Capitan Formation: Difference between revisions
m Links |
|||
| Line 41: | Line 41: | ||
==History of investigation== |
==History of investigation== |
||
The formation was first named by G.B. Richardson in 1904 for exposures in the [[Guadalupe Mountains]]. Richardson was impressed by the great mass of seemingly uniform [[limestone]], forming vertical cliffs over {{convert|1000|feet|meters}} tall, and noted that much of the limestone was [[dolomitization|dolomitized]]. He was also impressed with the abundant fossils found in the middle beds of the formation, forming a fossil assemblage unlike anything else known at that time. Richardson interpreted the Guadalupe Mountains as an east-dipping [[monocline]] with a [[Fault (geology)|fault]] on the steep western boundary, and believed El Capitan itself |
The formation was first named by G.B. Richardson in 1904 for exposures in the [[Guadalupe Mountains]]. Richardson was impressed by the great mass of seemingly uniform [[limestone]], forming vertical cliffs over {{convert|1000|feet|meters}} tall, and noted that much of the limestone was [[dolomitization|dolomitized]]. He was also impressed with the abundant fossils found in the middle beds of the formation, forming a fossil assemblage unlike anything else known at that time. Richardson interpreted the Guadalupe Mountains as an east-dipping [[monocline]] with a [[Fault (geology)|fault]] on the steep western boundary, and believed El Capitan itself was a product of [[erosion]].<ref name="richardson-1904">Richardson 1904</ref> |
||
By 1929, [[Philip Burke King|Philip B. King]] and R.E. King had concluded that the Tessey, Gilliam, and Vidrio Limestones of the Glass Mountains of west Texas were [[Correlation (geology)|correlative]] with the Capitan Formation, and redesigned them as members of the formation.<ref name="king-king-1929">King and King 1929</ref><ref name="king-1930">King 1930</ref> However, by 1937, King had concluded that the Tessey Limestone was not part of the Capital Formation and removed it as a member.<ref name="king-1937">King 1937</ref> By 1942 he had restricted the definition of the Capitan Formation to reef limestone, removing the Gilliam and most of the Vidrio Limestone from the formation.<ref name="king-1942">King 1942</ref> |
By 1929, [[Philip Burke King|Philip B. King]] and R.E. King had concluded that the Tessey, Gilliam, and Vidrio Limestones of the Glass Mountains of west Texas were [[Correlation (geology)|correlative]] with the Capitan Formation, and redesigned them as members of the formation.<ref name="king-king-1929">King and King 1929</ref><ref name="king-1930">King 1930</ref> However, by 1937, King had concluded that the Tessey Limestone was not part of the Capital Formation and removed it as a member.<ref name="king-1937">King 1937</ref> By 1942 he had restricted the definition of the Capitan Formation to reef limestone, removing the Gilliam and most of the Vidrio Limestone from the formation.<ref name="king-1942">King 1942</ref> |
||
Revision as of 16:42, 20 September 2020
| Capitan Formation | |
|---|---|
| Stratigraphic range: Guadalupian | |
 The Capitan Formation underlies El Capitan in Guadalupe Mountains National Park. | |
| Type | Formation |
| Underlies | Castile Formation |
| Overlies | Goat Seep Dolomite |
| Thickness | 1,800 ft (550 m) |
| Lithology | |
| Primary | Limestone |
| Other | Dolomite |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 31°52′38″N 104°52′00″W / 31.8773°N 104.8668°W |
| Region | Texas New Mexico |
| Country | United States |
| Type section | |
| Named for | El Capitan Peak |
| Named by | G.B. Richardson |
| Year defined | 1904 |
  Capitan Formation (the United States)  Capitan Formation (Texas) | |
The Capitan Formation is a geologic formation found in western Texas and southeastern New Mexico. It is a fossilized reef dating to the Guadalupian Age of the Permian period.
The formation underlies El Capitan in Guadalupe Mountains National Park,[1] and the formation and its associated basin, shelf margin, and backreef formations have been described as "the largest, best-preserved, most accessible, and most intensively studied Paleozoic reef complex in the world."[2]
History of investigation
The formation was first named by G.B. Richardson in 1904 for exposures in the Guadalupe Mountains. Richardson was impressed by the great mass of seemingly uniform limestone, forming vertical cliffs over 1,000 feet (300 m) tall, and noted that much of the limestone was dolomitized. He was also impressed with the abundant fossils found in the middle beds of the formation, forming a fossil assemblage unlike anything else known at that time. Richardson interpreted the Guadalupe Mountains as an east-dipping monocline with a fault on the steep western boundary, and believed El Capitan itself was a product of erosion.[3]
By 1929, Philip B. King and R.E. King had concluded that the Tessey, Gilliam, and Vidrio Limestones of the Glass Mountains of west Texas were correlative with the Capitan Formation, and redesigned them as members of the formation.[4][5] However, by 1937, King had concluded that the Tessey Limestone was not part of the Capital Formation and removed it as a member.[6] By 1942 he had restricted the definition of the Capitan Formation to reef limestone, removing the Gilliam and most of the Vidrio Limestone from the formation.[7]
Description
The formation consists of compact, massive, light grey to white limestone with minor dolomite. Its total thickness is 1,000–2,000 feet (300–610 m).[8]
See also
Footnotes
References
- King, P.B. (1930). "The geology of the Glass Mountains, Texas; Part 1, Descriptive geology". University of Texas Bulletin. 3038.
- King, P.B. (1937). "Geology of the southern Guadalupe Mountains, Texas". U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper. 187. doi:10.3133/pp187.
- King, Philip B. (1948). "Geology of the Southern Guadalupe Mountains, Texas". U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper. 215. doi:10.3133/pp215.
- King, P.B., (1942). "Permian of West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico: PART 1". AAPG Bulletin. 26. doi:10.1306/3D933466-16B1-11D7-8645000102C1865D.
{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: extra punctuation (link) CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - Kues, B.S.; Giles, K.A. (2004). "The late Paleozoic Ancestral Rocky Mountain system in New Mexico". In Mack, G.H.; Giles, K.A. (eds.). The geology of New Mexico. A geologic history: New Mexico Geological Society Special Volume 11. pp. 95–136. ISBN 9781585460106.
- King, Philip B.; King, Robert E. (1929). "Stratigraphy of Outcropping Carboniferous and Permian Rocks of Trans-Pecos Texas". AAPG Bulletin. 13. doi:10.1306/3D93286B-16B1-11D7-8645000102C1865D.
- "Geologic Formations". Guadalupe Mountains National Park, Texas. National Park Service. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
- Richardson, G.B. (1904). "Report of a reconnaissance in Trans-Pecos Texas north of the Texas and Pacific Railway". University of Texas Mineral Survey Bulletin. 9. Retrieved 19 September 2020.
 | This article about a specific stratigraphic formation in Texas is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
 | This article related to the Permian period is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |