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Back barrier facies of a microtidal coastline, Upper Cretaceous Blackhawk Formation, Utah

Conference · · Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States)
OSTI ID:6196700
Protected lagoonal environments situated landward or prograding barriers, are characterized by low energy deposits which include flood tidal deltas, flood-dominated channel-fill sandstones, swamps (coal), and lagoon-fill siltstones. Flood tidal deltas consists of landward-dipping beds of sandstone which interfinger vertically and laterally with rooted and/or bioturbated lagoonal siltstones. Locally, individual beds of the flood tidal delta may be rooted or burrowed, which indicates discontinuous deposition of sediment into a lagoon. Channel-fill sandstones characterized by landward-oriented paleocurrent directions are interpreted to represent tidally influenced channels in a flood-dominated, microtidal setting. The majority of the lagoon-fill sediments are bioturbated, rooted, or burrowed siltstone, with brackish water bivalves Crossostrea, Brachidontes, Corbula and Anomia. Trace fossils Thalassinoides, Planolites, Palaeophycus, and Pelecypodichnus are common. Ophiomorpha-burrowed, medium grain size sandstone with abraded oyster shells is the only evidence of higher energy (storm-related) lagoonal deposition. Swamps are represented by low sulfur, low ash coal seams, with tree stumps, tree roots, and dinosaur tracks. Swamp environments prograded over sediment-filled lagoons, and are interpreted as the final stage of back barrier deposition.
Research Organization:
Univ. Utah, Salt Lake City (USA)
OSTI ID:
6196700
Report Number(s):
CONF-8510489-
Conference Information:
Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 17
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English