Chert Horizons as Time-Stratigraphic Markers in Ordovician and Silurian of Eastern Great Basin: ABSTRACT

Abstract

Data from numerous measured sections show that distinct chert horizons occur at or near the same stratigraphic intervals in a number of Ordovician and Silurian dolomite sequences in the eastern Great basin of Nevada and Utah. In many cases a shallow-water origin for the chert is inferred because of silicified shelfal fauna and lack of deeper water indicators. The cherty intervals appear to transgress across environmentally controlled lithologic boundaries. This fact, coupled with the regional extent of the chert, suggests that these intervals can be used as time-stratigraphic marker horizons. This concept is useful in assessing the degree of stratigraphic thinning of Upper Silurian strata along a regional unconformity. Although chert is almost ubiquitously present in certain stratigraphic intervals, the abundance of chert-bearing horizons within an individual section varies. By contouring the abundance of chert-bearing intervals within the Silurian system, a well-defined pattern is documented that increases in abundance to the northeast toward the northwestern corner of Utah. The ratio of chert to dolomite within the intervals increases correspondingly. It is suggested that the chert is the result of silica supersaturation from the settling of wind-blow volcanic ash on the Silurian epicontinental sea. The distribution of the chert was largelymore » a function of paleowind currents from an easterly or northerly active volcanic source area.« less