Geology of the Ohio portion of Lake Erie
- Ohio Geological Survey, Sandusky, OH (United States)
- Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA (United States)
- Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)
Seismic-reflection records from the Ohio portion of Lake Erie were interpreted to map the acoustic boundaries inferred to represent the contacts between the postglacial lacustrine deposits and the glacial deposits, and between the glacial deposits and the bedrock. All interpretations were checked against available ground trust data (cores, borings, jetted holes). Generally, in the nearshore the postglacial and glacial deposits pinch out against a rising bedrock surface. Offshore of most of the major rivers there is an indication of down-cutting of the glacial deposits and/or the bedrock. The shale bedrock in the eastern part of the lake has a relatively smooth surface. On the other hand, the carbonate bedrock shows local relief up to 20 m. From the shore, the bedrock surface and overlying sediments dip independently toward the centers of the western and central basins, except where bedrock is at or near the lake floor. In these areas, the bedrock surface controls the distribution of the overlying glacial and postglacial deposits. The glacial deposit has, in places, internal reflectors which may represent multiple tills. These internal reflectors are most common in the central basin. Also, there is evidence that the late Wisconsinan Lake Border Moraine crosses the lake near Cleveland. The last glacier left the Lake Erie basin about 12,600 years ago causing a low stand of the lake. The postglacial deposits began to accumulate during this low and are thickest in the central part of the basins where there has been continuous lacustrine deposition since deglaciation.
- OSTI ID:
- 7141169
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9404217-; CODEN: GAAPBC
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 26:5; Conference: 27. annual conference of the North-Central Section of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Kalamazoo, MI (United States), 28-29 Apr 1994; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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