Influence of strike-slip movement on terrestrial sedimentation in upper Carboniferous of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick
Lower Pennsylvanian (Namurian and lower Westphalian) sediments of maritime Canada were deposited in alluvial and lacustrine environments. Thick (>3.5 km, 2.1 mi) sequences of these sediments accumulated within structural basins formed between strike-slip faults. Movement of the faults during the Namurian caused uplift in compressional areas. These positive areas, consisting of crystalline rocks and older Carboniferous sediments, provided a local supply of coarse sediment to the basin. In some cases, the positive areas excluded the introduction of sediment from large rivers sourced well outside the depositional basin. Large lakes were common in the Namurian and were probably a result of the relatively small amount of sediment that entered the basins. This sediment-starvation is also indicated by sequences of stacked paleosols that provide evidence of slow rates of sedimentation. A detailed study of the sediments indicates a progressive climatic change from arid conditions, with evaporites, in the lower Namurian to humid conditions, with coal deposits, in the Westphalian. This climatic change is reflected by an increase in the size of the extra-basinal river systems in younger formations. By the mid-Westphalian, the influx of sediment to the area was so great that the topographic basins were essentially infilled. Westphalian lakes were shallow and of limited lateral extent. Anomalously thick sequences of overbank sediments and stacked pointbar deposits are present, suggesting that tectonic movements were still sufficiently strong to influence the style of fluvial architecture.
- Research Organization:
- Alberta Research Council, Edmonton
- OSTI ID:
- 6307350
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8405216-
- Journal Information:
- Am. Assoc. Pet. Geol., Bull.; (United States), Vol. 68:4; Conference: AAPG annual convention, San Antonio, TX, USA, 20 May 1984
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
SEDIMENTATION
NEW BRUNSWICK
NOVA SCOTIA
ALLUVIAL DEPOSITS
COAL DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FAULTS
GEOLOGY
MISSISSIPPIAN PERIOD
PENNSYLVANIAN PERIOD
TECTONICS
CANADA
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC FRACTURES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
RESOURCES
580100* - Geology & Hydrology- (-1989)