Stratigraphy and Geologic History of Middle Ordovician Rocks of Central Tennessee*

Abstract

Research Article| April 01, 1962 Stratigraphy and Geologic History of Middle Ordovician Rocks of Central Tennessee* CHARLES W WILSON, Jr. CHARLES W WILSON, Jr. Vanderbilt University and Tennessee Division of Geology, Nashville, Tennessee Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information CHARLES W WILSON, Jr. Vanderbilt University and Tennessee Division of Geology, Nashville, Tennessee Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 10 Oct 1960 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Copyright © 1962, The Geological Society of America, Inc. Copyright is not claimed on any material prepared by U.S. government employees within the scope of their employment. GSA Bulletin (1962) 73 (4): 481–504. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1962)73[481:SAGHOM]2.0.CO;2 Article history Received: 10 Oct 1960 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation CHARLES W WILSON; Stratigraphy and Geologic History of Middle Ordovician Rocks of Central Tennessee*. GSA Bulletin 1962;; 73 (4): 481–504. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1962)73[481:SAGHOM]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 The major facies of the Nashville and Maysville groups (Middle and Upper Ordovician) in Central Tennessee are Laminated argillaceous limestone to the west and limestone with varying amounts of silt to the east; Granular phosphatic limestone and Dove-colored limestone lie between the western and eastern facies. The distribution of these four rock types was controlled by activity of the Cincinnati arch.Typical of the regional history was the pattern of deposition of the various lithologies in the Bigby-Cannon Limestone. During deposition of this formation a relatively deep sea to the west received mud and sand from the west to form the western Laminated argillaceous limestone; a relatively shallow sea to the east received normal limy ooze with varying amounts of silt. Between these two provinces was a north-south belt of shallow water—the Central Tennessee Bank—which was the expression of the Cincinnati arch, and which for short periods of time was above sea level to form a north-south strip of mud and sand. The great concentration of organisms on the western part of this bank resulted in in situ reef detritus and the limy phosphatic “sand” of the fore-reef slope off the bank, which together formed the Granular phosphatic limestone. The eastern part of the bank was a tide-level shelf-lagoon in which fine limy ooze accumulated to form the Dove-colored limestone.During the deposition of the Hermitage Formation there were three uplifts of the then narrow Cincinnati arch. During deposition of the Bigby-Cannon Limestone the arch remained high. At the beginning of deposition of the Catheys Limestone the arch was low, but it was uplifted for a short period of time during early Catheys deposition. Uplifts were recurrent during deposition of the Leipers, and the arch at this time was a broad domal bulge—the Nashville dome. 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.