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Oligocene-Miocene Sr-isotope stratigraphy: Examples from eastern North America

Conference · · Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States)
OSTI ID:6886969
 [1]; ; ;  [2];  [3]
  1. New Jersey Geological Survey, Trenton, NJ (United States)
  2. Geological Survey, Reston, VA (United States)
  3. Rutgers Univ., New Brunswick, NJ (United States)

Sr-isotopic age estimates from the coastal plain in New Jersey, Maryland Virginia, and Florida have allowed correlation of upper Oligocene-Miocene stratigraphic sequences with an accuracy of [+-] 0.5--2.0 m.y. The upper Oligocene sequence mapped in New Jersey has an age range of 28.7--24.2 Ma, and is tentatively correlated with the Old Church Formation in Virginia. Sr-isotope age estimates of 28.6--25.3 in the lower part of the Arcadia Formation in Florida provide a chronostratigraphic correlation with the upper Oligocene, N.J. sequence. Miocene Sr-isotopic correlations are better constrained by improved age resolution of [+-]1 m.y. and less in the Miocene. The uppermost lower Miocene sequence in N.J. with Sr-isotopic age estimates of 17.4--15.5 Ma, can be correlated with the Calvert Formation in Maryland and the upper part of the Arcadia Formation in Florida based on Sr-isotopic correlations. The uppermost calcareous marine sequence in New Jersey is lower middle Miocene, with a Sr-isotopic age range of 13.6--12.2 Ma. This sequence is correlative with the Choptank Formation in Maryland. The St. Mary's Formation in Maryland has a Sr-isotopic age range of 10--9.6 Ma, and may be equivalent to the Cohansey Formation in New Jersey.

OSTI ID:
6886969
Report Number(s):
CONF-9404221--
Journal Information:
Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States) Vol. 26:4; ISSN GAAPBC; ISSN 0016-7592
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English