Quiz 12 (bonus!) (9:30-9:35 AM)
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
GY 112: Earth History
Mesozoic Geology:
Sedimentation
Instructor: Dr. Douglas W. Haywick
Last Time
Mesozoic Tectonics
A) The Triassic
B) The Jurassic
C) The Cretaceous
(web notes 31)
Paleozoic Tectonics
Speaking of which…
… when the Antler Orogeny
occurred, an island arc stuck
onto the side of Laurentia. This
clump of “new continent” is
called a terrane (specifically the
Antler Terrane)
Paleozoic Tectonics
When terranes hit a continent, they are called docking events. Ultimately,
continents grow bigger by scooping up geo-crap in their drift direction
(Accretionary tectonics)
Mesozoic Tectonics
Into the Triassic, many more
“terranes” (mostly island arcs)
began to be scooped up by North
America as it drifted WNW
•Brooke Range Terrane (Alaska)
•Stikine Terrane (British Columbia)
•Sonoma Terrane (Nevada)
Mesozoic Tectonics
Mesozoic Tectonics
In the Jurassic, we start to see
terranes with mixed lithologies
docking with North America
(e.g., Klamath Terrane)
•Major (felsic) intrusions begin
Mesozoic Tectonics
In the Cretaceous, more hits and
more intrusions. More uplift
•Wrangellia Terrane docks
What’s the Point?
The Appalachians and
Cordilleran Mountains
were both formed via
compressional tectonic
events.
Appalachians formed
through collisions with
other continents
Cordilleran Mts. formed
via accretionary tectonics
Today’s Agenda
Mesozoic Sedimentation
A) Triassic Sedimentation (Breakup of Pangaea)
B) Jurassic Sedimentation (Birth of the Atlantic Ocean)
C) Cretaceous Sedimentation (Creation of the Coastal Plain Province)
(web notes 32 and 33)
Mesozoic Paleogeography
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Triassic
•Initial opening of
Gulf of Mexico
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Triassic
•Initial opening of
Gulf of Mexico
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Triassic
•Initial opening of
Gulf of Mexico
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Triassic
Mesozoic Paleogeography
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Early Jurassic
•Initial flooding of
Gulf of Mexico and
Northern Atlantic
Ocean
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Early Jurassic
•Initial flooding of
Gulf of Mexico and
Northern Atlantic
Ocean
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Late-Triassic/Early Jurassic
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Late-Triassic/Early Jurassic
Alabama Mesozoic
Stratigraphy
Alabama Mesozoic
Stratigraphy
Halite (evaporite basin)
Alabama Mesozoic
Stratigraphy
Great Salt Lake (evaporite basin)
http://www.americansouthwest.net/utah/photographs700/salt.jpg
Alabama Mesozoic
Stratigraphy
Quartz Arenite (beach/desert)
Alabama Mesozoic
Stratigraphy
Sand dunes in the Gobi Desert
Alabama Mesozoic
Stratigraphy
Fossil. Limestone & Dolostone
(shallow marine with stromatolitic reefs)
Alabama Mesozoic
Stratigraphy
The Great Barrier Reef
http://www.anntorrence.com/blog/at-images/gbr_02.jpg
Alabama Mesozoic
Stratigraphy
Fossil. Limestone & Dolostone
(shallow marine with stromatolitic reefs)
http://www.netl.doe.gov/technologies/oil-gas/Petroleum/projects/EP/images
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Mid-Late
Jurassic
•More widespread
flooding of Gulf of
Mexico and
Atlantic Ocean
and…
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Late Jurassic
…major transgression
and flooding of the craton
begins
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Late Jurassic
…major transgression
and flooding of the craton
begins
•Sundance Sea
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Late Jurassic
…major transgression
and flooding of the craton
begins
•Sundance Sea
•Clastic wedges
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Late Jurassic
Sundance Sea
…major
transgression and
flooding of the
craton begins
•Sundance Sea
•Clastic wedges
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Late Jurassic
…major
transgression and
flooding of the
craton begins
•Sundance Sea
•Clastic wedges
•Navajo Sandstone
Mesozoic Paleogeography
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Cretaceous
•Southern rifting in
the Atlantic Ocean
•Gulf of Mexico
stops opening
Mesozoic Sedimentation
Cretaceous
•Southern rifting in
the Atlantic Ocean
•Gulf of Mexico
stops opening
•AL Coastal Plain
sedimentation
Mesozoic Sedimentation
North
South
Only key formations are labeled
(those discussed in GY 112)
Mesozoic Sedimentation
North
South
Only key formations are labeled
(those discussed in GY 112)
Today’s Homework
1. Start Studying; finals are coming up
2. Do the online class survey (Bonus!)
3. $5.00 worth of school supplies donation (Bonus!)
Next Time
1. The Cenozoic
GY 112: Earth History
Lectures 32, 33: Mesozoic Sedimentation
Instructor: Dr. Doug Haywick
dhaywick@southalabama.edu
This is a free open access lecture, but not for commercial purposes.
For personal use only.