Development of a New Geology Field Book for Utah

Shelby L. Johnston, Preston S. Cook, Thomas H. Morris, and Jeffery M. Valenza
Brigham Young University

We are assisting in the development of a guidebook for the Geology 210 Field Studies class at Brigham Young University. Our focus is on creating a visually impactful reference book that will help students comprehend the dynamic geologic history of Utah. The majority of our time and research have been directed towards the creation of paleogeographic reconstructions of eight different phases in Utah's geologic past. The first phase covers the Paleozoic Era and the paleogeographic map depicts the offshore deposits characteristic of that era. The second phase is comprised of Triassic period, and the map shows the depositional environment of the Moenkopi. The third period covers Jurassic period. We created two maps for phase three: the first represents the depositional environment of the Navajo Formation and the second shows the depositional environment of the Entrada Formation. The forth phase focuses on the Cretaceous. The map shows the Cretaceous Interior Seaway and the multiple deltas of the Ferron Sandstone. The fifth phase is dedicated to the Laramide Orogeny and Eocene lakes, with the map showing Lake Flagstaff and the Laramide uplifts. Phase six covers slab rollback and related volcanism during the Miocene, as illustrated by the map. The sixth phase comprises the initiation of extension and the advent of the basin and range. For this phase, we modified an existing geologic map to highlight basin fill associated with extension. Finally, the seventh phase covers the Pleistocene and Lake Bonneville. Since it is impossible to illustrate all aspects of Utah's geologic history in a short book, we have selected eight significant geologic events that are well represented in the National Parks visited by the class. We will outline the project's progress, highlighting our maps and figures, research, creative techniques, and collaboration with faculty.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90169©2013 AAPG Rocky Mountain Section 62^nd Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, September 22-24, 2013