Complete exposure of Jurassic strata from the Newark Basin, New Jersey
Exploratory drilling in 1985 has been undertaken along the right-of-way of a proposed flood diversion tunnel in northern New Jersey. The 21.8 kilometer long tunnel route is across the strike of Late Triassic and Early Jurassic rocks of the Newark Basin in an area where rock exposures are few due to glaciation. Approximately 2400 meters of the 6300 meter thick northern portion of the Newark Basin is represented in rock cores. The uppermost 870 meters of Late Triassic strata have been drilled and show an increased percentage of gravel toward the Jurassic contact. Approximately 1620 meters of Early Jurassic strata have been drilled including the three Watchung basalt flows. The oldest basalt flow at the Triassic-Jurassic contact has undergone extensive faulting with high angle normal and reverse oblique slip faults extending into the underlying Triassic rocks. Lacustrine deposits sandwiched between the basalt flows are cyclic with the entire transgressive-regressive sequences up to 12 meters thick and deep water shales and algal mats up to 4 meters thick. What emerges for the first time is a continuous picture of the Newark Basin Jurassic strata. These strata, containing kerogen-rich layers, are some of the youngest found in any of the Mesozoic rift basins. These rock cores represent the western most Mesozoic strata which extend eastward to similar-aged deposits found in outer continental shelf drill holes.
- Research Organization:
- Army Corps of Engineers, New York, NY (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6652894
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Vol. 17; ISSN GAAPB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Jurassic faults of southwest Alabama and offshore areas
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Related Subjects
580100* -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
BASALT
DRILL CORES
FEDERAL REGION II
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
IGNEOUS ROCKS
JURASSIC PERIOD
LITHOLOGY
MESOZOIC ERA
NEW JERSEY
NORTH AMERICA
RIFT ZONES
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
STRATIGRAPHY
USA
VOLCANIC ROCKS