Thermal history of central and southern Appalachian basin based on apatite fission-track thermochronology

Conference · Mon Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · AAPG Bull.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6011302

Roden, M K

Seventy samples from the Tioga ash bed and Upper Devonian Hampshire and Chemung Formations were collected throughout the central and southern Appalachian basin for apatite fission-track analysis. Apatite fission-track apparent ages younger than depositional age (390 Ma) indicate that the sediments were subjected to temperatures greater than 100/degree/C prior to approximately 250 Ma. The samples of Tioga ash bed from Pennsylvania have an average apatite fission-track apparent age of 220 /plus minus/ 4 Ma, which decreases to the east to 153 /plus minus/ 6 Ma at Swatara Gap, Pennsylvania. This range is consistent with CAI contours that indicate higher temperatures (deeper burial) in eastern Pennsylvania. In Maryland, northeastern West Virginia, and northwestern Virginia, apatite fission-track apparent ages range from 246 /plus minus/ 37 Ma in the west to 110 /plus minus/28 Ma in the central section. This decreases to 95 /plus minus/ 18 Ma in the east. These relationships are consistent with the CAI values, which increase eastward from 3.0 to a maximum of 4.0. In southwestern Virginia, the mean apatite fission-track apparent age is 182 /plus minus/6 Ma for five samples. Confined fission-track length distributions for the sediment and ash bed samples from the central and southern Appalachians range from 12.3 /plus minus/ 1.9 /mu/ in the east to 13.1 /plus minus/1.5 /mu/ in the west. These mean track lengths are shortened from an initial track length of 16 /mu/. Exposure to temperatures in the range of 20/degree/-125/degree/C during the last 200 m.y. can produce the observed track lengths.

• Research Organization: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Troy, NY (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6011302
• Report Number(s): CONF-8809345-
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bull.; (United States) Journal Volume: 72:8
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
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03 NATURAL GAS
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Geology
& Exploration
APATITES
APPALACHIAN BASIN
DEVONIAN PERIOD
FEDERAL REGION III
FISSION TRACKS
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOTHERMAL GRADIENTS
MARYLAND
MINERALS
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
PARTICLE TRACKS
PENNSYLVANIA
PHOSPHATE MINERALS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
TEMPERATURE GRADIENTS
USA
VIRGINIA
WEST VIRGINIA