Paleo-precipitation estimate from a full-profile, Early Carboniferous paleo-Vertisol: Pennington Formation, central Tennessee
Conference
·
· Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)
OSTI ID:6764113
- Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States). Dept. of Geological Sciences
The depth to undisturbed pedogenic carbonate in modern soils has a robust relationship with mean annual precipitation. Two problems must be addressed when estimating paleo-precipitation ranges from paleosols; erosion truncation and post-pedogenic compaction. In central Tennessee, near Monterey, the mixed siliciclastic/carbonate deposits of the Late Mississippian (Chesterian) Pennington Formation contain a well-developed, uneroded paleosol. An array of macro-scale features are present; large slickensides, parallelepipeds, pseudo-anticlines, a rhizolitic nodular carbonate horizon, paleomukkara, paleo-gilgai, and deep vertical cracks. Also unusual, in the authors' experience, is the preservation of a 5--40 cm thick, upper horizon consisting of dusky yellowish-brown silty claystone with fine granular beds; this horizon compares favorably with the surface mulch (A horizon) of modern Vertisols. Collectively, these features exceed the morphological requirements of the modern Vertisols and warrant interpretation of this paleosol as a paleo-Vertisol. Vertisols are affected little by compaction, because of their high bulk density (Blodgett 1985). Implying a lack of appreciable erosion, the paleo-gilgai are synonymous with preservation of the ancestral soil surface, which presents an uncommon opportunity to overcome the major impediments to estimating paleo-precipitation levels from the depth to the pedogenic carbonate horizon.
- OSTI ID:
- 6764113
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-9404221--
- Conference Information:
- Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Journal Volume: 26:4
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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