Date of Award
12-1985
Degree Name
Master of Science
Department
Geological and Environmental Sciences
First Advisor
Dr. William B. Harrison III
Second Advisor
Dr. John D. Grace
Third Advisor
Dr. W. Thomas Straw
Access Setting
Masters Thesis-Open Access
Abstract
The Niagara Group of the Michigan Basin is composed of reef, interreef, and basinal carbonates. The Niagara Group interreef has herein been divided into several litho facies: algal-laminated dolomicrite, bioturbated dolomicrite, intraclastic dolomicrite, wispy-laminated dolomicrite, crinoidal micrite, and nodular micrite. These interreef carbonates show a shallowing upward sequence.
The geochemistry of the Niagara Group interreef was examined in an attempt to delineate any geochemical gradients with respect to reefs. The geochemistry of the inter reef was determined by Particle Induced X-Ray Emission (PIXE) analysis. No significant geochemical gradients were found to be associated with reefs. Reasons for this may include: elemental contributions from a volcanic ash and decaying organics, diagenetic alteration of the reefinterreef geochemistry, and undiscovered reefs exerting an unknown influence on the interreef areas.
Recommended Citation
Porcher, Eric N., "Lithofacies and Geochemistry of Interreef Carbonates, Middle Silurian, Michigan Basin" (1985). Masters Theses. 1390.
https://scholarworks.wmich.edu/masters_theses/1390