1288

E. W. KRAMPERT
BULLETIN OF THE AMERICAN ASSOCIATION OF PETROLEUMGEOLOGISTS
VOL. 31. NO. 7 (JULY, 1947), PP. 12B9~1293. 1 FIG.

The Mush Creek area is a homoc1ine dipping about 175 feet per mile off the southwest tlank of the Black HilIs uplift. Tbe producing formation is tbe KewcastIe sand, whicb porous sands. contains lenticular has a rather consistent tbickness of about 60 feet as a zone, but The lenticular porosity is capable of trapping oil and gas in the homocIinal miles farther north. in this area are similar to those in the Osage fieId several structure. Conditions Circle Ridge.-The Continental Oil Company completed a deep test on CircIe Ridge dome to the Madison limestone on November 19, 1946 at tbe total depth of 1,947 feet. The discovery welI produced 120 barreIs per day from tbe new zone. The field in Tensleep formations. the Embarisand T. 6 N., R. 2 W., Fremont County, and produces similar oil flOm Black Mountain.-The Texas Company completed a deep test on the Black Mountainpntic1ine to the Madison limestone on luly 30, 1946, at the total depth of 2,980 feet. The discovery weIl produced 160 barreIs of oil and 77 barreIs of water per day from the new zone. The field is in T. 43 N., R. 91 W., Hot Springs County, in the Tensleep formations. the Embar and southern part of the Big Horn Basin and produces similar oil from Elk Basin.-The Stanolind Oil and Gas Company as unit operator completed a producing Madison limestone weIl in the Elk Basin field.on December 14, 1946, at 5,300 feet. The producing section is indicated as being several hundred feet thick. The discovery welI, perforated into the lower part of the saturated section, " yielded 24 barreIs per day of 28 gravity oil similar to the oil produced from the Tensleep sand .. J3ig Dry PineY-A new gas pool is reportetl in the BigDrYPiney field in .Sublette County, Wyoming. The discovery is the Superior Oil Company's weIl in SeC'34, T. 3 N., R. II3 W. Gas is produced from a sand in the Eocene Wasatch formation. J

GEOLOGICAL NOTES

GEOSYNCLINAL

NOMENCLATURE
MARSHALL KAY' New York, New York
INTRODUCTION

AND THE CRATON'

Geosynclines are the largest stratigraphic units, comprising rocks of relatively great thickne3s and extent laid in sinking areas in the earth's surface. Classification is based on the rocks, rather than on the form of the original surface of deposition, or on subsequent tectonic or vulcanic history. Some have referred to oceanographic "troughs" and structuraJ syncIinoria as geosynclines. Though the etymology of the word, earth down-fold, does not excIude them, the original definition3 gives rocks as representatives, considers geosyncline.s to be potential sites of orogeny though including unfolded exampIes, and definitely exdudes syndinoria.
CRATON

North America had a comparatively

stable interior in the early Paleozoic,

bordered by more mobile geosynclinal belts. A consolidated,ratherimmobile area such asthis central shield is a craio.1t4 (ha'~ton)5, the adjoininggeosynclinesare orthogeosynclinesG(that is, straight),g()syncIines lying between cratons, wIi~ther ,higher continental or lower oceanic cratons"Themol1oclinal ftexuI'~ 1>rhix1gede~ . limiting'the Norib-American ~arIy Pale9zoi~ crat<m tren1edonprestnt g'eography" from Labrador, toward Quebec City, thence throughnortheastern New York, south-centraIPennsylvania, northwestem Virginia, and easteni TennesSee, to, central Aiabama:; the medial Ordovician position is the Adirondack li~. (Fig. 1).1 That on the w~~t~,aIongtheWasatch line,8extended froIIlwestern Mackenzie through westel'!lAlberta, ':MontaJla, andWyomingtocentraIt~h,.$9,Itl1ea5t~n
" ,: .' .. -' ,_,::'-~<:. :;"',,.,.' - '/'-"~.,,'

.'. '

,'C

.i".,-,'

' .~ " '*, Prof~r of geology,Columbia Unlversity: Suggestions f Professor W. H. Bucherare particuladyappreciated. ' . J. D. Dana, "On Soroe Results of the Earth's Contraction froro Cooling Iniuding a Discussion of the Origin of Mountains and the Nature of the Earth's Interior," Amer. Jour. S<i., 3d Ser., Vol. 5 . (r873), p. 430. t Hans Stille, "Wege und Ergebnisse der geologisch-tektonischen Forschung," 25 Jahre Kaiser Wilhelm Gesellsch. Flird. Wissensch., Bd. 2 (1936),PP.14-85. Pluton 'and allochthon have similarly pronounced endings. Hans Stille, op. cit. (1936). 1 Marshall Kay, "Developroent of the Northern Allegheny Synclinoriuro and Adioining Regions," Bull. Geol. Soco America, Vol. 53 (r942), p. r748.

):,;';';"")'}t/'--"---'-~'~"~:"~C:'f

1:Manuscrip~received, Match 8, 1947.

Hans Stille, Einfuhrung

in den Bau Amerikas,

Borntraeger, Berlin, r940(r94r), p. 83 r289

-""'''''~;''!!f'_'"'~-~~' ~"..~-"?='_~~:~"-"~T-_j_ r-

.~':~-$>."r..,;v>""",,~ :;~_:.r'~~_ ..

;.

---

1290

NORTH AMERICA
PALEOGEOGPHlC MAP
By ~

-40:1

GEOLOGICAL

NOTES

GEOLOGICAL

NOTES

1291

STRATlGRAPHIC
BEILTS
WE5T TO

E AST
~

!P09;. ./'CIfT~

FIIASER 6EL.T[UGEOSV.CL'HAL.

MtLt.ARD

WA5ATCH

8nr-MIOGEOSYNCLINAL,~
L'HE _

:AtE
O 10ll

HEDREDCRATON AOfRONDACK LINE

O
__

""".

UlAMPLAIH BELT- ~ MIOGEO~VNCLINAL. MAGOG BELT~

Nevada, and western Sonora. A craton is transitory, expanding as oragenies add racks of former orthogeosynclines, contracting as new orthogeosynclines reduce its area. North America is perhaps peculiar in that the early Paleozoic craton has had persisting infiuence on continental development, and has close correlation with present structure. Although the eastern side lost the initial bordering geosyncline by the middle Paleozoic, the western fiexure endured into late Mesozoic. The area of this early Paleozoic North American craton is designated as an hedreocraton (steadfast), 9 one having long continuing infiuence.
ORTHOGEOSYNCLINES

--- ~U~~:~:LCJ

The classification of geosynclines is based on their form, the character and derivation of their rocks, and in the principal classes, on their position relative to a craton. The linear orthogeosynclines between cratons are of two types, mogeosynclnes (less) and eugeosynclnes (truly).' Those nearer the craton, the miogeosyndines, were rather regularly sinking as deposition progressed and lack appreciable volcanic material; North American 'early Paleozoic miogeosynclines derived their initial detritus fram erosion of the hedreocraton. The more distant eugeosynclinal belts had rapidly sinking linear geosynclines with locally thick and abundant volcanic rocks, as well as sediment eroded from rising narrow intervening lands, like island ares. The early Paleozoic rocks in the eastm eugeosynciinal belt of Nqrth America extend from central Newfoundland throughNew Brunswick, Maine, New Hampshire, andcentral Massachusetts to theAtlantic Piedmontj possiblyeastern Newfoundland and Nova Scotia-liein an opposite iniogeosyndinalbelt. Devonian orogenywith accompanyhigintrusion'Closed' the 'eugeosy1clinal history. 'Paleozoic andearly Mesozoic rocks in the westerri eugeosyndinal belt extend westward to the Padficfrom central Alaslci)YukoIJ.,and British Columbia, westrn Idaho and central Nevada, occupyingall but soutlcastern 'Californa; eugeosynclinal develpment 'endd -'with -the -late. J uqissic 'Nevadianorogeny. in; ;':>'1"1 ; ; j The present -areas .of the earlyPaleozoic eastern miogeosynclinal'and:euge')syntlillal tokSliave.been cll;lledtll Champlainand Magog beltsJ1Itis propos'd ,tllatthe'coirsponding western belts of Jlogeosy1cJinalandeugeos)rnclinal rocks ..be' called the ~illardand Fraserbelts, aftei' Millard County, Utahand F;aser River, British Columbia. The Millard belt had exceptionally brod and long
Pre-Paleozolc cratons had quite difierent disposition; tbus the pre-Algoman' 'rocksnorth of Lake Superior and east to westem Quebec fOImed in an oIthogeosynclinal belt (F. J. Pettijohn, "Archean Sedimentation," Bu/l. Ceol. Soc. America, Vol. 54 (1943), p. 968); and the late pre-Cambrian Beltian sediments of the west (N. E. A. Hinds, "UncompahgIan and Beltian Deposits in Westem NOIth America," Carnegie Inst. Washington Pub. 46) (1936), pp. 53-136) formed in a great geosynclioe extending far in to the hedreocra ton. 10Hans Stille, op. cit. (1941), p. 15.
11

Marshall

Kay, "StIatigraphyofthe

Trenton

Group,"

Bult. Ceol. SOCoAmerica, Vol. 48 (1937),

P290. FIG.I

___

~_~_.

_ . .....,,_"co __ = ,."'_,._,'~, ._._'I-__

'_'-_'-"''''''''''"':'~

1'''''''"\

--=-_. -"""'-"'"' .. .-,.,. """'!!!!_ .-"

...

II!!!I! ..

III!ii!iii[ii!iiiiiijiiliiiiii;;;;;;;;;:;;:;:;;;==:;;;;===:::;;;;:::,;.

1292

GEOLOGICAL

NOTES

GEOLOGICAL

NOTES

1293

continuing miogeosynclinal development in Paleozoic and earlier Mesozoic, submarine volcanic rocks being almost absent; it is not now a miogeosyncline, and the rocks were so distorted by post-miogeosynclinal orogenies as to require restoration to their original relative geographic positions on palinspastic base maps12 to give true paleogeography. The eastern margin has major Laramian13 thrusts, and plutons are present in limited areas. The Fraser belt contains rocks of Paleozoic and earlier Mesozoic eugeosynclines and iutervening narrow lands; the rocks in the belt are of types characteristic of eugeosynclines interruptedly in place and time. It contains the principal late Jurassic Nevadian plutons, and its eastern margin is a zone of major thrusts.
GEOSYNCLlNES WJTHIN CRATONS

OTHER GEOSYNCLlNES

There are other geosynclinal types whose definition does not depend on their relations to the hedreocraton. A taPhrogeosyncline17 (trench) is bounded by highangle faults, as in the late Triassic geosynclines of the Atlantic Coast. An epieugeosyncline1S (above) has elongate, relatively non-volcanic deposits derived from adjoining rising swells in areas of former eugeosynclines, as in the Carboniferous of Nova Scotia, and the Tertiary of California. The idiogeosyncline19 (distinct), based on the Tertiary of central Sumatra and Java, has not been defined on a comparable basis, but suggests a late-cycle miogeosyncline. A paraliageosyncline20 (coastal) is one such as the Tertiary of the northern Gulf of Mexico coast, a linear geosyncline along the present continental margin, having flexures on the foreland similar to those delimiting miogeosynclines.
GEOSYNCLINAL DURATION

Three types of geosynclines lie outside the orthogeosynclines and within the cratons. A geosyncline invading' the margin of a craton, having detritus gained principally from orogenic highlands in the adjacent belts of orthogeosynclinal rocks, was caUed by the writer a deltageosyncJine.14 The term was ill chosen and confusing, for it has been supposed to include deposits in various stream deltas. Therefore, it is proposed that exogeosyncline (outside) replace the term deltageosyricline, in reference to the principal source of detritus being outside the craton; the Upper Ordovician, earlier Silurian, and later Devonian of Pennsylvania and adjacent states are typical; stratigraphic units commonly diverge until they dosely approach the source. The second type, the autogeosyncline15 has in the typical Upper Silurian andDevonian of 10wer.Michigan, nou-detrital carbouates aud salines, and detritus from low near-by lapd and from orogenic mountains in a distantorthogeosyuclinal belt; stratigraphic Imits generally couverge gradually from the ceuter or axis of the deposit. Autogeosyuclines may treud toward ,ortho,geosyncliualbelts,but seemessential1y independentof theln; th StIUcture of the base -chauged from aplane to a basin or troughas the geosyucline developed. An exogeoo.yncline tends to diminish gradually.andregularIy withinthe craton or.to pass intoautogeosynclinal pattems, as in the earlier Upper Cretaceous ofthe -westeril 'hedreocraton, whereas amiogeosyucline tends tomett the craton in a idistint 'fiexure .. American: Paleozok.and' Mesozoic, exog~osyndines euter. the Iriargin f the hedreocratoJi. Athirdtype,thzegogeosyncline18 (yoked),' has detritus flOm near-by upliffs within the craton, as n the late Paleozoic ofnorthwestem Colorado .
Maishall Kay, "PaIeogeographic and Palinspastic Maps," Bull. Amer; Assoc. Pe/rol. Geol., Vol. 29 (945), pp. 426-5 .. 11 Structures formed in the Laramian orogeny are Laramid~s: ibid., pp. 447-49. "MarshaIl Kay, "DeveIopment of theNorthernAIlegheny Synclinorinmand Adjoining Regions," Bull. Geol.SocoAmerica, Vol. 53 (r942), p. r643. ,. MarshaIl Kay, ibid. "MarshalI Kay, "North American Geosynclines-Their Classification" (abstract), Bull. Geol. Soc.Amrrica, Vol. 56 (r945), p. II72.
1"

Geosynclines have temporal as well as geographic limits. Deformation in a single cycle commonly but not invariably progresses from orogenies in the eugeosynclinal belts to those in the miogeosynclinal belts, with development of exogeosynclines on the cratonal border, and consolidation in an enlarged craton. Sub sequent cycles may have quite different positions and trends. Thus, there are belts of pre-Cambrian eugeosyuclinal rocks that trend across the early Paleozoic cratons of North America and Fennoscandia. Moreover, eugeosynclines can overlie miogeosyuclines, and there are instances of eugeosynclines that closely approach a craton. Though many geosynclines have the characters of a single dass others are compound in their attributes. The late Upper Cretaceous of the westernpart of the North American hClreocraton is principally exogeosynclina.l, but has indeperidently sinkingautogeosyuc1inal areas, and others of zeugeosyric1iml nature adjoining rising swells in theearlierexogeosynclinal beIt ..
17

Marshall Kay, "Geosynclines in Continental Development," Scif1lce, Vol. 99 (1943), p. 462 Marshall Kay, op. cit. (1945), p. II72.

" J. M. B. Umbgrove, "Verschillende typen van tertiaire geosyncIinalen in den IndischenArchi,pel," idsche Meded., Vol. 6 (r'933), pp. 33-43' ',' :.>' ," "Marshall Kay, op, cit. (1945), p~ 1172

<>

;~,.'-

T:.,.)r',_

~.

,. -....

-.. -- _.

--

,)1... _

~ ....

-"

--~._._-~--:::~~~.