Miller, K.G., and Snyder, S.W. (Eds.

), 1997
Proceedings of the Ocean Drilling Program, Scientific Results, Vol. 150X

2. LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTS OF THE ISLAND BEACH BOREHOLE,

NEW JERSEY COASTAL PLAIN DRILLING PROJECT1

James P. Owens,2 Kenneth G. Miller,3,4 and Peter J. Sugarman5

ABSTRACT

We present lithostratigraphic and paleoenvironmental interpretations of the Island Beach borehole. This borehole provides
the only Upper Cretaceous to lower Eocene section recovered by the New Jersey Coastal Plain Drilling Project (Ocean Drilling
Program Leg 150X). Upper Cretaceous and Paleogene sections were deposited in relatively deep marine paleoenvironments
(typically outer middle to outer neritic; 50−200 m paleowater depths) as a series of upsection shallowing sequences. Although
the Oligocene section is relatively thick (267 ft [81.4 m]), it is poorly fossiliferous and provides the most equivocal Oligocene
paleoenvironmental record of the three Leg 150X boreholes. Lower Miocene strata at this site consist of three poorly fossilifer-
ous sequences (Kw1a, K1b, and Kw2a) deposited in shallow marine (inner neritic, near-shore, prodelta, and delta front) to flu-
vial environments. The Miocene sections also shallow upsection, both within sequences and within the Miocene as a whole.
The surficial strata at Island Beach are composed of uppermost Pleistocene (?) to Holocene deposited as one deepening-upward
succession representing fluvial to near-shore deposits.
Tectonics progressively reshaped the basins in which Upper Cretaceous to Holocene strata were deposited. For example,
Oligocene basins were mainly in southern New Jersey (Atlantic City and south), whereas the early Miocene Kirkwood basin
was more expansive both updip and along strike to the north. Tectonic changes resulted in differential beveling of stratigraphic
units and preferential preservation. For example, the lower Oligocene appears to be truncated north of Mays Landing, NJ, and
is poorly represented at the Island Beach borehole.

INTRODUCTION et al., 1991; Figs. 1, 2). These holes provide an updip view of the for-
mations that complements the downdip view of Leg 150X.
The Tertiary stratigraphy along the coast of New Jersey was in- A major scientific objective of the onshore study was to evaluate
vestigated in three boreholes drilled at Island Beach, Atlantic City, the effects of eustasy (global sea level) vs. tectonics on the strati-
and Cape May by the New Jersey Coastal Plain Drilling Project, graphic record. Olsson (1991) and Miller et al. (1996) summarized
Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Leg 150X (Miller, et al., 1994; Miller the effects of eustatic change on the New Jersey Margin. Although
et al., 1996). This investigation is the first stage of a larger study to this passive margin has been influenced by eustatic change, tectonics
link the onshore record with the offshore stratigraphy found in the also played a major role in shaping its stratigraphic record. Owens
slope boreholes drilled by ODP Leg 150 (Mountain, Miller, Blum, et and co-authors (Owens, 1970, 1983; Owens and Gohn, 1985; Owens
al., 1994) and a transect of boreholes that will be drilled at a later date et al., 1968, 1970, 1977) argued that the basins and arches on the mar-
across the shelf (see Miller, Chapter 1, this volume). gin (Fig. 1) are caused by warping at different places at different
Age control is provided by biostratigraphy for Upper Cretaceous times: the so-called “rolling basin concept.” For example, the Salis-
to Paleocene strata, by magnetobiostratigraphy for Eocene strata, by bury Embayment (Fig. 1) may record progressive downwarping to
biostratigraphy and Sr-isotopic stratigraphy for Oligocene to Mio- the south as indicated by a shift from an early Miocene depocenter in
cene strata, and by radiocarbon ages for the Holocene section (Miller, New Jersey to a late Miocene depocenter in Maryland (Owens et al.,
et al., 1994; M.-P. Aubry in Miller, et al., 1994; Browning et al., 1988). Evaluation of the rolling basin concept requires an accurate re-
Chapter 17, this volume; Liu et al., Chapter 10, this volume; Pekar et construction of the basins through the Tertiary. The data from the
al., Chapter 15, this volume). Depositional environments were in- three Leg 150X boreholes, the ACGS#4 borehole, and partially cored
ferred in this paper from the lithofacies; this is supplemented by holes elsewhere in southern New Jersey can be used to reconstruct
benthic foraminiferal studies elsewhere in the volume (Browning et basinal changes during the Cenozoic. Undisturbed samples from
al., Chapter 16, this volume). Some additional biostratigraphic data these holes were used to establish the environment of deposition
were provided by paleontologists of the United States Geological within different parts of the basin.
Survey (Bybell and Self-Trail, Chapter 9, this volume). In addition to The Island Beach borehole is the northernmost of the three Leg
the Leg 150X sites, continuously cored material is provided by the 150X sites. The hole was drilled on the southern end of the barrier is-
ACGS#4 borehole (Mays Landing), ~13 km inland from the coast land that makes up the state park. The hole was spudded in at 12 ft
(Owens et al., 1988) and a borehole at Allaire State Park (Sugarman (3.7 m) above sea level and drilled to a depth of 1223 ft (372.9 m; all
depths are given below land’s surface). This hole was the only one to
reach Cretaceous strata. Core recovery was 86.7%. Miller et al.
1 Miller, K.G., and Snyder, S.W. (Eds.), 1997. Proc. ODP, Sci. Results, 150X:
(1994) provided preliminary lithostratigraphic descriptions, identifi-
College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program). cation of the formations, and delineation of the sequences. This study
2
U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA 20192, U.S.A. (Deceased) re-evaluated the lithostratigraphy by redescribing the general sedi-
3 Department of Geological Sciences, Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ 08855,
ment types (textures and structures) and stratigraphic contacts, exam-
U.S.A. [email protected]
4
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, NY 10964,
ining the sediments using a binocular microscope for mineralogy and
U.S.A. texture, conducting heavy mineral separations for opaque and non-
5
New Jersey Geological Survey, CN 427, Trenton, NJ 08625, U.S.A. opaque minerals, and analyzing the clay minerals using an X-ray dif-

15
3UHYLRXV&KDSWHU 7DEOHRI&RQWHQWV 1H[W&KDSWHU
J.P. OWENS, K.G. MILLER, P.J. SUGARMAN

glauconite sand, absence of large shells, common microfauna, mas-

78o 76o 74o sive bedding caused by bioturbation, and low concentrations of kao-
linite. This interpretation is supported by benthic foraminiferal biofa-
cies studies at other boreholes, which indicate outer neritic deposition
New York (e.g., Olsson, 1991).
Pennsylvania New City Age and correlation: The occurrence of Hedbergella mon-
Jersey mouthensis indicates that the section is uppermost Maastrichtian, al-

ne
though the absence of marker taxa precludes a foraminiferal zonal as-

Zo
signment (Liu et al., Chapter 10, this volume). Zonal assignment of
Raritan

ll
the undifferentiated Red Bank-Navesink Formations was determined

Fa
Harrisburg Embayment primarily with calcareous nannofossils. Samples from 1188.6 to
40o Philadelphia 1195.9 ft (362.4–364.6 m) fall with the Nephrolithus frequens Zone
South New (= CC26). Samples from 1199 to 1221 ft (365.5–772.3 m) fall within
Maryland Jersey High the Lithraphidites quadratus Zone (= CC25; D. Bukry in Miller, et
al., 1994). The undifferentiated Red Bank-Navesink Formations at
Baltimore
e nt Island Beach is upper Maastrichtian and correlates with the Navesink
ym (Zone CC25) and Red Bank (Zone CC26) Formations in outcrop. The
ba
Washington, D.C. Atlantic
D
formation at Island Beach is considered a condensed section because
el
Ba
aw
m y of its relative thinness compared to its age equivalents in outcrop and
ar
Z one

Ocean
E

e
Delaware age range.
Fall

ry

N PALEOGENE FORMATIONS
bu

Virginia
38o
Bay ake
Sa li s

There are seven Paleogene formations in the Island Beach bore-

hole: Hornerstown, Vincentown, Manasquan, Shark River, the newly
sape

named upper Eocene Absecon Inlet (Browning et al., Chapter 18, this
scale
Che

volume), the newly named Oligocene Sewell Point (Pekar et al.,

0 50 100 Chapter 8, this volume), and the newly named upper Oligocene At-
kilometers lantic City (Pekar et al., Chapter 8, this volume) Formations (Fig. 2).

Norfolk High Hornerstown Formation

Figure 1. Location map of the middle Atlantic coastal plain showing deposi-
The oldest Tertiary formation in New Jersey is the Hornerstown,
tional embayments (basins) and highs (arches). Modified after Pazzaglia
which occurs between 1167 and 1185 ft (355.7 and 361.2 m) in this
(1993).
hole (Fig. 2). This unit has more varied lithofacies than the underly-
ing Cretaceous units. The lower 2 ft (0.6 m) was not recovered and
the contact with the underlying Red Bank-Navesink Formation is
placed at 1185 ft (361.3 m) based on the downhole gamma-ray log
fractometer (for clay mineralogy data tables, see Van Valkenburg et (Fig. 2). The overlying 5 ft (1.6 m) is a dark gray to grayish black
al., this volume). massive clayey fine- to medium-grained quartz (10%−20%) glauco-
nite sand. This sand is much darker gray than the underlying Creta-
ceous sediments. Thus, the K/T boundary was not recovered, and we
CRETACEOUS FORMATION cannot determine if there is an unconformity at the base, although the
Undifferentiated Red Bank-Navesink Formations absence of Zone P0−P1b (Liu et al., Chapter 10, this volume) and the
large gamma-ray spike (Fig. 2) are consistent with an unconformity.
The oldest formation in this hole, the undifferentiated Red Bank- No whole macrofossils were observed in these beds, although micro-
Navesink Formations, occurs between 1185 ft (361.3 m) and total fossils are common, as are scattered pieces of dark brown phosphatic
depth (Fig. 2). The unit is a dark brownish black, massive, extensive- material. There is a gradual decrease in glauconite content into the
ly bioturbated, very silty and clayey fine- to medium-grained quartz upper beds, accompanied by an increase in fine- to medium-grained
(10%–25%) glauconite sand. No whole macrofossils are present, but mica (white, green, and, less commonly, brown varieties). The upper
calcareous microfossils are common. Finely crystalline pyrite is a beds are finely laminated to very thinly bedded. The Hornerstown is
common constituent in these beds. The lower 6 ft (1.8 m) of the for- unconformably overlain by the Vincentown Formation.
mation has a much more calcareous matrix than above. The base of Petrology: Only the clay minerals were investigated. As in the un-
the formation was not reached, but in nearby holes this unit is uncon- derlying unit, illite/smectite is the dominant mineral, although illite is
formable with the underlying unit and is unconformably overlain by present in lesser amounts. Kaolinite occurs in trace amounts.
the Hornerstown Formation. Both unconformities are associated with Environment of deposition: Environmental interpretation of this
phosphate-glauconite lag deposits that cause large spikes in gamma- unit follows a pattern noted elsewhere in the coastal plain (Owens
ray geophysical logs throughout most of the coastal plain. and Sohl, 1969; Sugarman et al., 1995). There is a deeper water or
Petrology: Only the clay minerals were analyzed in this forma- more distal glauconite sand at the base that is overlain by a shallower
tion. Interlayered illite/smectite is by far the dominant clay mineral water or more proximal micaceous, well-bedded clay-silt. Therefore,
with lesser amounts of illite. Kaolinite is present in trace amounts. this unit records a partial transgressive/regressive cycle as defined by
Kaolinite is a more common constituent in this unit in updip areas. Owens and Sohl (1969). The Hornerstown Formation was deposited
Environment of deposition: We interpret a middle to outer neritic in a middle to outer shelf environment. Miller, et al. (1994) originally
depositional environment for the Red Bank-Navesink Formations used the term “Hornerstown equivalent” for this unit at Island Beach,
based on high clay and silt content, medium to high concentrations of because the facies found at this borehole are not typical of the Hor-

16
 LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTS

Series Lithology Unit Gamma log Series Lithology Unit Gamma log Series Lithology Unit Gamma log

1076
523 508
21.6 ?
0
upper

P5
Holocene- upper g g g
Paleocene

Vincentown
?up. Pleist. Oligocene

Cape May

Atlantic City
24.3 1100

P21b-22
?
g g

50 550

1148
P4
g g
g g
1150

78
g P3

Kw. Fm., Wildwood M.

1184.5-88 1167
lower

P20-21a
602 592
Oligocene g g L L LL P2

Red Bank- Hn.

Navesink P1c
100 600 lower
lower Paleocene g g
Miocene Kw2a
g g
g g
1200
Upper g g

P19
650 g g Cretaceous
150 31.1

lo. Shark R. u. Shark. R. Absecon In. Sewell P.

Total depth 1223 ft

710 697 678

31.5
g g
182

30.4 Pebbles or pebbly

Kw. Fm., Shiloh Marl

200 700 g g 37.0

P16-17
upper Sands
Eocene
Kw1b

g g
Silts/sandy silts
g g

P15
Depth (ft)

750
750 Silty/sandy clay
250
mixed
layer g g ?
800 779
279

Clay
P12-14

middle g g
Eocene g g
300 800 Porcellanite
g g
P11
Kirkwood Formation, Brigantine Member

Indurated
876 862 857 846
P10

850 g g g
Shell beds
350
g g g
P9

lower g g g g g Glauconitic
g g g g g Glauconites
Eocene
Kw1a

900 L L L L Lignite
P8

400

Disconformity
Manasquan
P7

450 950 o
75 o 74 W
972

g g 76 o
P6b

ey
1000 rs Allaire
500 21.4/21.6 Je
508

w
g g Ne 40 o N
City P21b-22

1020

upper g g g Clayton
ACGS#4
Oligocene Island B.
Atlantic

g g Jobs Pt. Atlantic City

P6a

g g 39 o
1050
Cape May
g g
0m
1076

ea ic

g g ?
20
O c lant
n

upper Paleocene P5
At

Figure 2. Series, lithostratigraphy, lithostratigraphic units, and gamma logs of the Island Beach borehole. Wavy lines indicate unconformities with depths indi-
cated in feet. The log for the upper 78 ft is the analog New Jersey Geological Survey log; all logs below that are the BPB logs showing a thin dashed line at 100
API units. Numbers with arrows are Sr-isotopic ages in Ma using the Berggren et al. (1995) time scale after Sugarman et al. (Chapter 12, this volume) and Pekar
et al. (Chapter 15, this volume). Planktonic foraminiferal zones are after Liu et al. (Chapter 10, this volume). Modified after Miller et al. (1994) and Miller
(Chapter 1, this volume). Inset location map shows landward limits of Miocene and Cretaceous strata as stippled lines. Abbreviations: Kw. = Kirkwood; P. =
Point; Hn. = Hornerstown; R. = River; M = Member; u. = upper; lo. = lower

17
J.P. OWENS, K.G. MILLER, P.J. SUGARMAN

nerstown Formation in updip outcrop and subsurface sections be- contact marked by a gamma-ray spike (Fig. 2). A 3-ft-thick (0.9 m)
cause of the lower amounts of glauconite at Island Beach. dark green fine- to very fine-grained quartz glauconite sand occurs at
Age and distribution: The Hornerstown was dated in this hole us- the base of the Manasquan Formation. The glauconite grains are a
ing calcareous nannofossils (Zone NP3, L. Bybell, pers. comm., very dark green, and the common botryoidal shape is subdued, per-
1994) and planktonic foraminifers (Zone P1c, Liu et al., Chapter 10, haps indicating wear during transport. Dark brown phosphatic grains
this volume). These biostratigraphic data indicate that the unit is low- and scattered sand-sized mica are also present. The glauconitic sand
er, but not lowermost, Danian. interval is overlain by 36.5 ft (11.1 m) of dark green, massive to fine-
ly laminated, silty clay. Silt to very fine-grained glauconite and
Vincentown Formation quartz sand are common in the interval. This interval is overlain by 4
ft (1.2 m) of fine-grained glauconite quartz sand (1032−1036 ft
The Vincentown Formation occurs between 1075.5 and 1167 ft [314.6−315.8 m]). The overlying 164 ft (50.0 m) consist of a dusky
(327.9 and 355.7 m) in this hole, where it unconformably overlies the yellow-green, massive to very finely laminated clayey silt with a
Hornerstown Formation along a sharp contact (Fig. 2). The boundary component of very fine-grained quartz glauconite sand. The glauco-
is characterized by small-diameter burrows filled with glauconite- nite grains have rod shapes (spicular glauconite), and foraminifers
quartz sand projecting from the overlying Vincentown Formation are common in this interval. In the upper 13 ft (4.0 m), thin seams of
into the dark gray clay-silt of the Hornerstown Formation. The lower fine- to medium-grained glauconite sand are interbedded with clay-
34 ft (10.4 m) of the Vincentown Formation is a massive, bioturbated silts. Although the Manasquan Formation is an unconformity-bound-
glauconitic (about 35%) clayey quartz sand. The sand is silty, fine- to ed unit, four sequences can be recognized within it using integrated
very fine-grained, and dark gray to dark greenish gray. Both micro- stratigraphy (Browning et al. (Chapter 17, this volume).
fossils and macrofossils are common. The brachiopod Oleneothyris Petrology: The clay mineral suite in the lower dark green facies is
harlani is the dominant macrofossil at 1159−1160 ft (353.4−353.7 dominated by illite/smectite with lower amounts of illite and kaolin-
m), as it is elsewhere in the lower Vincentown Formation (Owens et ite. Kaolinite is absent in the lighter green facies where the propor-
al., 1995b). The upper 65 ft (19.8 m) of the formation is distinctly tions of illite/smectite and illite are the same as in the lower dark
bedded and lacks glauconite. Bed thickness decreases upward and the green facies. The zeolite clinoptilolite is present in small but persis-
upper part of the unit contains finely laminated to very thinly bedded tent amounts in the light green facies.
couplets of dark clay and silt to very fine-grained sands. Some of the Environment of deposition: This borehole is important, because it
sands are cross stratified. For the most part, there are no macrofossils contains the thickest section of the Manasquan Formation recovered
and few microfossils in this part of the formation. The Vincentown in the New Jersey Coastal Plain. Lithofacies characteristics of the
Formation is overlain unconformably by the Manasquan Formation Manasquan Formation at Island Beach that indicate distal deposition
and is an unconformity-bounded unit. in the outer neritic zone include massive to finely laminated bedding;
Petrology: As in the underlying units, only the clay mineralogy common to abundant foraminifers; lack of large megafossils; and
was determined for this formation. Illite/smectite is the dominant dark green color at the base, gradually becoming lighter green up
mineral with lesser amounts of illite. The uppermost beds also con- through the section. The presence of thin fine to medium quartz glau-
tain low amounts of kaolinite. The increase in kaolinite in the upper conite sand stringers and the persistence of quartz and glauconite silt
beds is similar to this level at the updip Clayton borehole, although to very fine sand in the clay-silts may indicate deposition was not out-
the concentration is lower at Island Beach (Fig. 2; Gibson et al., ermost neritic or bathyal. The outer neritic Manasquan Formation
1993). These authors ascribed the kaolinite increase to a marked cli- represents a deeper depositional environment than the underlying
matic change near the Paleocene/Eocene boundary. It is interesting Vincentown Formation and overlying Shark River Formation.
that kaolinite can be detected this far downdip. Age and distribution: The age of this unit was determined using
Environment of deposition: The pattern of deposition in the Vin- calcareous nannofossils, planktonic foraminifers, and magnetostrati-
centown Formation is deeper water sediments at the base (transgres- graphy (see Browning et al., Chapter 17, this volume for integrated
sive) and shallower at the top (regressive). The transgressive beds are magnetobiostratigraphy). The lower part of the Manasquan Forma-
massive glauconite sands. The presence of sand-sized mica, local tion falls within Zone NP10, which is lowermost Eocene (M.-P. Aub-
large shells, and accordion-shaped glauconite grains all indicate a ry in Miller, et al., 1994; Bybell and Self-Trail, Chapter 9, this vol-
middle neritic depositional environment for these beds (see facies ume). This contrasts with the situation at Clayton (Fig. 2), where the
models in Owens and Sohl, 1969). The transition into the upper non- basal Manasquan Formation spans Zones NP9–NP10 and the Paleo-
glauconitic beds accompanied by the fining-upward indicates a shal- cene/Eocene boundary (Gibson et al., 1993). The initial reports from
lower depositional environment interpreted as prodelta. this borehole (Miller, et al., 1994) indicated that the basal Manasquan
Age and distribution: The Vincentown Formation was dated using Formation at Island Beach may have also contained some of Zone
calcareous nannofossils and planktonic foraminifers. The lower beds NP9. Subsequent studies show that the marker for the base of Zone
in this unit are assigned to upper Paleocene Zones NP5–NP6 and the NP10 extends to the base of the Manasquan at Island Beach, indicat-
upper beds to Zones NP8–NP9 (late Paleocene; Miller, et al., 1994). ing that it is Eocene (Bybell and Self-Trail, Chapter 9, this volume;
The planktonic foraminifers indicate that the Vincentown Formation M.-P. Aubry, pers. comm., 1995). Nevertheless, there are indications
comprises Zones P2–P5 and may be in part upper lower Paleocene that the basal Manasquan at this site is uppermost Paleocene, as it con-
(Liu et al., Chapter 10, this volume; Fig. 2). Miller, et al. (1994) and tains the benthic foraminifer Stensioina beccariiformis (Pak et al.,
Liu et al. (Chapter 10, this volume) recognize a hiatus associated with Chapter 23, this volume). Further study of this intriguing discrepancy
a contact at 1148 ft (350.0 m) based on a facies change and a biostrati- is warranted. In any case, the presence of a thin glauconite sand with
graphic break (i.e., Zone NP7 is not represented; Miller, et al., 1994). scattered phosphatic debris in the base of the Manasquan, the bur-
The Vincentown Formation at Island Beach is finer grained than rowed contact between this unit and the underlying Vincentown For-
it is in the outcrop belt, especially in the upper beds. In outcrop, the mation, and the gamma spike on the geophysical logs indicate that
upper part of the formation is a fine- to medium-grained quartz sand. some section is missing at the Manasquan/Vincentown contact. Other
than noted above, the Manasquan Formation is lower Eocene (Zones
Manasquan Formation NP10−NP13; P6−P9; Miller, et al., 1994; Liu et al., Chapter 10, this
volume).
The Manasquan Formation (855–1075.5 ft [260.7–327.9 m]; Fig. The Manasquan Formation only crops out where the overlying
2) unconformably overlies the Vincentown Formation with a sharp beds have been extensively stripped away along the Manasquan Riv-

18
 LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTS

er in the northern coastal plain and along the Rancocas drainage in the mation is an unconformity-bounded unit, it can be divided into three
west central New Jersey coastal plain. The lower Manasquan Forma- or four smaller scale sequences using integrated stratigraphy (Brown-
tion has a large clastic medium to coarse sand component near Pem- ing et al., Chapter 17, this volume).
berton, NJ, in the central coastal plain. Thus, the Manasquan Forma- Age and distribution: Both the calcareous nannofossils and the
tion may be partly inner neritic in some of the updip outcrop areas. planktonic foraminifers were examined in the Island Beach borehole.
Calcareous nannofossils indicate that the Shark River Formation is
Shark River Formation middle Eocene to lower upper Eocene (Zones NP14–lower NP18),
the same age assigned to this formation in the ACGS#4 borehole
The Shark River Formation occurs between 750 ft (228.7 m) and (Owens et al., 1988). The Shark River Formation was one of the more
857 or 862 ft (261.3 or 262.8 m) in this hole (Fig. 2). A thin bed (1.3 poorly defined formations until recently. Enright (1969) proposed a
ft [0.4 m]) of fine- to medium-grained quartz glauconite sand with two-member subdivision: an upper clastic unit only found in the sub-
scattered broken shells and dark brown phosphate is present at the surface (the Toms River Member), and a lower argillaceous glauco-
boundary where this formation unconformably overlies the Ma- nite sand, which he named the Squankum Member for outcrops along
nasquan Formation. The interval 857−862 ft (261.3−262.8 m) com- Squankum Creek near Farmingdale, NJ. To better understand the
prises two glauconite sand beds. Miller, et al. (1994) placed the for- Shark River Formation, the New Jersey Survey drilled a hole at Al-
mational boundary at the lower bed, whereas Browning et al. (Chap- laire State Park in 1988, 3.5 km (2.1 mi) south of the Shark River For-
ter 16, this volume) and this report place it at the upper bed. Placing mation outcrop belt (Sugarman et al., 1991). In Enright’s view, the
the contact at the upper bed preserves the Shark River Formation as Squankum Member was glauconitic at the top and graded downward
a middle Eocene unit (i.e., 857 ft is middle Eocene whereas 862 ft is into the underlying silty clay Deal Member of the Manasquan Forma-
lower Eocene). A couplet of large spikes on the gamma-ray down- tion. The Shark River Formation at Allaire differs from his descrip-
hole log is associated with these beds. The basal bed is overlain by a tion in having common glauconite sand throughout, especially in its
very fine-grained glauconite quartz sandy clay-silt, which is finely lowermost part, although it is quite silty. In addition, it is much more
bedded to laminated and pale yellowish green and extends upsection shelly in its upper beds than the Manasquan Formation, which in fact
to 800 ft (243.9 m). Indurated silicified layers and large concentra- has no obvious macrofossils. The shelly nature of the upper Shark
tions of foraminifers are common in this clay-silt interval. Interstrat- River beds and nonshelly nature of the lower Shark River beds at Al-
ified clayey fine- to medium-grained quartz glauconite sands and laire is similar to the lithologic associations at Island Beach. We in-
clayey silts (~31 ft thick [9.5 m]) that overlie these lower clay-silt terpret the lower beds as deeper water and the upper beds as shallow-
beds are thinly bedded and olive brown. Small, thin-walled macro- er at both sites.
fossils are present locally in the glauconite beds. The upper 19 ft (5.8 Miller, et al. (1994) and Browning et al. (Chapter 16, this volume)
m) of the formation consists of a clayey (very calcareous) glauconite recognize both a lower and upper Shark River Formation at Island
quartz sand. Fine pebbles (to 1 cm diameter) are present in the base Beach separated by an unconformity at 800 ft (243.9 m; Fig. 2). The
of the quartz sand interval (761.5–769 ft [232.2–234.5 m]). The in- latter study addresses in detail the correlations of this formation
clusion of this upper quartz sandy interval in the Shark River Forma- among outcrops, the Allaire borehole, and the Island Beach borehole.
tion is based on the transitional nature between the glauconite sand
facies and the upper quartz sandy facies. Similar associations were Absecon Inlet Formation
noted in a number of wells in the vicinity of Toms River, a short dis-
tance to the northwest of Island Beach. Miller, et al. (1994) lumped A newly named unit, the Absecon Inlet Formation, lies between
this sequence with other upper Eocene strata rather than with the 697 and 750 ft (212.5 and 228.6 m) in the Island Beach borehole (Fig.
Shark River Formation. Browning et al. (Chapter 16, this volume) as- 2). The type section is in the Atlantic City borehole (Browning et al.,
sign this unit to the Toms River Member. It contains stratigraphically Chapter 18, this volume). The Absecon Inlet Formation unconform-
mixed faunal and floral assemblages (Miller, et al., 1994) and may re- ably overlies the Shark River Formation along a sharp contact over-
flect the effects of a nearby bolide impact (Poag and Aubry, 1995). lain by a clayey fine- to medium-grained quartz glauconite sand.
Petrology: Except the upper quartz sandy facies (= the Toms Riv- There is no spike in the gamma-ray log along this contract, although
er Member of Enright [1969] and Browning et al. [Chapter 16, this there is a general increase in radiation across the basal contact (Fig.
volume]), the clay minerals in most of the Shark River Formation are 2). The lower 33 ft (10.1 m) of the Absecon Inlet Formation consists
similar to the clay assemblages in the upper Manasquan Formation of brownish gray to olive-gray, crudely bedded, clayey very fine to
and are composed of dominant illite/smectite with smaller amounts medium quartz glauconite sand. Clay beds interbedded with fine- to
of illite. Clinoptilolite is also present in lesser amounts. The upper medium-grained quartz glauconite sands are present in the upper 18
quartz sandy beds have significant amounts of kaolinite in addition to ft (5.5 m). The upper 2 ft (0.6 m) of this interval are grayish orange
illite/smectite and illite. Clinoptilolite was not found in these upper pink to light brown. The upper contact with the overlying unit is bur-
beds. Enright (1969) found a similar distribution of clinoptilolite in rowed. The burrows are less than 2 cm (0.8 in) and are filled with
the Manasquan and Shark River Formations to the north. dark green glauconite sand (fig.10 in Miller, et al., 1994). The Absec-
Environment of deposition: The facies succession of the Shark on Inlet Formation is an unconformity-bounded unit.
River Formation include a basal transgressive lag (thin glauconite Petrology: The clay minerals in the Absecon Inlet Formation are
quartz sand) overlain by a deep-water (probably outer neritic) lami- principally illite/smectite with less, but nearly subequal amounts of
nated clay-silt facies. The clay-silt facies is similar in many respects kaolinite and illite. There is a marked change in the upper pink zone
to the Manasquan Formation, but represents a slightly more proximal where kaolinite is dominant, but illite/smectite is still present in high
setting indicated by the higher percentage of very fine-grained glau- concentrations. Illite is also present.
conite quartz sand. This lower facies grades upward into thinly inter- Environment of deposition: The major lithofacies of the Absecon
bedded very fine- to medium-grained quartz glauconite sands and Inlet Formation is a clayey quartz glauconite sand with clay interbeds
clay-silts. Small, thin-walled calcareous mollusks and foraminifers in the upper part. The lithologic characteristics of the Absecon Inlet
are common in this interval. The abundance of medium-grained glau- Formation are typical of middle neritic deposition, and this is sup-
conite, the increase in bedding thickness, and the appearance of small ported by benthic foraminiferal biofacies studies (Browning et al.,
thin-walled mollusks indicates a shallower water depositional site for Chapter 16, this volume). However, the brown color is most common
these beds, most likely in the middle neritic environment. From these in inner neritic environments, and the pink color may indicate a sub-
observations, the Shark River in this borehole is interpreted to repre- aerial weathering. Nevertheless, the presence of calcareous foramin-
sent a transgressive/regressive cycle. Although the Shark River For- ifers and pyrite argues against a subaerial origin for the pinkish color.

19
J.P. OWENS, K.G. MILLER, P.J. SUGARMAN

Similarly, the absence of woody fragments and sand-sized mica in deposited in the highstand systems tracts of upper Oligocene se-
the brownish beds argues against an inner neritic environment. We quences at Cape May, Atlantic City, and Jobs Point.
interpret the colors to reflect introduction of the near-shore continen- Petrology: All of the major clay minerals occur in this formation.
tal debris into the middle neritic zone, analogous to the introduction Compared to the underlying Sewell Point Formation, the kaolinite
of large quantities of kaolinite into the middle neritic environment at content decreases markedly. Illite/smectite is the major mineral in the
the Paleocene/Eocene boundary in the New Jersey Coastal Plain lower part of the formation, whereas illite is abundant in the upper
(Gibson et al., 1993). In the latter case, this anomaly was interpreted beds.
as evidence of a marked climatic change (much wetter) in the source Environment of deposition: The major lithofacies of the Sewell
lands. A similar climatic change is associated with the top of the Ab- Point Formation is clayey glauconite sand. The lithofacies character-
secon Inlet Formation, which is associated with a disconformity istics of the Sewell Point Formation point to a middle neritic deposi-
spanning the Eocene/Oligocene boundary. A well-documented flo- tional environmental. These characteristics include a dark-gray color,
ristic change to cooler climate species occurred from the late Eocene massive bedding due to bioturbation, abundant glauconite, rare shell
into the early Oligocene in the region (Frederiksen, 1980; Wolfe, fragments, low concentrations of foraminifers, low to high concen-
1985; and Ager in Owens et al., 1988), reflecting global climate trations of fine-grained quartz, and a three-mineral clay assemblage.
change (Miller et al., 1991). Age and distribution: Beds of Sewell Point Formation age were
Age and distribution: As in the other Paleogene formations, the unknown in the New Jersey Coastal Plain north of Cape May prior to
age of the Absecon Inlet Formation was determined from its calcar- 1988 (Owens et al., 1988) when they were first recognized as the in-
eous nannofossil and planktonic foraminiferal content. The nanno- formal Mays Landing unit at the ACGS#4 borehole, although Olsson
fossil zones in this unit range from upper Zone NP18 through lower et al. (1980) recognized possible upper lower Oligocene strata. The
Zone NP21 (essentially all of the upper Eocene). The planktonic for- age of the Sewell Point Formation is not as well constrained at Island
aminifers indicate Zones P15−17 (Miller, et al., 1994; Liu et al., Beach as it is elsewhere. At Island Beach, it is assigned to Zone NP22
Chapter 10, this volume). Studies subsequent to the Initial Reports at the base and undifferentiated Zones P18−19 throughout; Sr-
(Miller, et al., 1994) show that the highest occurrence of Hantkenina isotopic ages of ca. 31.5 Ma indicate that the long reversed interval in
marks the top of the Eocene at 698 ft (212.8 m) at the top of the for- the formation at this borehole is Chron C12r or C11r (Pekar et al.,
mation (Liu et al., Chapter 10, this volume). This indicates that the Chapter 15, this volume). The Sewell Point basin is mainly in south-
formation is entirely upper Eocene. Prior to 1988, upper Eocene beds ern New Jersey, and the Island Beach borehole establishes the north-
were not known to exist in New Jersey north of Cape May (Owens et ernmost known occurrence of this formation. The ACGS#4 borehole
al., 1988). This situation resulted from the lack of cored wells in the lies near the western boundary of the basin. The formation at Island
coastal plain. Owens et al. (1988) obtained a thick upper Eocene sec- Beach appears to be a thin, truncated unit. Apparently, the Sewell
tion at the ACGS#4 borehole and used the provisional term ACGS Point Formation was severely beveled in this region.
Alpha unit.
Atlantic City Formation
Sewell Point Formation
The Atlantic City Formation occurs between 508 ft (154.8 m) and
The lower contact of the newly named Sewell Point Formation 602 or 657 ft (183.5 or 200.3 m) in the Island Beach borehole (Fig.
(Pekar et al., Chapter 8, this volume) is at 697 ft (212.5 m) in the Is- 2). This is a newly defined formation that is stratotypified at the At-
land Beach borehole (Fig. 2). The upper contact is uncertain at Island lantic City borehole (Pekar et al., Chapter 8, this volume). This for-
Beach, occurring either at 602 (183.5 m; Pekar et al., Chapter 8, this mation was informally called the ACGS Beta unit in the ACGS#4
volume) or 657 ft (200.3 m; J.P. Owens, unpubl. data; Fig. 2). Pekar borehole (Owens et al., 1988). The Atlantic City Formation at Island
et al. (Chapter 8, this volume) stratotypified Oligocene clayey glau- Beach is a massive to thick-bedded, locally fossiliferous, somewhat
conite sand and clayey glauconitic silts and fine-grained quartzose clayey, very fine- to coarse-grained quartz (typically less than 20%)
sands as the Sewell Point Formation at the Cape May borehole. At Is- glauconite sand. Other characteristics are poorly sorted sands ranging
land Beach, the basal contact is sharp and burrowed. There is no spike from very fine-grained to coarse-grained, high concentrations of
on the downhole gamma-ray log between this formation and the un- “glauconite” of the types described above, low kaolinite content,
derlying unit, although there is a clear general increase in radiation at widespread sideritization, and locally large fossils. As noted above,
the base of the Sewell Point Formation (Fig. 2). The Sewell Point J.P. Owens (unpubl. data) and Pekar et al. (Chapter 8, this volume)
Formation is a massive, highly bioturbated, dark greenish black, place the lower boundary of this unit at 657 and 602 ft, respectively.
clayey fine-grained quartz-glauconite sand at Island Beach. Scattered There is also a slight difference in the placement of the upper bound-
small shell fragments and foraminifers are present. Small pyritized ary, with J.P. Owens (unpubl. data) placing it at the base of a glau-
disks (diatoms?) are very common in a few samples. Lignite is not conite sand at 508 ft and Miller, et al. (1994) placing it at the base of
present here, but is common in this unit at the ACGS#4 borehole. the shelly chocolate clays at 505.5 ft. We follow the former in placing
Pekar et al. (Chapter 8, this volume) place the upper contact of this the lithologic (and sequence) boundary at 508 ft, because glauconite
formation at 602 ft (183.5 m) based on integrated correlations. J.P. sands mark the base of the overlying Kw1a sequence at Atlantic City
Owens (unpubl. data) places the lithologic contact at 657 ft (200.2 m) (Miller and Sugarman, 1995; Fig. 2), and it is reasonable to assume
at the base of a section containing weathered brown glauconites. First that this pattern of glauconite sands and chocolate clays is correlative
reported by Olsson et al. (1980), these intriguing brown glauconite at Island Beach.
sands are a distinct “middle” Oligocene lithology in the New Jersey There are characteristic color variations in the Atlantic City For-
subsurface. K.G. Miller (unpubl. data, 1978) found that the “glauco- mation. The lower 65 ft (19.8 m) is dark gray (Pekar et al. [Chapter
nite” at the Jobs Point, NJ, borehole had been weathered to goethite 8, this volume] assign this section to the Sewell Point Formation), the
and an undifferentiated clay mineral. The dissolving goethite leaches overlying 75 ft (23 m) is a light olive-brown, and the upper 22 ft (6.8
iron into the pore waters. Hansen (1974) found similar brown goe- m) is olive gray. Siderite cementation is common throughout the for-
thite pellets in the upper Paleocene Aquia Formation of Maryland, a mation, especially in the light olive-brown beds. The grains in the
primarily inner neritic deposit. They interpreted it as a biotic product light olive-brown beds are unusual for the coastal plain. Although re-
rather than a weathering product. Pekar et al. (Chapter 8, this volume) ferred to here as glauconite, there are two major color varieties, mod-
interpret these weathered glauconites as recycled detrital minerals erate yellowish brown and grayish green. The green grains in the

20
 LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTS

green beds are the mineral glauconite, whereas the brown grains in worked zone along the boundary. All the glauconites in this interval
the olive brown beds are glauconite weathered to goethite. are dark green. There is no gamma-ray spike at the boundary in the
Petrology: The clay mineral suite in the Atlantic City Formation downhole geophysical logs, although there is a moderate increase in
is dominated by illite/smectite and illite. Kaolinite is present only in radiation at the base of the Brigantine Member (Fig. 2). The basal re-
low concentrations or is absent altogether. worked zone is overlain by predominately dark grayish brown silty
Environment of deposition: The major lithofacies of the Atlantic clay to 430 ft (131.1 m) and a predominantly fine to medium biotur-
City Formation is clayey quartz glauconite sand. Certain lithofacies bated micaceous glauconite quartz sand to 358 ft (109.1 m). There are
characteristics indicate an inner neritic origin formed below wave no mollusks, calcareous nannofossils, foraminifers, or diatoms in
base. However, there are anomalies to such an interpretation, espe- these beds. The upper 55 ft (16.8 m) consists of thinly bedded to lam-
cially mixing of the green glauconite with the brown “glauconite.” In inated thin beds of dark grayish brown woody clays and fine- to
situ green glauconites are generally restricted to middle to outer ner- medium-grained micaceous quartz sands. Locally, there are thin beds
itic environments (McRae, 1972). As noted above, we interpret much of fine gravely (0.3-mm maximum diameter) medium to coarse
of the glauconite in this unit as reworked, explaining their presence quartz sands. These upper beds are also unfossiliferous. The Brigan-
in an inner neritic deposit. tine Member is an unconformity-bounded unit, corresponding to the
There are several other puzzling aspects in the lithofacies of the Kw1a sequence of Miller and Sugarman (1995) and Sugarman et al.
Atlantic City Formation at Island Beach. Widespread sideritization in (Chapter 12, this volume).
the Atlantic City Formation is a puzzle. The only other coastal unit J.P. Owens (unpubl. data) places the contact between the Kw1a
that has widespread siderite cement is the Upper Cretaceous Tinton sequence (= the Brigantine Member) and the Kw1b sequence (=
Formation (Owens and Sohl, 1969). In the case of the Tinton Forma- Shiloh Member) at 303 ft (92.4 m). Miller (Chapter 1, this volume)
tion, the “glauconite” grains are green oolitic forms, not the brown places the contact at 279 ft (85.0 m) at the base of the uniform choc-
variety found in the Atlantic City Formation. The low concentration olate silty clays. No age control is available to help resolve the place-
of quartz clasts is also puzzling. The upper Oligocene sections at the ment of this boundary, and the downhole gamma-ray logs show no
ACGS#4 and Jobs Point boreholes contain abundant quartz (Olsson major kicks at either level (Fig. 2).
et al., 1980; Owens et al., 1988). Lastly, most of the near-shore coast- Petrology: All major clay minerals are present in this member.
al plain formations typically have high concentrations of kaolinite, Illite/smectite is the dominant mineral in the lower half of the mem-
which contrasts with the low kaolinite content of the Atlantic City ber. Kaolinite increases in the upper half and is the major species in
Formation at Island Beach. The most likely explanation for the very the uppermost beds. Opaque heavy minerals are dominated by il-
low concentration of kaolinite in the Atlantic City Formation is that menite. Nonopaque minerals are dominated by zircon with lesser
kaolinite was only a minor species in the sourcelands, and an inner tourmaline, garnet, staurolite, and sillimanite. Light minerals are
neritic interpretation is favored. quartz with less than 10% feldspar.
Age and distribution: Nannofossils and planktonic foraminifers Environment of deposition: The Brigantine Member of the Kirk-
do not provide a definitive age for this unit at Island Beach (Miller, wood Formation consists of three major lithofacies: a thin basal
et al., 1994). A Sr-isotopic age in the upper part of the section of 24.3 quartz glauconite sand, a medial thick sandy silt, and an upper quartz
Ma indicates deposition near the Oligocene/Miocene boundary, al- sand. Lithofacies characteristics indicate a marine depositional envi-
though this age estimate is tentative (see Miller, et al., 1994 for Sr- ronment for the unit as a whole. The lower portion was deposited in
isotopic methods and discussion). The Atlantic City Formation basin inner neritic environments, whereas the upper section was deposited
lies in the southern coastal plain. The formation is present in the as part of a marine delta, most likely a delta front.
ACGS#4, Atlantic City, and Cape May boreholes, but not much is Age and Distribution: Except for megafossils in the lower 20 ft
known about the distribution of this unit north of the Island Beach (6.1 m), the rest of the member has no calcareous fossils. Sr-isotope
site. analysis of the basal calcareous shells yielded ages of 21.4 and 21.6
Ma (early Miocene; Miller, et al., 1994). There is about a 3-m.y. hia-
tus between this unit and the underlying Atlantic City Formation
NEOGENE FORMATIONS based on Sr-isotopic age estimates. The Brigantine Member (Kw1a
Kirkwood Formation sequence) is a widespread unit that is present along the entire outcrop
belt. The extent of the original Brigantine Formation basin is not
Owens et al. (1995a, 1995b) recently redefined the Kirkwood For- known because of post-depositional erosion, but this basin was con-
mation, previously recognized as the lower to middle Miocene sands siderably larger than the basin associated with the underlying Atlan-
and clays in New Jersey (e.g., Sugarman et al., 1993). They recog- tic City Formation.
nized four formations increasing in age: Belleplain, Wildwood,
Shiloh Marl, and Kirkwood, equivalent to the Kirkwood 3, Kirkwood Kirkwood Formation, Shiloh Marl Member (Kw1b sequence)
2a and 2b, Kirkwood 1b, and Kirkwood 1a and Kirkwood 0 sequenc-
es, respectively, of Sugarman et al. (1993), Miller and Sugarman The Shiloh Marl Member of the Kirkwood Formation occurs be-
(1995), and Sugarman and Miller (1997). In this paper, we retained tween 182 and 303 ft (55.5 and 92.4 m) in the borehole (Fig. 2). J.P.
the older use of the Kirkwood Formation and applied Owens et al.’s Owens (unpubl. data) identified a sharp contact at 303 ft (92.4 m),
(1995a, 1995b) terminology as members of the Kirkwood Formation with a dark gray massive bioturbated fine- to medium-grained very
(Fig. 2; see Miller et al. [Chapter 14, this volume] for discussion). micaceous quartz sand lying along the boundary. The dark sand from
Miller et al. (Chapter 14, this volume) name the most widespread unit 286 to 303 ft (87.2−92.4 m) is overlain by a silty sand to 278.7 ft (89.0
the Brigantine Member, which corresponds to the Kirkwood Forma- m), where Miller (Chapter 1, this volume) places the base of the
tion in the restricted sense of Owens et al. (1995a, 1995b). Shiloh Marl Member. This bed is overlain by 23 ft (6.9 m) of lami-
nated, color-banded (light and dark gray) burrowed clay-silt. Small
Kirkwood Formation, Brigantine Member (Kw1a sequence) pieces of carbonized wood are present in these beds. A 3-ft (0.9 m)
bed of quartz granules is interbedded with the clay-silt. Diatoms have
At Island Beach, the Brigantine Member of the Kirkwood Forma- been reported from the clay-silts (Miller, et al., 1994). Otherwise,
tion (303–507 ft [92.4–154.6 m]) is marked by a sharp contact with these beds are unfossiliferous. The clay-silts extend to 256 ft (78.1 m)
the underlying Atlantic City Formation (Fig. 2). A 3-ft (0.9 m) bed of and are overlain by 6 ft (1.8 m) of medium gray, massive to thinly
dark green clayey medium-grained quartz glauconite sand with com- bedded, somewhat micaceous, unfossiliferous fine- to medium-sized,
mon granules of quartz and scattered large shells represents a re- gray quartz sand. Small pieces of wood are locally abundant in these

21
J.P. OWENS, K.G. MILLER, P.J. SUGARMAN

strata. These gray sands are overlain by 68 ft (20.7 m) of brownish In the upper light gray (weathered) beds, illite/smectite decreases
gray, horizontal, thin to thick quartz sand beds with some local cross markedly, and kaolinite and illite increase. The opaque heavy mineral
bedding. The beds are slightly to very micaceous and locally contain grains are predominately ilmenite. Nonopaque minerals include zir-
thin interbeds of dark gray finely macerated organic debris. These con, garnet, and sillimanite.
beds have no mollusks, calcareous nannofossils, foraminifers, or di- Environment of deposition: The Wildwood Member appears to
atoms. This whole interval is overlain with a sharp contact by a clay- consist of two major lithofacies: a massive quartz sand at the base and
silt. The Shiloh Marl is an unconformity-bounded unit corresponding a thicker laminated clay silt at the top. Woody fragments are common
to the Kw1b sequence of Miller and Sugarman (1995) and Sugarman in both lithofacies. The only marine fossils found were diatoms in the
et al. (Chapter 12, this volume). upper clay silt facies, but the good sorting and common heavy min-
Petrology: The clay minerals in this member are similar to those eral concentrations in the lower sands indicate a near-shore marine
in the underlying unit with high concentrations of illite/smectite, depositional environment. The laminated upper beds indicate an in-
illite, and kaolinite. Opaque and non-opaque minerals of the Shiloh ner neritic or prodelta origin. The presence of fine woody fragments,
Marl at Island Beach are similar to those of the underlying Brigantine common to abundant mica, and interbeds of sand (probably the result
Member at this borehole. of storm events) favor a prodelta origin for the upper beds.
Environment of deposition: The Shiloh Marl Member of the Kirk- Age and distribution: The age of this unit was determined by dia-
wood Formation consists of three major lithofacies: a basal bioturbat- toms. The diatom assemblage falls within East Coast Diatom Zone 2
ed, clayey fine quartz sand; a medial thick clay-silt; and an upper less (Miller, et al., 1994) of the zonation proposed by Andrews (1988).
clayey, poorly sorted, fine- to very coarse-grained quartz sand with This zone is uppermost lower to lowermost middle Miocene. The Is-
stray pieces of wood and fine gravel in the upper part. This general land Beach well marks the northern limit of the Wildwood Member.
lithologic succession is typical of the transgressive (lower part) to re- Elsewhere, the Kw2a sequence has been firmly dated as latest early
gressive (medial and upper parts) sequences found in the coastal Miocene (Miller and Sugarman, 1995; Sugarman et al., 1993; Sugar-
plain. The lower transgressive bed contains inner neritic sands at the man et al., Chapter 12, this volume). This member was penetrated in
very base that grade up to prodelta clay-silts above. The upper part the ACGS#4 borehole, where it was included in the uppermost beds
contains largely nonmarine coarse clasts with wood as a common of the Kirkwood Formation. The lithology of the Wildwood Member
component, and we interpret it as fluvial deposit associated with a in this borehole is similar to that at Island Beach.
delta. The middle (?) Miocene Cohansey Formation is beveled and not
Age and distribution: Diatoms collected from the prodelta beds represented at Island Beach (Owens et al., 1995b).
indicate that this unit is lower Miocene at Island Beach (lower East
Coast Diatom Zone 2 to East Coast Diatom Zone 1, undifferentiated; Unnamed Holocene to ?Uppermost Pleistocene Deposits
Miller, et al., 1994). Other than its stratigraphic position, diatoms are Holocene to uppermost (?) Pleistocene deposits occur between 0
the only way to date this unit at Island Beach. Island Beach approxi- and 78 ft (0 and 23.7 m) in this borehole (Fig. 2). These beds rest un-
mates the northernmost occurrence of the Shiloh Marl in New Jersey. conformably on the underlying Kirkwood Formation along a sharp
To the southwest at the ACGS#4 borehole, the Shiloh Marl is present contact. There is a 8-ft-thick (2.4 m) gravely (0.02-cm maximum
in the middle of the Kirkwood Formation (between 242 and 381 ft size), poorly sorted, fine- to very coarse-grained, feldspathic quartz
[73.8 and 116.2 m] in that hole). The Shiloh Member at the ACGS#4 sand along this boundary. The sands in this basal bed decrease in
borehole has the same general facies succession as at Island Beach: grain size upward. This basal bed is represented by a broad gamma-
more clayey and fine sands in the base and much less clayey and ray spike in the geophysical log. The overlying 30 ft (9.1 m) consist
coarser sands in the upper beds. However, coarse shells are common of interbedded clays and mostly coarse-grained sand. Many of the
in these beds, indicating a marine environment at this locality. Simi- sandy beds include glauconite as a component. Shells are also com-
lar shell beds are common in upper beds at the type locality near mon in this interval. The upper 40 ft (12.2 m) are primarily fine- to
Shiloh, NJ. This indicates a greater marine influence to the south medium-grained sand. Two radiocarbon dates at 24.8 and 58.1 ft (7.6
along what should be depositional strike. Minor tectonic differences and 17.7 m) of 4.5 and 5.6 ka date this sequence as Holocene, al-
can account for this shift in deposition to the south. though it is possible that it is uppermost Pleistocene at its base (see
Miller, et al., 1994 for details of dates). This unit represents a se-
Kirkwood Formation, Wildwood Member (Kw2a sequence) quence that was deposited during the Holocene transgression as one
deepening-upward succession representing fluvial gravels and sands
The Wildwood Member (Kw2a sequence) occurs between 78 and at the base to near-shore facies (well-sorted fine- to medium-grained
182 ft (23.8 and 55.5 m) at Island Beach (Fig. 2). This unit uncon- sands) at the top.
formably overlies the Shiloh Member along a sharp contact at 182 ft
(55.5 m). There is a gamma ray increase above this boundary in the
downhole log (Fig. 2). The basal Wildwood Member is largely a dark DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSIONS
brown, laminated to finely cross-bedded very micaceous, fine-
grained sandy silt that overlies the coarse sands of the underlying At the time of his death, the senior author, J.P Owens, had com-
unit. The lower silt is overlain by massive, clayey, well-sorted, fine- pleted a draft of his notes on the Island Beach borehole, but only pre-
grained, micaceous and woody quartz sand from 158 to 173 ft (48.2– liminary notes were completed on the Atlantic City and Cape May
52.7 m). These beds grade into 55 ft (16.8 m) of moderate brown lam- boreholes. As a result, the goal of this report, to evaluate the role of
inated, slightly to moderately micaceous, woody (typically very tectonics on Cenozoic basins in New Jersey, was not completed. Nev-
small pieces), silty clay with very thin layers of very fine-grained ertheless, the detailed lithostratigraphic data and paleoenvironmental
quartz sand that extend to 103 ft (31.4 m). There are no calcareous interpretations presented here for Island Beach can be compared with
fossils in these beds, but diatoms are common to abundant. In the up- outcrops, previously drilled boreholes (ACGS#4, Clayton, and Al-
per 25 ft (7.6 m), the sand beds increase in number and grain size laire; Fig. 2), and various other sources (rotary wells and geophysical
(with some coarse-grained sands). The upper clay-silts are a very pale logs; Owens et al., 1995a, 1995b). The following observations are
gray. This member is unconformably overlain by Holocene deposits. based on his comparisons.
The Wildwood Member is therefore an unconformity-bounded unit Based on these data, we conclude that tectonics reshaped the ba-
corresponding to the Kw2a sequence (Fig. 2) of Miller and Sugarman sins in which Upper Cretaceous to Holocene strata were deposited.
(1995) and Sugarman et al. (Chapter 12, this volume). Eocene basins were the most extensive areally and represent the
Petrology: The clay minerals in this unit consist mainly of illite/ deepest water paleoenvironments. Oligocene basins, represented by
smectite with lower (but nearly equal) amounts of illite and kaolinite. the Sewell Point and Atlantic City Formations, were more restricted,

22
 LITHOSTRATIGRAPHY AND PALEOENVIRONMENTS

occurring mainly in southern New Jersey (Atlantic City and south). D.G., Powars, D.S., Heibel, T.D., and Bukry, D., 1996b. Drilling and dat-
The early Miocene Kirkwood basin was more expansive both updip ing New Jersey Oligocene-Miocene sequences: ice volume, global sea
and along strike to the north. The Brigantine Member of the Kirk- level, and Exxon records. Science, 271:1092−1095.
wood Formation (the Kw1a sequence) was deposited in the most ex- Miller, K.G., and Sugarman, P.J., 1995. Correlating Miocene sequences in
onshore New Jersey boreholes (ODP Leg 150X) with global δ18O and
tensive of the early to middle Miocene basins. Subsequent Miocene Maryland outcrops. Geology, 23:747−750.
basins were more areally restricted and less influenced by marine Miller, K.G., Wright, J.D., and Fairbanks, R.G., 1991. Unlocking the Ice
deposition. In addition, tectonic changes resulted in differential bev- House: Oligocene-Miocene oxygen isotopes, eustasy, and margin ero-
eling of stratigraphic units and preferential preservation. For exam- sion. J. Geophys. Res., 96:6829−6848.
ple, the lower Oligocene Sewell Point Formation appears to be trun- Mountain, G.S., Miller, K.G., Blum, P., et al., 1994. Proc. ODP, Init. Repts.,
cated north of Mays Landing, NJ, and is poorly represented at the Is- 150: College Station, TX (Ocean Drilling Program).
land Beach borehole. Olsson, R.K., 1991. Cretaceous to Eocene sea-level fluctuations on the New
Jersey margin. Sediment. Geol, 70:195−208.
Olsson, R.K., Miller, K.G., and Ungrady, T.E., 1980. Late Oligocene trans-
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS gression of middle Atlantic coastal plain. Geology, 8:549−554.
Owens, J.P., 1970. Post-Triassic tectonic movements in the central and south-
ern Appalachians as recorded by sediments of the Atlantic coastal plain.
A draft of this chapter was completed by James P. Owens prior to In Fisher, G.W., Pettijohn, F.J., and Reed, J.C., Jr. (Eds.), Studies of Appa-
his untimely death in June 1995, and Miller and Sugarman edited and lachian Geology: Central and Southern: New York (Interscience), 417−
modified the draft. This report was to present results from all three 427.
Leg 150X boreholes and to compare these sites with the other holes ————, 1983. The northwestern Atlantic Ocean margin. In Moullade, M.
discussed above. Unfortunately, only results from the Island Beach and Nairn, A.E.M. (Eds.), The Phanerozoic Geology of the World, II: The
report were available at the time of the his death. Based on his written Mesozoic: New York (Elsevier), 33−60.
notes and data, Miller and Sugarman derived this chapter. They were Owens, J.P., Bybell, L.M., Paulachok, G., Ager, T.A., Gonzalez, V.M., and
Sugarman, P.J., 1988. Stratigraphy of the Tertiary sediments in a 945-
responsible for adding and clarifying stratigraphic correlations and foot-deep core hole near Mays Landing in the southeastern New Jersey
for reconciling Owens’ observations with previously published re- coastal plain. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. U.S., 1484.
sults in the Initial Reports (Miller, et al., 1994) and with various stud- Owens, J.P., and Gohn, G.S., 1985. Depositional history of the Cretaceous
ies published in this volume. We do not claim to represent Jim’s opin- series in the U.S. coastal plain: stratigraphy, paleoenvironments, and tec-
ions in their entirety, but have tried to incorporate data derived sub- tonic controls of sedimentation. In Poag, C.W., (Ed.), Geologic Evolution
sequent to his death into this paper while maintaining the spirit and of the United States Atlantic Margin: New York (Van Nostrand Rein-
intent of his original manuscript. As such, there are passages herein hold), 25−86.
that Jim might not agree with, even as there are some with which the Owens, J.P., Minard, J.P., and Sohl, N.F., 1968. Cretaceous deltas in the
junior authors disagree. Despite these inevitable shortcomings, we northern New Jersey coastal plain, Trip B. In Finks, R.L. (Ed.), Guide-
book to Field Excursions, 40th Ann. Meeting: Flushing, NY (NY State
are happy that Jim’s final study could be published and hope that Geol. Assoc.), 33−48.
these observations prove of interest. We thank J. Browning and S. Owens, J.P., Minard, J.P., Sohl, N.F., and Mello, J.F., 1970. Stratigraphy of
Pekar for discussions, F. Pazzaglia for Figure 1, and G. Gohn, M. the outcroppping post-Magothy Upper Cretaceous formations in southern
Katz, F. Pazzaglia for reviews. Supported by NSF Grants EAR92- New Jersey and northern Delmarva Peninsula, Delaware and Maryland.
18210 and 94-17108. This is LDEO contribution 5673. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. U.S., 674.
Owens, J.P., and Sohl, N.F., 1969. Shelf and deltaic paleoenvironments in the
REFERENCES Cretaceous-Tertiary formations of the New Jersey Coastal Plain. In Sub-
itzky, S. (Ed.), Geology of Selected Areas in New Jersey and Eastern
Andrews, G.W., 1988. A revised marine diatom zonation for Miocene strata Pennsylvania and Guidebook of Excursions: New Brunswick, NJ (Rut-
of the southeastern United States. Geol. Surv. Prof. Pap. U.S., 1481:1−29. gers Univ. Press), 235−278.
Berggren, W.A., Kent, D.V., Swisher, C.C., and Aubry, M.-P., 1995. A Owens, J.P., Sohl, N.F., and Minard, J.P., 1977. A Field Guide to Cretaceous
revised Cenozoic geochronology and chronostratigraphy. In Berggren, and Lower Tertiary Beds of the Raritan and Salisbury Embayments, New
W.A., Kent, D.V., and Hardenbol, J. (Eds.), Geochronology, Time Scales Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland: Washington, D.C. (AAPG-Soc. Econ.
and Global Stratigraphic Correlation: Spec. Publ. Soc. Econ. Paleontol. Paleontol. Mineral.).
Mineral., 54:129–212. Owens, J.P., Sugarman, P.J., Sohl, N.F., and Orndorff, R.C., 1995a. Geologic
Enright, R., 1969. The stratigraphy and clay mineralogy of Eocene sediments map of New Jersey: Southern Sheet. Open-File Rep.—U.S. Geol. Surv.,
of the northern New Jersey coastal plain. In Subitsky, S. (Ed.), Geology 95−254.
of Selected Areas in New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania and Guide- Owens, J.P., Sugarman, P.J., Sohl, N.F, Parker, R., Houghton, H.H., Volkert,
book of Excursions: New Brunswick, NJ (Rutgers University Press), 14− R.V., Drake, A.A., and Orndorff, R.C., 1995b. Geologic map of New Jer-
20. sey: Central Sheet. Open-File Rep.—U.S. Geol. Surv., 95−253.
Frederiksen, N.O., 1980. Sporomorphs from the Jackson group (upper Pazzaglia, F.J., 1993. Stratigraphy, petrography, and correlation of late Ceno-
Eocene) and adjacent strata of Mississippi and western Alabama. Geol. zoic middle Atlantic Coastal Plain deposits: implications for late-stage
Surv. Prof. Pap. U.S., 1084. passive-margin geologic evolution. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 105:1617−
Gibson, T.G., Bybell, L.M., and Owens, J.P., 1993. Latest Paleocene litho- 1634.
logic and biotic events in neritic deposits of southwestern New Jersey. Poag, C.W., and Aubry, M.-P., 1995. Upper Eocene impactites of the U.S.
Paleoceanography, 8:495−514. East Coast: depositional origins, biostratigraphic framework, and correla-
Hansen, H.J., 1974. Sedimentary facies of the Aquia Formation in the sub- tion. Palaios, 10:16−43.
surface of the Maryland coastal plain. Maryland Geol. Surv., Rep. 21. Sugarman, P.J., and Miller, K.G., 1997. Correlation of Miocene global
McRae, S.G., 1972. Glauconite. Earth-Sci. Rev., 8:397−440. sequences and hydrostratigraphic units, New Jersey coastal plain. Sedi-
Miller, K.G., et al., 1994. Proc. ODP, Init. Repts., 150X: College Station, TX ment. Geol. 108:3–18.
(Ocean Drilling Program). Sugarman, P.J., Miller, K.G., Bukry, D., and Feigenson, M.D., 1995. Upper-
————, 1996a. Proc. ODP, Init. Repts., 150X (Suppl.): College Station, most Campanian-Maastrichtian strontium isotopic, biostratigraphic, and
TX (Ocean Drilling Program). sequence stratigraphic framework of the New Jersey coastal plain. Geol.
Miller, K.G., Mountain, G.S., Blum, P., Gartner, S., Alm Per, G., Aubry, M.- Soc. Am. Bull., 107:19−37.
P., Burckle, L.H., Guerin, G., Katz, M.E., Christensen, B.A., Compton, J., Sugarman, P.J., Miller, K.G., Owens, J.P., and Feigenson, M.D., 1993. Stron-
Damuth, J.E., Deconinck, J.F., de Verteuil, L., Fulthorpe, C.S., Hesselbo, tium isotope and sequence stratigraphy of the Miocene Kirkwood Forma-
S.P., Hoppie, B.W., Kotake, N., Lorenzo, J.M., McCracken, S., McHugh, tion, southern New Jersey. Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 105:423−436.
C.M., Quayle, W.C., Saito, Y., Snyder, S.W., ten Kate, W.G., Urbat, M., Sugarman, P.J., Owens, J.P., and Bybell, L.M., 1991. Geologic map of the
Van Fossen, M.C., Vecsei, A., Sugarman, P.J., Mullikin, L., Pekar, S., Adelphia and Farmingdale Quadrangles, Monmouth and Ocean Coun-
Browning, J.V., Liu, C., Feigenson, M.D., Goss, M., Gwynn, D., Queen, ties, New Jersey. NJ Geol. Surv., Geol. Map Series, 91-1.

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J.P. OWENS, K.G. MILLER, P.J. SUGARMAN

Wolfe, J.A., 1985. Distribution of major vegetational types during the Ter- Date of initial receipt: 1 February 1996
tiary. In Sundquist, E.T., and Broecker, W.S. (Eds.), The Carbon Cycle Date of acceptance: 14 August 1996
and Atmospheric CO2: Natural Variations from the Archean to Present: Ms 150XSR-302
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