Abstract: Sedimentology and Eastern Continental Margin (1926-1976)

F. J. Pettijohn

The eastern margin of North America is marked by the Appalachian orogenic belt, a chain of Triassic rift basins, and the continental terrace, in part emergent and in part submerged, all of which extend from Newfoundland to Georgia.

Sedimentology in the northeastern area largely has grown out of a study of the sedimentary deposits related to these three aspects of the continental margin. Their study led to an early or first recognition in North America of many features including turbidites and what now is called the Bouma cycle (Van Houten), explicit documentation of sedimentary facies (Caster), recognition of fining-upward alluvial cycles in the rock record (Allen and Friend), the Folk petrographic classification of carbonate rocks, the significance of sandstone provenance (Krynine), and the geosynclinal concept (earlier set forth by Dana and later expanded by Kay) with the related questions of paleogeography. In recent years the geosynclinal concept has been illuminated by both paleocurrent and provenance studi s and currently is being reexamined in light of global tectonics.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90972©1976 AAPG-SEPM Annual Convention and Exhibition, New Orleans, LA