Paleozoic geology of the New Madrid area

Technical Report · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1982

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6701302· OSTI ID:6701302

Schwalb, H. R.

Thick sections of sedimentary rocks occupy two grabens, the Reelfoot Rift and the Rough Creek Graben. Early sediments of Middle Cambrian and sub-Mt. Simon (Lamotte) deposition are found in the grabens, but do not crop out in the area. Growth faulting continued to deepen the Rough Creek Graben and possibly the Reelfoot Rift during much of the Paleozoic interval. Renewed tectonic activity, probably occurring during the Mesozoic Era, uplifted the Pascola Arch near the center of the Reelfoot Rift and also renewed uplift of many structural features and fault zones, some of which were displaced in a direction opposite to earlier movements. Erosion then removed thousands of feet of sediment from the area, and beveled the Pascola Arch. Igneous plutons were injected into the Precambrian basement rocks and some penetrated into the sedimentary section and formed dikes and sills. Subsidence followed with the formation of the Mississippi Embayment where Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments collected and buried the Pascola Arch. The area remains seismically active to the present day.

• Research Organization: Illinois State Geological Survey, Champaign (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6701302
• Report Number(s): NUREG/CR-2909; ON: DE83900300
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
RIFT ZONES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
ALABAMA
ARKANSAS
GEOLOGY
ILLINOIS
INDIANA
KENTUCKY
LITHOLOGY
MISSISSIPPI
MISSOURI
STRATIGRAPHY
TECTONICS
TENNESSEE
FEDERAL REGION IV
FEDERAL REGION V
FEDERAL REGION VI
FEDERAL REGION VII
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
NORTH AMERICA
USA
580100* - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)
580201 - Geophysics- Seismology & Tectonics- (1980-1989)