Sandstone petrofacies in the Cenozoic High Plains sequence, eastern Wyoming and Nebraska

Abstract

Research Article| February 01, 1976 Sandstone petrofacies in the Cenozoic High Plains sequence, eastern Wyoming and Nebraska K. O. STANLEY K. O. STANLEY 1Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information K. O. STANLEY 1Department of Geology and Mineralogy, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio 43210 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1976) 87 (2): 297–309. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<297:SPITCH>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation K. O. STANLEY; Sandstone petrofacies in the Cenozoic High Plains sequence, eastern Wyoming and Nebraska. GSA Bulletin 1976;; 87 (2): 297–309. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1976)87<297:SPITCH>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Cenozoic stream systems east of the Laramie Range in Wyoming and Nebraska and their headwater areas in the Laramie and Front Ranges, the Hartville uplift, and North Park basin are better defined by stratigraphic and geographic distribution of sandstone petrofacies in the Cenozoic High Plains sequence than by stratigraphic parameters or paleocurrent measurements. Light and heavy minerals are grouped into four distinct populations: a volcaniclastic sandstone petrofacies transported to the plains from distant volcanic eruptions, a plagioclase sandstone petrofacies derived from the anorthosite complex in the Laramie Range, a feldspathic sandstone petrofacies eroded from granitic and metamorphic rocks in the Front and Laramie Ranges and the Hartville uplift, and a rhyolite-bearing feldspathic sandstone petrofacies derived from Cenozoic volcanic rocks in North Park basin and from granitic and metamorphic rocks in adjacent mountains. Reconstruction of stream systems and their evolution is possible for the High Plains sequence because of distinctive crystalline rock types in the headwater area, lack of diagenetic alteration of detrital minerals in the sandstones, and lack of mixing of distinctive suites of the channel deposits. The depositional system consists of two major components: (1) coarse-grained stream-channel deposits and (2) widespread fine-grained eolian, wash, and flood deposits made up largely of pyroclastic material. The nature, distribution, and abundance of these components were controlled by the rate of air-fall of pyroclastic material in relation to the supply of detritus from crystalline rocks in the Front and Laramie Ranges and the Hartville uplift and by regional uplift, persistent parallelism of stream channels away from the mountains, semiarid to arid climatic conditions, and the shape of the drainage basins. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.