Tectonic evolution of Hanna Basin, Wyoming: Laramide block rotation in the Rocky Mountain foreland
From late Early Cretaceous through late Early Eocene time the Hanna Basin area of south-central Wyoming developed in response to regional and local tectonic forces. Subsidence history, flexural modeling, depositional setting and history, coal moisture content of Tertiary coal and fission-track thermochronology document the evolutionary history of this small ({approx}2600 km{sup 2}), deep ({approx}16 km offset on the Precambrian basement) intermontane basin. The present geologic configuration of Hanna Basin is the result of five evolutionary phases: (1) initial regional subsidence ({approx}119 Ma) as part of the expanding foredeep in front of the Sevier Orogenic belt, (2) breakup of this foredeep into discrete depocenters and nascent uplifts began between 88.5 Ma and 97.5 Ma (locally, uplift of the Sweetwater Arch and downwarp of the Hanna trough are most important), (3) breakup of the Hanna trough and development of the Hanna Basin by basement block rotation facilitated by sediment loading (began at 68-70 Ma and continued through {approx}52 Ma), (4) late Early Eocene - early Middle Eocene uplift of Shirley Mountains area and final destruction of the old Hanna trough (final movement on the Shirley Thrust) and (5) post Early Eocene sedimentary fill of about 2.4 km and its subsequent erosion prior to {approx}29 Ma.
- Research Organization:
- Wyoming Univ., Laramie, WY (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 5631330
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Laramide basin subsidence and basement uplift in Rocky Mountain foreland of Wyoming
Laramide basin subsidence and basement uplift in Rocky Mountain foreland of Wyoming
Related Subjects
011000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
AGE ESTIMATION
BASEMENT ROCK
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
COAL DEPOSITS
DEPOSITION
ENERGY SOURCES
EROSION
FEDERAL REGION VIII
FISSION TRACKS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
MATERIALS
MINERAL RESOURCES
MOISTURE
MOUNTAINS
NORTH AMERICA
PARTICLE TRACKS
RESOURCES
ROCKY MOUNTAINS
SEDIMENTS
TECTONICS
THERMAL ANALYSIS
USA
WYOMING