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The paleovolcanological setting of the Moroni Formation, Central Utah

Albrecht, Jessica Lynn
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1371222812

Abstract Details

2001, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Geological Sciences.
The Moroni Formation crops out in central Utah at the east end of a belt of Upper Eocene to Lower Oligocene magmatic rocks. The Formation consists of volcaniclastic strata and ash-flow tuff(s), and a related "rhyolitic" dike. The ash-flow tuff and volcaniclastic strata that crop out in the southern Cedar Hills, in the vicinity of Apple Tree Spring, were examined. Stratigraphic sections measured at five localities in the Apple Tree Spring area reveal a more complex history than previously reported. Lithostratigraphic units recognized are: a lower unlithified green sandstone; a middle unit of unlithified to poorly lithified sandstones with ash beds; and an upper unit of gray-green coarse grained volcaniclastic strata with boulder beds. A disconformity with significant relief separates the volcaniclastic strata (38.2 Ma) from the overlying ash flow tuff unit (34.3 Ma), which consists of white-pink unwelded deposits grading up into densely welded, locally vitrophyric, tuff. Depositional environment of the volcaniclastic strata is interpreted to have been an alluvial fan, which is characterized by a general coarsening upwards and, in the upper part, conglomerate and boulder beds deposited by massflow processes. Paleocurrents from the middle volcaniclastic unit exhibit dispersion from 050-140°. Coarse clasts (>2mm) are dominated by intermediate volcanic rock fragments plus minor quartzite. Sand size grains are dominated by similar volcanic rock fragments, together with feldspar (plagioclase and minor sanidine), and minor to trace quartz, amphibole, pyroxene and biotite. Sparse but widely distributed tricuspate silicic shards indicate contemporaneous volcanism. Although clearly associated with active volcanism and having a volcanic provenance, the Moroni Formation laps northwestward onto the Charleston-Nebo thrust plate, which formed a significant mid-Tertiary paleotopographic high. The age of the Moroni Formation suggests that its source is not the East Tintic volcanic center but rather an older source of similar composition that may have been more proximal. Detrital material from the source was funneled through a paleovalley between the Charleston-Nebo Thrust Plate and the northern end of the Gunnison Plateau (San Pitch Mountains), to the site of deposition in the Cedar Hills.
David H. Elliot, Dr. (Advisor)
Geological

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Albrecht, J. L. (2001). The paleovolcanological setting of the Moroni Formation, Central Utah [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1371222812

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Albrecht, Jessica. The paleovolcanological setting of the Moroni Formation, Central Utah. 2001. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1371222812.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Albrecht, Jessica. "The paleovolcanological setting of the Moroni Formation, Central Utah." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2001. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1371222812

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1371222812
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© 2001, all rights reserved.
This open access ETD is published by The Ohio State University and OhioLINK.