure geological factors will not negatively impact projects. The document outlines the basic knowledge required for engineering geology, which includes understanding rock and soil types, their properties, and how they are influenced by geologic processes and structures. It also discusses various methods used in geological investigations and their applications to engineering projects.
In situ radiometric_and_exposure_age_dating_of_the_martian_surfaceSérgio Sacani
The document summarizes research on the Sheepbed mudstone sample collected by the Curiosity rover in Gale crater on Mars. Key points:
- Potassium-argon dating of the mudstone yielded an age of 4.21 ± 0.35 billion years, consistent with the expected antiquity of rocks in Gale crater.
- Cosmogenic neon-21, helium-3, and argon-36 isotopes in the mudstone yielded concordant surface exposure ages of 78 ± 30 million years, indicating recent exposure by wind erosion rather than during initial transport and deposition.
- The mudstone's composition and mineralogy suggest it has not been heated above 200°C and may preserve
This document discusses the provenance of quartz arenite sandstones from the early Paleozoic midcontinent region of the USA. The authors present new detrital zircon geochronology data from 15 Cambrian and Ordovician quartz arenite samples. They compare this to existing data from older sedimentary basins in the region, including the Huron basin and midcontinent rift deposits. Mixing models using the older basin zircon populations indicate the early Paleozoic sandstones represent mixtures derived primarily from erosion of these two source areas.
Volatile and organic_composition_of_sedimentary_rocks_in_yellowknife_bay_gale...Sérgio Sacani
This document summarizes the results of experiments analyzing the volatile and organic compositions of sedimentary rock samples from Yellowknife Bay in Gale Crater, Mars. The samples were obtained using the Curiosity rover's drill. Analysis found the samples released water, carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, oxygen, and other gases when heated. The water and oxygen releases suggest the presence of hydrated minerals like phyllosilicates and oxychlorine compounds. Small amounts of organic compounds, including chlorinated hydrocarbons, were also detected, though the carbon source is uncertain. The sediments appear to have preserved evidence of past environmental conditions and potential habitability in Yellowknife Bay.
This document provides a summary of a geological survey of the Buttston 7.5-minute Quadrangle in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. The key findings are that the Brevard fault zone lithologies in this area are difficult to separate into distinct map units due to gradational contacts. Structures related to the D1 Neoacadian metamorphism are truncated by the Katy Creek fault, while D1-D2 structures are undisrupted. Plastic deformation during the D2 Alleghanian event created mylonitic textures along the Abanda fault. Cataclasite zones along the Abanda fault mark the final brittle movement during the Mesozoic rifting of Pangea. The
Earth Science is a major Subject of life. Earth Science encompasses hundreds of branches. Geology is the scientific study of the all constituents of planets, their internal and external forms and processes. More precisely, it is the study of nature, structure and history of the planet. Earth is the home to all life, well known to the humankind. Geology, itself, is a major part of The Earth and atmospheric sciences, which were born as twins . The subject of geology encompasses all aspects including the composition, structure, physical properties, and history of a planets'( like Earth's) inter-related components and the processes that are shaping the features on the surface.
The document summarizes a geological field study conducted in Malekhu, Nepal. Key points:
- The study aimed to familiarize students with geological structures, engineering significance, and different rock and soil types. Measurements of dip, strike, and attitudes of bedding planes were taken.
- Engineering geology is important for civil engineering projects to understand subsurface conditions and design earthworks and foundations. Site investigations assess natural hazards.
- The field study location was selected for its accessible rocks, river morphology, natural topography, and mass movements. Objectives included learning identification and mapping techniques.
- Field observations and measurements of planar features like bedding, foliation, and joints were made using a Brunt
This document discusses key aspects of engineering geology and its importance in modern development. It provides examples of how poor subsurface conditions, lack of safety measures, and lack of studies can lead to infrastructure failures. It emphasizes the role of engineering geology in properly studying soil and subsurface conditions before construction to select the best design and safety remedies. Methods discussed include field and laboratory investigations to understand rock quality and recommend appropriate structural support.
This document provides an overview of the different branches of geology. It discusses the definition of geology as the study of the Earth, including its origin, structure, composition and history. Some of the key branches mentioned include physical geology, mineralogy, crystallography, petrology, structural geology, geophysics, stratigraphy, geochemistry, paleontology, historical geology, economic geology, mining geology, hydrogeology, geology of Pakistan, resources engineering, photo geology, remote sensing, engineering geology, and field geology. Each branch is studied to better understand different aspects of the Earth and its materials.
Geology is the scientific study of the all constituents of planets, their internal and external forms and processes. More precisely, it is the study of nature, structure and history of the planet. Earth is the home to all life, well known to the humankind. Geology, itself, is a major part of The Earth and atmospheric sciences, which were born as twins . The subject of geology encompasses all aspects including the composition, structure, physical properties, and history of a planets'( like Earth's) inter-related components and the processes that are shaping the features on the surface. Geologists are the scientists who study the origin, occurrence, distribution and utilities of all materials(metallic, non-metallic, inorganic, etc), minerals, rocks, sediments, soils, water, oil and all other inorganic natural resources. It is a very vast subject covering a wide spectrum of scientific principles and holding hundred and fifty plus scientific branches. This report enumerates and highlights most of them, in a nutshell, for all those who intends to know for planning their career path.
This document provides information about geology and the geological timescale of Bangladesh. It begins with definitions of geology and describes Bangladesh's geology as being characterized by rapid subsidence and the deposition of thick deltaic sediments. It then discusses the geological timescale and maps the major eras, periods, and epochs represented in Bangladesh. The major geological formations in Bangladesh are also outlined, including alluvium, Pleistocene terraces, and Miocene and Paleogene formations. Finally, the importance of geology and geological timescales to geography is discussed, in terms of understanding resource distribution, land usage, and environmental and planetary history.
The UH-YBRA field geology course focuses on geological mapping, measurement and interpretation of stratigraphic sections over 4 major projects. Students work in small teams to map various geologic environments in Montana, Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park. Grades are based on student performance on mapping projects, which include structural mapping of a doubly-plunging anticline in the Bighorn Basin, mapping a Laramide basement uplift in the Beartooth Front, and mapping a system of imbricate thrust faults folded by slip along a deeper thrust in the Sevier thrust belt. The course also includes side trips to various geological features in the region.
Rachel Meili is completing a six-month internship at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, a non-profit organization that rescues abused and abandoned exotic cats. Throughout her internship, Rachel has provided extreme dedication and commitment to caring for over 100 exotic cats through tasks like cleaning, feeding, medicating, and monitoring the animals. She also educates visitors about the exotic animal trade and species topics. The letter recommends Rachel for any zoological position due to her intelligence, dedication, compassion for the animals, and excellent public speaking and animal handling skills.
The Hanging Houses of Cuenca, Spain are houses built clinging to rocky outcroppings high above the city due to lack of space for expansion. Some reached 7-8 gravity-defying stories extending over the valley below. They were once common throughout Cuenca but now the only intact structure remaining is Las Casas Colgadas, containing a museum and restaurant.
The document discusses various technologies used in creating a film project and what was learned from using each one. A video camera was used for filming and the learner gained skills in camera angles, movements, and proper shooting. A tripod was used to keep the camera steady during shots and tracking shots. iMovie was used to edit the film and the learner became proficient in its tools. Photoshop was used to create a logo and the learner discovered tools for creating moving images. Google was a useful search tool when help was needed with other programs. Overall the learner gained experience with various technologies through completing this film project.
The Hanging Houses of Cuenca, Spain are houses built clinging to rocky outcroppings high above the city due to lack of space for expansion. Some reached 7-8 stories tall, defying gravity for the 15th-18th century era. Known as "hanging houses" or "skyscrapers", they extended out over the valley below. The only remaining intact hanging house structure is Las Casas Colgadas, now home to a museum and restaurant.
In der Zeit von 27.01. bis 30.01.2017 wurden insgesamt 300 online Interviews zum Thema „Muss Arbeit glücklich machen?“ repräsentativ für die Wiener Bevölkerung im Alter zwischen 14 und 65 Jahren durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse stellen sich wie folgt dar:
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This document summarizes a study that examined relationships between fish populations and characteristics of coral colonies. The study analyzed data from three coral reef surveys that measured fish abundance, coral colony dimensions, and rugosity (structural complexity). Strong correlations were found between fish density, richness, and biomass and physical characteristics of coral colonies, particularly colony height. The results suggest that characterizing relationships between fish and physical structures of coral colonies can help improve tools for fisheries management and assessment of declining coral reef condition.
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This document summarizes the current understanding of the assembly and break-up of the late Neoproterozoic supercontinent Rodinia based on geological, geochronological, and paleomagnetic evidence. Key points include:
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This thesis studied the history of dune activity along the Elkhorn River in northeastern Nebraska. Twenty-four optical luminescence ages from dunes revealed periods of activity less than 120 years ago, around 410-630 years ago, around 1000 years ago, and around 3,800 to 5,800 years ago. These periods align with some but not all major dune activation events in the Nebraska Sand Hills. The dunes likely formed due to drought-induced changes in sediment supply from the Elkhorn River, demonstrating that megadroughts had impacts beyond the Sand Hills.
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Running head GEOLOGY 1GEOLOGY 9Geology.docxjeanettehully
Running head: GEOLOGY 1
GEOLOGY 9
Geology
Name
Institution
Affiliation
Abstract
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Introduction
New York is the United States' largest city with a population of about nine million people making it not only the largest city but also the most populous city in the United States of America. New York sits on about nine hundred and fifty square kilometers of land located towards the south of the state of New York. The area covered by New York City as above mentioned is both the dry masses of land and regions where surface water runs such as rivers that are considered within the state’s boundaries. New York's geographical position is one of the world's largest natural harbors (Baskerville, 1982). New York is located at River Hudson’s mouth that runs along the southeastern region of the state. The New York harbor is privileged to have sheltered bays and deep-running waters that have significantly contributed towards the enormous growth of New York City.
The origin of New York City as one of the world’s most renowned and largest cities in the world traces back to when the English claimed the land from the Dutch giving it its current name. New York was once a trading post while under the command of the Dutch but was made the capital of the United States of America when it came under the command of English. (Irrelevant to the topic)
After the English established their rule on the land (New York), settlements expanded northward hitting as hard bedrock in the region of the New England Upland. Valleys of Bronx and Manhattan became laid out (Puffer, Benimoff & Steiner, 2010). The hilly areas of Manhattan that were hilly became parks with Central Park is one of these parks. From a physiograph ...
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of ancient submarine channel fill deposits.
Gregory Hurd received his Ph.D. in Geology from the University of Texas at Austin in 2016, with a dissertation focusing on the stratigraphic framework of the Cutoff Formation. He has worked as an intern at Chevron, ExxonMobil, and Matador Resources, analyzing carbonate reservoirs. Hurd has published papers in the Journal of Sedimentary Research and the West Texas Geological Society Bulletin, and presented his research at the AAPG annual convention. He is skilled in geoscience software and holds grants from AAPG and Statoil.
Erin Dascher is a Ph.D. candidate in Environmental Geography at Texas State University. Her dissertation focuses on dams, dam removals, and freshwater mussel conservation. She has a Master's in Interdisciplinary Sustainability Studies from Texas State University and a Bachelor's in Applied Forensic Science from Mercyhurst University. Dascher has taught several courses at Texas State University and has authored or co-authored several referred publications and conference presentations related to water resources and sustainability. She has received multiple awards and grants for her graduate work.
This document provides a review of the history and concepts of sequence stratigraphy. It discusses how sequence stratigraphy integrated time and sea-level changes to track shifts in sedimentary facies. Key developments included the identification of unconformity-bound depositional sequences in the 1970s and expanded concepts in the 1980s of systems tracts, parasequences, and accommodation space. The document outlines principles of sequence stratigraphy such as analyzing stratal geometry in relation to sequence boundaries and dividing sequences into systems tracts within a chronostratigraphic framework.
This document provides a review of the history and concepts of sequence stratigraphy. It begins with a brief history starting from early ideas about sea level change in the 1600s and progresses to modern concepts developed in the late 20th century. It then discusses the key principles of sequence stratigraphy including accommodation space, sequence boundaries, systems tracts including lowstand, transgressive, and highstand tracts, and parasequences. The review provides definitions and diagrams to illustrate these fundamental concepts in sequence stratigraphy.
Casey Meirovitz has over 7 years of experience in reservoir characterization, hydrogeology, and geological modeling. He holds a PhD in Geology from the University of Utah and has worked on projects involving subsurface mapping, reservoir simulation, seismic surveys, and structural geology. His skills include managing projects, directing teams, and using software such as ArcGIS, Rockworks, MODFLOW, and MatLab.
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Cassondra R. Thomas has over 17 years of experience in biogeochemistry and nutrient cycling in wetland environments. She holds a PhD in Environmental Sciences and has extensive experience modeling material and energy flows within estuarine systems. Her research has focused on phosphorus and nitrogen cycling in prescribed burns in the Everglades and carbon sequestration in scrub oak systems. She has also examined the effects of fiddler crab burrows on salt marsh biogeochemistry and created models of nitrogen cycling in Atlantic coast salt marshes and the Neuse River Estuary.
Thomas A. Shahan graduated from Florida Atlantic University with a Bachelor of Science in Geology in 2014. He has relevant coursework and experience in fields methods, mineralogy, petrology, sedimentology, structural geology, hydrogeology, paleontology, geomorphology, and GIS. He completed a summer field camp at the University of Florida focusing on mapping and structural geology. His experience includes working as an environmental geophysics lab technician at FAU where he utilized GPR and gas chromatography equipment on projects related to biogenic gas releases from wetlands. He also works as a pool service technician. He has presented abstracts at conferences on utilizing GPR to investigate temporal and spatial distribution of biogenic gases from peat
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Lee_AAPG_2005
1. AUTHORS
Keumsuk Lee $ Center for Lithospheric Studies,
University of Texas at Dallas, P.O. Box 830688,
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688;
kxl015500@utdallas.edu
Keumsuk Lee received a B.S. degree in mathematics
(1994) and an M.S. degree in geological oceanogra-
phy (1999) from Kunsan National University, South
Korea. He is currently a Ph.D. candidate in geophysics
in the Department of Geosciences at the University
of Texas at Dallas. His main research interests are
seismic sequence stratigraphy and reservoir character-
ization using ground-penetrating radar data.
Xiaoxian Zeng $ Center for Lithospheric Studies,
University of Texas at Dallas, P.O. Box 830688,
Richardson, Texas
Xiaoxian Zeng received his B.S. degree in geophysics
from Peking University and his Ph.D. in geosciences from
the University of Texas at Dallas. He is currently a re-
search associate at the University of Texas at Dallas. His
research interests include three-dimensional (3-D)
imaging and velocity model building, with application
to both seismic and ground-penetrating radar data.
George A. McMechan $ Center for Lithospheric
Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, P.O. Box 830688,
Richardson, Texas; mcmec@utdallas.edu
George A. McMechan received a B.A.Sc. degree in geo-
logical engineering from the University of British Co-
lumbia in 1970 and an M.Sc. degree in geophysics from
the University of Toronto in 1971. He is currently the
Ida Green Professor of Geosciences at the University
of Texas at Dallas. He has published more than 200
technical papers and, in 1997, received the Virgil Kauff-
man gold medal from the Society of Exploration Geo-
physicists. His main research interests are wavefield
imaging, 3-D seismology, reservoir characterization,
ground-penetrating radar, and parallel computing.
Charles D. Howell Jr. $ Center for Lithospheric
Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, P.O. Box 830688,
Richardson, Texas
Charles D. Howell Jr. is a Ph.D. candidate at the Uni-
versity of Texas at Dallas, studying high-resolution
siliciclastic sequence and allostratigraphy. Peripheral
interests include ichnology, paleotopography, sediment
body geometry, kinematic analysis, and structure at
regional and subregional scales. He received his B.Sc.
degree from Southern Methodist University in 1999.
He has worked on many field projects in siliciclastic
and carbonate systems in Arkansas, California, Colorado,
Grand Cayman, Montana, offshore Gulf of Mexico,
Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, and Wyoming.
A ground-penetrating
radar survey of a delta-front
reservoir analog in the Wall
Creek Member, Frontier
Formation, Wyoming
Keumsuk Lee, Xiaoxian Zeng, George A. McMechan,
Charles D. Howell Jr., Janok P. Bhattacharya,
Fanny Marcy, and Cornel Olariu
ABSTRACT
Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) measurements, in conjunction with
outcrop sedimentology, were carried out at Murphy Creek reser-
voir in the Upper Cretaceous Turonian Wall Creek Member of the
Frontier Formation in Wyoming. The objectives were to apply GPR
to map geometrical details of a top-truncated lowstand delta front
and to estimate the volumes of the prograding bar deposits of the
delta lobe. Eleven GPR profiles totaling about 4400 m (14,435 ft)
were acquired using 50-MHz antennas on a coarsely spaced, two-
dimensional grid of lines lying parallel and perpendicular to the
average depositional dip. Ground-penetrating radar reflections were
detected from within the outcrop to a depth of about 10–15 m (33–
49 ft). Four southerly dipping major surfaces identified in the GPR
data are correlated with the boundaries of progradational delta-
front facies, stacked as distal mouth-bar deposits, in the outcrop.
The major boundaries correspond to lithological changes between
relatively clean sandstones that are interpreted to have been depos-
ited during floods with high sediment supply, alternating with bio-
turbated sandstones and mudstones deposited during interflood
periods with correspondingly low sedimentation rates. These two
lithological units, which also correspond to the two main GPR fa-
cies, repeat at least three times with no change in dominant average
sand-grain size. Subsequent erosion by transgressive ravinement
caused the significantly truncated lowstand delta long after the sand-
stones were deposited. The bar assemblage volume at successive
stages of growth is estimated using measurements from the outcrop
AAPG Bulletin, v. 89, no. 9 (September 2005), pp. 1139–1155 1139
Copyright #2005. The American Association of Petroleum Geologists. All rights reserved.
Manuscript received October 9, 2004; provisional acceptance February 2, 2005; revised manuscript
received April 26, 2005; final acceptance April 27, 2005.
DOI:10.1306/04270504106
2. and the GPR data. The migrating bars have an estimated average half-
length of 650 m (2132 ft); a lower bound on the average volume of
the bar is 3.9 Â 106
m3
(1.37 Â 108
ft3
). As the volume of the bars
increases, the bar deposits appear to have a landward as well as a
basinward component of accretion.
INTRODUCTION
Two-dimensional (2-D) characterizations of reservoir analogs from
outcrops of deltaic sand bodies have received relatively little atten-
tion, and there have been no three-dimensional (3-D) studies of
deltas despite the importance of delta deposits for studies of energy
resources and of fluid transport at environmentally sensitive sites.
A survey by Tyler (1988) demonstrated that the conventional de-
velopment of heterolithic fluvial-deltaic reservoir bypasses or fails
to contact 24–69% of the mobile oil originally present. Recent pa-
pers document the importance of complex facies architecture and
heterogeneities in blocking or bypassing fluid flow in delta-front
sandstone reservoirs in the continental United States, Alaska, Eu-
rope, and Indonesia (Barton, 1997; Knox, 1997; Sullivan et al., 1997;
Tye et al., 1999; Ainsworth et al., 2000).
The Wall Creek Member is of scientific and economic impor-
tance, not only because it has produced hydrocarbons from the Salt
Creek and Teapot Dome fields (and hence, the site presents a good
opportunity to match outcrop analog results to subsurface per-
formance), but also because the depositional setting is analogous to
that of many other oil fields such as Prudhoe Bay (Tye et al., 1999).
Thus, the results of this study may make an immediate contribu-
tion to the improvement of reservoir engineering in Wall Creek
fields and longer term contributions to other delta-front reservoirs.
The objectives of this study are to acquire, process, and interpret
a grid of 2-D ground-penetrating radar (GPR) profiles, to describe
details of the internal architecture of a top-truncated, lowstand delta
front, and to estimate the sediment volumes of the migrating dis-
tributary mouth bars. The GPR interpretation is guided and con-
strained by sedimentologic data from outcrops, including an ad-
jacent cliff face.
GEOLOGICAL SETTING
The Wall Creek Member is exposed in east central Wyoming
(Figure 1) and lies at the top of the Upper Cretaceous Frontier For-
mation (Figure 2). The Frontier Formation is a Cenomanian to Tu-
ronian age clastic wedge, deposited as a consequence of uplift and
erosion during the Sevier orogen (Barlow and Haun, 1966; Dyman
et al., 1994). Sandstones and mudstones were deposited as major
deltaic complexes into the western margin of the Cretaceous
Janok P. Bhattacharya $ Center for Lithospheric
Studies, University of Texas at Dallas, P.O. Box 830688,
Richardson, Texas 75083-0688
Janok P. Bhattacharya is a professor in geology at the
University of Texas at Dallas. His research interests
include deltaic sedimentology and sequence stratigraphy,
the local control of structure on stratigraphy, and res-
ervoir architecture of clastic depositional systems. He
received his B.Sc. degree in 1981 from the Memorial
University of Newfoundland, Canada, and his Ph.D.
in 1989 from McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario,
Canada. Following a Natural Sciences and Engineer-
ing Research Council postdoctoral study at the Al-
berta Geological Survey in Edmonton, Janok worked
for the Bureau of Economic Geology at Austin and
ARCO Research in Plano, Texas, before joining the
University of Texas at Dallas. He is an AAPG South-
west Section Distinguished Educator and an AAPG
Distinguished Lecturer, and he was Technical Pro-
gram chair for the 2004 AAPG Annual Meeting in
Dallas.
Fanny Marcy $ Center for Lithospheric Studies,
University of Texas at Dallas, P.O. Box 830688,
Richardson, Texas
Fanny D. Marcy earned a bachelor’s degree in geo-
physics from the University of Strasbourg and a master’s
degree in petroleum geosciences from Institut Franc¸ais
du Pe´trole in Paris. She is a seismic interpreter for
Gaz De France and works on exploration and produc-
tion and gas storage projects.
Cornel Olariu $ Center for Lithospheric Studies,
University of Texas at Dallas, P.O. Box 830688,
Richardson, Texas
Cornel Olariu holds a B.S. in geological engineering
from University of Bucharest and an M.S. in geosci-
ences from the University of Texas at Dallas. He worked
for 4 years with the National Institute for Marine Ge-
ology and Geoecology (Romania) prior to starting
graduate studies at the University of Texas at Dallas
where he is now a Ph.D. student. His main interest is
in modern and ancient delta sedimentology and
stratigraphy, but he also works on sequence stratigra-
phy and numerical modeling projects.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This research is funded by the U.S. Department of En-
ergy under contract DEFG0301-ER15166 with supple-
mentary support from the Petroleum Research Fund
of the American Chemical Society, ACS-PRF Grant
no. 35855-AC8, and the sponsors of the University of
Texas at Dallas Quantitative Sedimentology Consor-
tium. Constructive comments by reviewers Gregor
Eberli and David Eby and editor Ernest Mancini are
much appreciated. This article is Contribution no. 1056
from the Department of Geosciences at the University
of Texas at Dallas.
1140 GPR in a Delta Front
4. Interior seaway. Regional correlations along the out-
crop belt (Figure 3) show that the Wall Creek Member
consists of several different coarsening-upward facies
successions associated with distinctly different over-
lapping sandstone bodies separated by prodelta mud-
stones that form different delta lobes (Howell and
Bhattacharya, 2001; Sadeque and Bhattacharya, 2004).
The sandstones of the Frontier Formation were
previously interpreted as storm-dominated offshore
shelf delta plumes (Winn, 1991), but have recently been
reinterpreted as top-truncated deltas (Bhattacharya and
Willis, 2001; Bhattacharya et al., 2001; Howell and
Bhattacharya, 2001; Sadeque and Bhattacharya, 2004).
The exposed sandstone cliffs of the Wall Creek Mem-
ber contain a series of overlapping wave-, tide-, and
river-dominated, top-truncated, lowstand delta lobes
that are exposed as a series of sandstone cliffs (Figure 1).
The Wall Creek exposure represents shorelines that
migrated toward the southeast over a distance of more
than 300 km (186 mi).
Figure 2. Stratigraphic profile shows the Frontier Formation
in the Upper Cretaceous of central Wyoming.
Figure3.Locationsofstratigraphicmeasuredsections,representedbytheclosedcircles(ina),arecorrelatedtoproducetheregionalcrosssection(b),alongtheFrontieroutcrop
belt,containingsixparasequences.Theareain(a)isoutlinedintheleftpanelinFigure1.TheMurphyCreekreservoirsiteliesinthetopmostparasequence(PS6).
1142 GPR in a Delta Front
5. A regional stratigraphic correlation (Figure 3) along
the eastern flank of the Bighorn Mountains identifies
six parasequences (PS 1 to PS 6 from oldest to youn-
gest) in Wall Creek outcrop (Howell et al., 2003). The
Murphy Creek reservoir site lies in the uppermost para-
sequence (PS 6) and shows a slightly coarsening-upward
succession of thick sandstones ($12 m; $39 ft) in-
terbedded with thin mudstone. The sandstone contains
well-developed, delta-front clinoforms and provides
favorable conditions for GPR data collection.
The sandstone at Murphy Creek reservoir is ex-
posed along approximately 2 km (1.2 mi) of a westward-
facing, north-south–oriented cliff face (Figures 1, 4); the
top of the sandstone is exposed over a few square kilo-
meters, with relatively little soil cover or vegetation. Based
on six measured stratigraphic sections (Figures 1, 4)
and detailed mapping of a set of clinoforms, the strata
in the cliff face are interpreted as offlapping distribu-
tary mouth-bar deposits prograding seaward (Bhatta-
charya et al., 2002). The overall sequence of the sand-
stone consists of alternating sandy and slightly more
clay-rich layers that intersect the topographic surface
and that result in hogbacks by differential erosion of
the two lithologies.
GPR SURVEY LAYOUT, ACQUISITION, AND
DATA PROCESSING
The GPR reflection data used in this study were col-
lected at the Murphy Creek reservoir and consist of a
grid of 2-D profiles oriented parallel and perpendicular
to the depositional dip. The GPR profiles are identified
in Figure 1. The total length of all the lines is 4402 m
(14,442 ft).
The topography is surveyed along each GPR line
by a combination of traditional leveling and a real-
time global positioning system (GPS). The GPS topo-
graphic data were collected by a real-time kinematic
survey with a Leica GPS system 500 at an interval of
2 m (6.6 ft) or less, depending on the topographic fea-
tures encountered. The relative error in the GPS topo-
graphic data was ±0.01–0.02 m (±0.03–0.06 ft). The
elevation is higher near the cliff edge than away from
it; the topographic surface dips about 8j to the east
(Figure 1). The topography along the north-south (strat-
igraphic dip) lines is relatively flat, with an elevation
change of less than approximately 10 m (33 ft) for
most of them, whereas on the west-east (stratigraphic
strike) lines, the elevation change is approximately 18 m
(59 ft).
GPR Data Acquisition and Processing
The GPR data were collected using a Sensors & Soft-
ware Pulse EKKO IV system with a 1000-V transmit-
ter. The data were collected using 50-MHz antennas,
with 3 m (10 ft) offset and 1 m (3.3 ft) station interval.
Common-midpoint gathers were collected for velocity
analysis.
Preprocessing of the GPR data includes ‘‘dewowing,
time-zero alignment, and airwave or average removal’’
(Figure 5). Dewowing removes the low-frequency back-
ground discharge curve of the capacitor formed by the
antenna and the ground surface. Time-zero alignment
shifts each trace in time so that all the direct arrivals
(airwaves) line up.
Noisy parts of traces are replaced by weighted av-
erages of the nearest good traces; the weight is inversely
proportional to the distance to the good trace used. High-
amplitude spikes are removed because, if not corrected,
they produce correspondingly strong artifact ‘‘smiles’’
in migration. Editing is done after time-zero correction
and before airwave or ground-wave removal.
The direct air- and ground waves have strong am-
plitudes that obscure near-surface reflections. These
waves are removed by subtracting from each trace, with-
in a user-defined time window, the average trace in the
neighborhood of that trace; this effectively removes
all time-stationary signals like the airwave. Frequency
band-pass filtering (6.25–375 MHz) is applied to re-
duce ambient noise.
Kirchhoff Migration
The GPR data, after preprocessing, were input to pre-
stack Kirchhoff migration (Epili and McMechan, 1996).
The migration velocity used is a constant of 0.12 m/ns
(0.39 ft/ns) because that value seemed consistent across
the survey. To take advantage of this constant veloc-
ity,themigrationcodeismodifiedtoanalyticallycompute
the traveltimes instead of ray tracing; this significantly
reduces the computation time. Migration is from the
topographic surface, so no elevation statics are needed.
OUTCROP SEDIMENTOLOGY
Sedimentary Structures and Facies
The Wall Creek Member at Murphy Creek reservoir
consists of simple and compound offlapping, meter-
thick, coarsening- and thickening-upward bedsets. The
Lee et al. 1143
7. entire sediment package grades upward from burrowed
to current-rippled sandstones and mudstones, into struc-
tureless to flat-stratified and ripple cross-laminated sand-
stones (Figure 6). Bed thicknesses range from a few
centimeters to 50 cm (19 in.) thick. Commonly, the
bed tops are not preserved because of constant rework-
ing of the seafloor by an active nektonic community.
Sigmoidal clinoforms dip up to 5j toward the south (the
same direction as paleocurrents). These clinoform bed-
sets form a shoaling-upward sediment body, which is
bound above by a marine erosional surface. Mud content
increases, and sandstonelamina sets aremud mantled(5–
10 cm [2–4 in.] thick) as clinoforms toe out basinward.
The sandstones are commonly normally graded
(fining upward) (Figure 6c, d), and they become wavy
bedded and more massive in the upper 5 m (16 ft)
(Figure6a). Trace fossils record an episodic readjustment
type of behavior because organisms altered dwelling
and feeding structures to respond to changing sedimen-
tation rates. Articulated bivalves are found, suggesting
little to no transport or predation.
Two different sedimentation rates are interpret-
ed (Figure 6), and corresponding stacked bedsets are
interpreted as distributary mouth bars. The episodic
sediment accumulation is recorded by changes in strat-
ification type and trace-maker behavior. Rapid sedi-
mentation and progradation are indicated by the dip-
ping sandstone beds. The sharp-based sandstones suggest
a river-dominated depositional environment. The up-
per wavy and massive sandstones suggest deposition in
the wave-influenced middle delta front. The normally
graded sandstones are interpreted to represent delta-
front hyperpycnal turbidites (Bouma Tab units). These
form as rapidly decelerating frontal splays during major
river floods. The evidence for rapid sediment accumu-
lation suggests that these deposits record basinward
progradation of a fluvially influenced, mixed-process
hyperpycnal and hypopycnal delta lobe.
Muddier burrowed intervals represent slower de-
position during nonflood periods. Finer grained, poorly
stratified, bioturbated sandstones, siltstones, and mud-
stones are interpreted to represent accumulation dur-
ing more quiescent periods. The higher bioturbation
index of the quiescent lithofacies results from the ac-
tivity of infaunal, epifaunal, and nektonic organisms at
or near the sediment-water interface. The delta topset
is not preserved because of subsequent marine ravine-
ment (Howell and Bhattacharya, 2001; Howell et al.,
2003, 2004).
The Murphy Creek reservoir site contains concre-
tions, which are typical diagenetic features that may
Figure 5. GPR data processing (a) shows the raw field data;
(b) after time corrections; (c) after trace editing; (d) after airwave
and ground-wave subtraction and filtering; (e) after prestack
migration; and (f) the same as (e) but plotted with automatic
gain control. These steps are applied to all the GPR data. These
data are part of line E2 (see Figure 1).
Lee et al. 1145
9. affect fluid flow in the sandstone reservoirs (Dutton
et al., 2002). The cementation is in patchy, elongate,
tabular reddish calcite concretions in the host sand-
stone (Nyman, 2003). The concretions are widely
distributed, which is typical of calcite cementation in
sandstone (Bjorkum and Walderhaug, 1990; McBride,
1997; Dutton et al., 2002).
Lithostratigraphic Units
Four (colored) lithostratigraphic boundaries are identi-
fied where the depositional patterns change (Figure 4a).
The major boundaries are interpreted as representing
bedset (mouth bar) surfaces and show a pronounced
southward dip. The layers thin and downlap onto the
underlying mudstone. Five lithostratigraphic units (LU1
to LU5, from oldest to youngest) are identified between
the bounding surfaces. Despite little local variance in
average sand-grain size (implying a constant sediment
source over time), the lithostratigraphic units are inter-
preted as compound bedsets of migrating bars consist-
ing of delta fronts developed by different depositional
events. LU1, LU3, and LU5 were deposited by high-
energy (flood) conditions, whereas LU2 and LU4 were
deposited in a relatively quiescent (interflood) depo-
sitional environment.
GPR INTERPRETATION
The migrated GPR sections show top-truncated dip-
ping reflectors on the north-south lines and relatively
flat features on the west-east lines, which are consistent
with the cliff outcrop (Figure 4). Three GPR facies are
recognized, namely, 1, 2, and 3 (Figure 7). The GPR
facies are better distinguished in the dip direction than
in the strike direction; GPR profiles are correlated with
the outcrop exposed along the cliff face. Each GPR
facies was interpreted using the basic principles of seis-
mic interpretation techniques on the basis of reflection
amplitude, continuity, and configuration (Mitchum et al.,
1977, Brown and Fisher, 1980).
Ground-penetrating radar facies 1 consists of reflec-
tions of moderate to high amplitude and moderate to
good continuity. It is interpreted as representing a bio-
turbated, somewhat muddier facies with poorly de-
fined sandstone beds (LU2 and LU4 in Figure 4). This
radar facies corresponds to a fairly constant, moderate
GPR penetration.
Ground-penetrating radar facies 2 is characterized
by uniformly southward-dipping reflectors of high am-
plitude and good continuity. This facies corresponds
spatially to well-stratified, medium-scale bedded clean
sandstone (LU1, LU3, and LU5 in Figure 4). Although
discontinuous reflections are also seen locally, GPR
Figure 7. GPR facies recognized in this study and their geological interpretation.
Lee et al. 1147
10. facies 2 shows a relatively deeper penetration than the
other facies and occurs most clearly and dominantly on
the extended lines (lines C2, C3, and E2).
Ground-penetrating radar facies 3 is characterized
by high-amplitude signals from the shallowest struc-
ture, beneath which is a low-amplitude zone. This oc-
curs in two situations; one is the topographic lows be-
tween the hogbacks, and the second is at the south and
east extremities of the survey lines (lines 0, C3, and
E2), where the topography has flattened. Both are con-
sistent with surficial weathered and soil layers of rel-
atively high electrical conductivity (which attenuates
the deeper GPR signals).
Another distinct reflection pattern is recognized in
GPR facies 1 and 2. This configuration contains shal-
low, locally isolated, rounded, high-amplitude reflec-
tions, below which high attenuation is observed. The
high-amplitude ellipsoidal anomalies are visible only in
the upper part of GPR profiles and cut across the dip-
ping GPR surfaces. Concretions with similar behavior
are observed only at the top of the outcrop along the
cliff face (Figure 4a). Thus, the high-amplitude ellip-
soidal reflectors are probably indicators of concretions.
Structural Correlation with Outcrop
The outcrop at the Murphy Creek reservoir site (Figure 4)
is about 400 m (1312 ft) long and is correlated with
the GPR data. This correlation assumes that the bound-
ing surfaces are the same in the outcrop section and the
stratigraphic profiles and in the GPR profiles. The four
main surfaces identified in the GPR data (Figure 4b, c)
correspond to those in the outcrop. In the outcrops,
more surfaces lie between the major boundaries,
but these fall below the GPR resolution as they thin
southward.
The GPR lines A and C (Figure 4b, c) are approx-
imately 10 and 110 m (33 and 360 ft) away from the
outcrop (to the east), respectively. These two parallel
GPR lines show the southward-offlapping reflectors in
the same order as those in the outcrop. Lateral var-
iability in sedimentation inhibits a direct correlation
of GPR facies directly with the lithofacies in the out-
crop. Lithofacies vary laterally between the bounding
surfaces, containing more clay in the seaward direc-
tion. As a result, the GPR facies are also correspond-
ingly laterally variable.
The GPR facies can vary with lithofacies. Electrical
property contrasts that determine GPR facies depend
on subsurface features, including lithological changes,
water distribution, and sedimentary structures (Neal
et al., 2002). The GPR facies do not necessarily match
with internally changing sedimentary facies (van Dam
and Schlager, 2000). The delta front is the most active
zone of a delta complex, internally as well as externally,
and contains high regional-scale sediment variability
(Willis et al., 1999). Bioturbation may also modify the
grain size distribution in the delta complex. The bio-
turbation is slight where deposition is rapid and be-
comes more intense as sedimentation rate decreases
(Bhattacharya and Walker, 1992; Reading, 1996).
Architecture of the Murphy Creek Reservoir Site
Figures 8 and 9 contain line drawings of the sedimen-
tological boundaries (and, thus, the internal structures)
extracted from the GPR lines (see Figure 1 for profile
locations). The strike lines are west-east trending and
show very low-angle, parallel, wavy reflections (Figure 8).
The subparallel reflections are interpreted as strike-
oriented sections through foreset beds prograding at
the delta front (Smith and Jol, 1997).
The dip lines are oriented north-south, running
slightly oblique to the main paleotransport direction
(Figure 1), and were recorded parallel to each other with
line spacing of about 50 m (164 ft) (Figure 1). The dip
lines (Figure 9) show top-truncated, low-angle, south-
erly dipping, offlapping reflections. A few of the dip-
ping layers are truncated by the younger overlying layers
and can be seen thickening to approximately 10 m
(33 ft). The layers can be traced downdip for about
80 m (262 ft), suggesting that their original bed forms
are substantially longer. The southward-dipping reflec-
tors are interpreted as delta-front clinoforms composed
of bar deposits that prograde basinward.
For interpretation of the 3-D facies architecture,
we use the GPR data volume, the photomontage, and
the sections measured at the outcrop. The intersecting
dip and strike GPR profiles allow the bedding surfaces
to be correlated in 3-D. The surfaces in the 3-D volume
(Figure 10) are based on the GPR data (excluding the
profile extensions [lines E2, C2, C3, and part of line 0]).
Individual surfaces (including major bounding sur-
faces) apparently downlap because they are beneath the
resolution of GPR. In the outcrop, the beds actually
converge as they thin into the underlying prodelta. Over-
all, a similar pattern of gently dipping bedding surfaces
can be seen throughout the dip lines, which are well
correlated across the gently undulating surfaces in the
east-west strike lines.
We interpret the gentle undulations to be related
to a depositional pattern of distributary mouth bars,
1148 GPR in a Delta Front
11. which are simultaneously deposited with the neigh-
boring bars in a delta lobe, resulting in the formation
of an interfingered distal bar complex (Coleman and
Prior, 1980; Bhattacharya and Walker, 1992). Within
the GPR volume, the interfingering zone is not directly
observed because of the lack of sufficient radar reso-
lution but is inferred from a series of apparently con-
tinuous horizontal reflections from one bar to the next.
The bedsets bounded by the major GPR surfaces
correspond either to sand-rich bars (LU1, LU3, and LU5
in Figure 4) or bioturbated sand bars with higher clay
content (LU2 and LU4 in Figure 4). From north to south,
we see at least three repetitions of sand-rich bar deposits
followed by bioturbated bar deposits. The maximum
thickness of each unit ranges between 5 and 10 m (16 and
33 ft).
DEVELOPMENT OF MOUTH-BAR COMPLEXES
From the GPR interpretation, at least three flood-induced
cycles of sedimentation can be identified. Each cycle
consists of two phases, one with high and one with low
sedimentation rate; however, there appears to be neg-
ligible change in average sand-grain size during the
deposition of the distal delta-front bars through the
whole section. The stratigraphic evolution of the Murphy
Creek reservoir site is discussed below at the compound
bedset level (Figure 10).
In the Upper Cretaceous, a deltaic environment was
established as a clastic wedge that prograded east and
south away from the Sevier orogenic belt into a fore-
land basin (Howell et al., 2004). During this time, a
point-source fluvial delivery (i.e., a lowstand river sys-
tem) fed the clastic sediments into the basin, building
a delta on to a preexisting muddy platform along the
western flanks of the Cretaceous epicontinental seaway
(Bhattacharya and Willis, 2001). During this period,
the bed load was transported through the channels by
the fluvial-related current, forming the sandstone of
LU1 as a successive bedset of a sandy bar in a distal delta
front. The bedset was deposited by a flood in which the
sediment load discharged from the river mouth was
relatively high. After flooding, a subsequent bar (LU2)
was formed as the delta prograded basinward, and low
sediment supply caused LU2 to be highly susceptible
Figure 8. Line drawings of migrated GPR lines 0–3 in the strike direction (Figure 1) showing subparallel, wavy GPR reflections,
which are interpreted as the strike direction of delta foresets. Ground-penetrating radar tie points are indicated by inverted triangles.
Lee et al. 1149
13. to bioturbation, followed by LU3 marking another
flood-induced cycle of sedimentation. LU3 was formed
as a rapidly prograding bar with an increase of sedi-
mentation rate that locally truncates the bedset of
LU2. The second sedimentation cycle (LU3) was capped
by a muddier postflood deposit (LU4), indicating re-
duced sediment supply. The thickness of LU4, how-
ever, is more than twice that of LU3, indicating that
Figure 10. Stages
in the development
of the prograding
distal delta-front bars
at the Murphy Creek
reservoir site. LU1
(a) and LU2 (b) are
composed of a cycle
of flood and inter-
flood phases. LU3
and LU4 comprise a
subsequent cycle;
LU5 is the start of
another.
Lee et al. 1151
14. LU4 either is more proximal to the bar crest or was
deposited for a longer period of time.
The third cycle starts with LU5, but we do not see
its top because it is not exposed. If the uniformly dip-
ping reflectors on line C2 represent a bedset of rapidly
prograding sandy bar, LU5 would be thicker than any of
the other units. These cycles, which are a consequence
of sedimentation rate, continued for a long period of
time until they were eroded by a significant transgres-
sive ravinement, resulting in a top-truncated delta front.
The foresets of the delta front are partially preserved,
but the delta tops (including the distributary channels)
were eroded away (Howell and Bhattacharya, 2001),
although the channels have been described in outcrops
of PS 6 (see Figure 3) farther south (Gani and Bhatta-
charya, 2003).
We interpret alternating high and low sediment
rate during the seaward growth of distributaries and
sediments of the delta front. This alteration occurred
without significant changes in average sand-grain size,
which is consistent with sedimentation whose primary
control is changing sediment supply from the sedi-
ment source instead of changing sediment sources.
ESTIMATION OF DEPOSITIONAL VOLUME
Mouth bars are composed of four principal regions: bar
back, bar crest, bar front, and distal bar (Wright, 1977).
The suggested depositional patterns of a top-eroded mi-
grating bar at the Murphy Creek reservoir site result-
ing from ravinement erosion are shown in Figure 11a.
We assume that the Murphy Creek reservoir site
is a distal part of the river-dominated delta where the
sediments may be radially distributed through the
distributary channels, forming mouth bars. Many bars
coalesce over time and become incorporated into a
bar assemblage resulting in semicircular, fan-shaped
structures (Coleman and Prior, 1980). Progradation of
the delta followed the dominant southeast paleocur-
rent direction (Figure 1). As the bar deposits were
growing steadily basinward, it appears that the local
channel mouth moved slightly landward (northwest)
(Figure 11b). This may correspond locally to a com-
ponent of landward accretion (i.e., upstream growth)
of the distributary mouth bars on decadal timescales at
a constant relative sea level (van Heerden and Roberts,
1988) for a modern analog.
To estimate the bar volume, we define the thick-
ness as the vertical extent of a succession between the
bar crest to the distal bar, and the length of the mi-
grating bar as the horizontal distance from the channel
mouth to bar front (because the distal bars are not
visible with GPR; Figure 11a). The thickness of the bar
was inferred from the outcrop. The measurement was
conducted on the thickest interval of each bar succes-
sion between major boundaries, except for LU5 be-
cause this youngest unit is not clearly complete. The
complete thickness is estimated by doubling the ob-
served (truncated) thickness, assuming that the bar
complex is cut down to half of its original height by
transgressive erosion (Cattaneo and Steel, 2003), but
the actual amount of erosion is not known. The half-
length of each bar is derived from the radii of curvature
of arcs fitted approximately to the four major GPR
bounding surfaces (Figure 11b) to estimate the center
of curvature, where we assume that the local point sedi-
ment source is located. The average of the estimated
bar lengths is about 1300 m (4265 ft).
The volume of each bar is approximated by mul-
tiplying their areal extent by their average thickness
(Table 1). The area covered by the migrating bars is ob-
tained from the empirical relationship in figure 3 of
Van Wagoner et al. (2003), between the area and length
of sedimentary bodies. The volume of each bar is con-
verted to possible fluid volume using a porosity of 20%,
which is consistent with the average porosity values
measured in outcrop samples in the topmost parase-
quence (PS 6) along the Frontier outcrop belt (Figure 3).
The total potential fluid volume for LU1 to LU4 is thus
estimated to be 2.0 Â 107
bbl (3.1 Â 106
m3
). This esti-
mation has not considered allocyclic controls, includ-
ing receiving basin geometry, regional tectonic stability,
rates of subsidence caused by compaction of newly de-
posited sediments, or rate of sea level change.
SUMMARY
The geometry of a top-truncated, lowstand delta front
was delineated with about 4400 m (14,435 ft) of GPR
data collected at the Murphy Creek reservoir in the
Upper Cretaceous Turonian Wall Creek Member of
the Frontier Formation, in Wyoming, United States. A
photomontage and the GPR lines oriented along depo-
sitional dip show inclined foreset beds with tangential
bottomsets dipping south, slightly oblique to the major
paleocurrent direction, and are interpreted as delta-
front clinoforms.
Within the GPR volume, three different GPR fa-
cies were identified, but they are difficult to correlate
directly with the lithofacies in the outcrop because of
1152 GPR in a Delta Front
15. lateral lithological variance. However, a similar geom-
etry is observed in the outcrop and the GPR data in both
the strike and dip directions. The dip lines are char-
acterized by top-truncated, low-angle, southerly dip-
ping reflectors, whereas the strike lines are character-
ized by very low-angle, parallel, wavy reflectors.
The four main GPR surfaces correspond to the
surfaces bounding the compound bedsets of the bars in
the outcrop. In each of the five lithological units iden-
tified, two different facies are repeated; one is charac-
terized by relatively clean-bedded sandstones, indicat-
ing a rapid sedimentation rate, whereas the other is
Figure 11. A schematic cross section of (a) a bar showing the radius and thickness and (b) a 3-D GPR reconstruction used to
measure the radius from the channel mouth to bar front. Each semicircle represents the inferred area covered by each bar. As the
bar deposits were growing steadily basinward, they were apparently accreting landward as well, as indicated by the heavy arrow.
Table 1. Estimated Depositional Volume of Each Mouth Bar
Lithostratigraphic
Unit
Maximum
Thickness (m) Half-Length (m) Volume (m3
) Pore Volume (m3
)
Possible Fluid
Volume (bbl)
LU1 13.0 492 2.3 Â 106
4.6 Â 105
2.9 Â 106
LU2 10.0 533 2.1 Â 106
4.2 Â 105
2.6 Â 106
LU3 10.4 672 3.5 Â 106
6.9 Â 105
4.3 Â 106
LU4 12.4 921 7.7 Â 106
1.5 Â 106
9.7 Â 106
Lee et al. 1153
16. characterized by poorly stratified bioturbated sandstones,
representing a low sediment supply. These seaward-
dipping lithological units are interpreted as prograda-
tional delta-front bar and interbar facies stacked in the
distal delta front. Heterolithic delta-front turbidites are
produced by sediment gravity flows.
The Murphy Creek reservoir site shows a complex
of distributary mouth bars with variable thickness con-
sistent with the prograding delta lobe. The geometry is
in general agreement with the internal structures of a
lowstand delta system (Hart and Long, 1996)], which is
substantially larger than the study site, with a sediment
source to the northwest. As the bar deposits were
growing steadily basinward, they were apparently ac-
creted landward as well (Figure 11b).
The minimum bar volumes at each stage of growth
were estimated by measuring the length and thickness
of the stacked deltaic deposits because complete and
accurate information on the top truncation of the Mur-
phy Creek reservoir is not available. The resolution
limits inherent in GPR measurements make the sea-
ward extension of the thin, deeper parts uncertain and
suggest that the actual volumes of the delta lobe may
be substantially larger.
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