Palynology of selected coal beds in the proposed Pennsylvanian System stratotype in West Virginia

Technical Report · Sun Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6421135

Kosanke, R M

Investigation of coals from sections of the proposed Pennsylvanian System stratotype provided the opportunity to examine changes in palynomorph content through a number of coals from the New River Formation to the basal part of the Monongahela Formation. The rank of most coals of the Pocahontas and New River Formations of West Virginia does not permit extraction of palynomorphs with current laboratory maceration techniques. Because of this, the data of some possibly equivalent lower rank Pennsylvanian coals from adjacent parts of southern Ohio and eastern Kentucky have been included. The coals examined from the Kanawha Formation, Charleston Sandstone, and Monongahela Formations of West Virginia have yielded abundant and well-preserved palynomorphs. The coal is a significant resource in Pennsylvanian rocks, and the correlation of coals is an important consideration in the area of the stratotype in West Virginia and in adjacent states. The approximate range zones of some important taxa have been established. The range zones of some important taxa from Lower to Upper Pennsylvanian coals are: Densosporites irregularis Hacquebard and Barss, Stenozonotriletes lycosporoids (Butterworth and Williams) Smith and Butterworth, Schulzospora rara Kosanke, Laevigatosporites spp., Radiizonates spp., Torispora securis Balme, Zosterosporites triangularis Kosanke, Thymospora pseudothiessenii (Kosanke) Wilson and Venkatachala, Schopfites dimorphus Kosanke, and Thymospora thiessenii (Kosanke) Wilson and Venkatachala. 44 refs., 9 figs., 22 tabs.

• Research Organization: Geological Survey, Reston, VA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6421135
• Report Number(s): USGS-PP-1318; ON: TI86900258
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
011000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
58 GEOSCIENCES
580100 -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
COAL
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION III
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GAMETES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GERM CELLS
MATERIALS
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
PALYNOLOGY
PENNSYLVANIAN PERIOD
POLLEN
USA
WEST VIRGINIA