--> ABSTRACT: Comparison of Basal Silurian Quartzarenites in Great Valley and Valley Ridge Provinces of Central Appalachians, by Tammy D. Suter; #91038 (2010)

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Comparison of Basal Silurian Quartzarenites in Great Valley and Valley Ridge Provinces of Central Appalachians

Tammy D. Suter

Throughout the Valley and Ridge province of the central Appalachians, the basal Silurian units are the Tuscarora Sandstone (quartzarenite), Rose Hill (Clinton) Formation (shale), and Keefer Sandstone (quartz subgraywacke). In the Great Valley province to the east, the basal Silurian is represented by a single quartzarenite unit, the Massanutten Sandstone. Based on similar thicknesses and stratigraphic positions, it has been assumed that the Massanutten section is equivalent to the Lower Silurian section in the Valley and Ridge. Very little work has been done on the petrography of these two sections to see if there are similarities in terms of depositional environment and provenance to support this correlation. The purpose of this study is to compare the quartzarenite port ons of the two sections by means of cathodoluminescence. Cathodoluminescence allows characterization of the source terrane (high versus low-temperature quartz) for a sandstone based on the luminescent colors of the quartz grains.

Overall, the ratio of brown to blue luminescing quartz in the Tuscarora differs from that of the Massanutten, suggesting a different source area with more low-temperature quartz supplied to the Tuscarora. Furthermore, within the Massanutten, the ratio of brown to blue quartz decreases from the bottom to the top of the section, consistent with an increased input of high-grade metamorphic or igneous quartz through time. The possible differences in source terranes for the Tuscarora and Massanutten Sandstones are in general agreement with paleogeographic models that have been proposed for the area.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #91038©1987 AAPG Annual Convention, Los Angeles, California, June 7-10, 1987.