Fourier and autocorrelation analysis of estuarine tidal rhythmites, lower Breathitt Formation (Pennsylvania), eastern Kentucky, USA

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1993 · Journal of Sedimentary Petrology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6427851

Martino, R L; Sanderson, D D ^[1]

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1. Marshall Univ., Huntington, WV (United States)

Outcrops of the Pennsylvanian Breathitt Formation in eastern Kentucky reveal a rhythmic pattern of siliciclastic sedimentation in a marginal marine coastal setting. A 15-23 m thick stratigraphic interval of thinly interbedded, fine sandstone and shale displays tidally generated features such as flaser and wavy current ripple bedding, bipolar paleocurrents, and cyclic thickening and thinning of mud-draped sandstone layers. A statistical analysis of sand layer thickness was carried out using shale partings as bounding surfaces for the individual sand units. Fourier and autocorrelation analyses were performed on two vertical sequences containing a total of over 2,100 layers. The results reveal the presence of four cycles of thickness variation. First-order cycles consist of alternating thick-thin sand layers. These daily couplets may reflect unequal flood and ebb currents during a single tidal cycle or dominant and subordinate tidal deposits in an ebb or flood dominated semidiurnal or mixed system. Second-order cycles typically consist of 11-14 sand layers and reflect spring-neap variations in tidal range and current velocities. Third-order cycles are usually composed of 24-35 layers and are formed in response to monthly variations in tidal range resulting from the ellipticity of the moon's orbit. Fourth-order cycles generally contain about 150 layers (range, 100-166) and were caused by seasonal maxima in tidal range associated with the solstice (winter, summer) and seasonal minima associated with the equinox (spring, fall).

• OSTI ID: 6427851
• Journal Information: Journal of Sedimentary Petrology; (United States), Vol. 63:1; ISSN 0022-4472
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
DEPOSITION
STRATIGRAPHY
KENTUCKY
CARBONIFEROUS PERIOD
FOURIER ANALYSIS
GEOLOGIC FORMATIONS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
PALEONTOLOGY
PETROLOGY
SANDSTONES
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SHALES
STATISTICAL MODELS
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGY
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NORTH AMERICA
PALEOZOIC ERA
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
USA
VARIATIONS
580000* - Geosciences