Petrology and depositional environment of the Cove Creek and Girkin limestones (Mississippian) in Washington County, Virginia / by Christopher L. Bergren.
| Author/creator | Bergren, Christopher L. author. |
| Other author | Neal, Donald W., degree supervisor. |
| Other author | East Carolina University. Department of Geology. |
| Format | Theses and dissertations |
| Production | 1985. |
| Description | 71 leaves : illustrations (some color) ; 28 cm |
| Supplemental Content | Access via ScholarShip |
| Subjects |
| Summary | The Upper Mississippian (Chesterian) carbonate sequence in the Greendale Syncline of Washington County, Virginia, is a thick (580m) accumulation of shallow water mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments characterized by the cyclic deposition of four facies. Point-count data and cluster analysis were used to identify these four facies based upon 21 carbonate and non-carbonate components. The facies include 1) calcareous mudrocks, 2) calcareous sandstones, 3) oosparites, and 4) biomicrites. The data suggest deposition of the Girkin and Cove Creek Limestones on a homoclinal ramp on which subtidal, low-energy biomicrites grade up slope into oolitic sediments characteristic of a shallow, highly agitated shoal. The nearshore calcareous mudrocks represent intertidal to tidal-flat environments. Calcareous sandstones were deposited in a high energy nearshore environment, possibly tidal channels or strandline accumulations. Diagenetic processes began shortly after deposition in the marine environment and include micritization, compaction, pyrite formation and isopachous cementation. As burial continued, syntaxial, drusy and blocky cementation occurred as well as dolomitization and pressure solution. Microspar formation and silicification are also present in Girkin and Cove Creek sediments. Cyclic depositional patterns formed in response to changing environmental parameters. Periodic uplift of a southeast highland, episodes of basin subsidence, and fluctuations in eustatic sea-leve contributed to the environmental changes recorded in this sequence. |
| General note | "Presented to the faculty of the Department of Geology ... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Master of Science in Geology." |
| General note | Advisor: Donald W. Neal |
| Dissertation note | M.S. East Carolina University 1985 |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 48-53). |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Academic theses. |
| Genre/form | Thèses et écrits académiques. |
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