Using chemostratigraphy to correlate and calibrate unconformities in neoproterozoic strata from the southern great basin of the united states

International Geology Review

Volumn 42, Issue 6, 2000, Pages 516-533

  Corsetti, Frank A ^a   Awramik, Stanley M ^a   Pierce, David ^a   Kaufman, Alan J ^b  

^a UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA   (United States)

^b Bldg 142   (United States)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

BIOSTRATIGRAPHY; CHEMOSTRATIGRAPHY; PROTEROZOIC; SEQUENCE STRATIGRAPHY; UNCONFORMITY;

GREAT BASIN; UNITED STATES;

EID: 0033928448     PISSN: 00206814     EISSN: 19382839     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1080/00206810009465096     Document Type: Article

References (78)

1. Abolins, M., Charlton, R. L., Wernicke, B. P., and Ripperdan, R. L., 1999. Three distinct Neoproterozoic glacial intervals recorded in western Laurentia and Australia. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog., 31:485
2. Albers, J. P., and Stewart, J. H., 1962. Precambrian(?) and Cambrian stratigraphy in Esmeralda County, Nevada, U. S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper P0450-D D24–D27.
3. Alpert, S., 1976. “ Trace fossils of the White-Inyo Mountains ”. In Depositional environments of lower Paleozoic rocks in the White Inyo Mountains, Inyo County, California, Edited by:Moore, J. N., 43–48. Pac. Sect. Soc. Econ. Paleont. Min., Pac. Coast Paleogeog.
4. Bertrand-Sarfati, J., and Awramik, S. M., 1992. Stromatolites of the Mescal Limestone (Apache Group, middle Proterozoic, central Arizona):Taxonomy, biostratigraphy, and paleoenvironments. Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 104:1138–1155.
5. Bond, G. C., 1997. New constraints on Rodinia breakup ages from revised tectonic subsidence curves. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog., 29:280
6. Bond, G. C., Kominz, M. A., and Devlin, W. J., 1983. Thermal subsidence and eustacy in the Lower Paleozoic miogeocline of western North America. Nature, 306:775–779.
7. Bowring, S. A., and Erwin, D. H., 1998. A new look at evolutionary rates in deep time:Uniting paleontology and high-precision geochronology. GSA Today, 8:1–8.
8. Bowring, S. A., Grotzinger, J. P., Isachsen, C. E., Knoll, A. H., Pelechaty, S. M., and Kolosov, P., 1993. Calibrating rates of Early Cambrian evolution. Science, 261:1293–1298.
9. Bowring, S. A., Martin, M. W., and Davidek, K. L., 1999. High-precision uranium-lead geochonological constraints on early animal evolution. Lunar Planet. Inst. Contrib., 971:35–36.
10. Brasier, M. D., Margaritz, M., Cornfield, R., Huilin, L., Xiche, W., Ouyang Lin, Zhiwen, J., Hamdi, B., Tinggui, H., and Fraser, A. J., 1990. The carbon- and oxygen-isotope record of the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary interval in China and Iran and their correlation. Geol. Mag., 127:319–332.
11. Brasier, M. D., McCarron, G., Tucker, R., Leather, J., Allen, P., and Shields, G., 2000. New U-Pb zircon dates for the Neoproterozoic Ghubrah glaciation and for the top of the Huqf Supergroup, Oman. Geology, 28:175–178.
12. Burrett, C., and Berry, R., 2000. Proterozoic Australia-Western United States (AUSWUS) fit between Laurentia and Australia. Geology, 28:103–106.
13. Charlton, R. L., Wernicke, B. P., and Abolins, M. J., 1997. A major Neoproterozoic incision event near the base of the Cordilleran Miogeocline, southwestern Great Basin. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog., 29 (6):197
14. Christie-Blick, N., and Levy, M., 1989. “ Stratigraphic and tectonic framework of the upper Proterozoic and Cambrian rocks in the western United States ”. In Late Proterozoic and Cambrian tectonics, sedimentation, and record of metazoan radiation in the western United States, Edited by:Christie-Blick, N., and Levy, M., 7–21. Washington, DC:Amer. Geophys. Union, Fieldtrip Guidebook T331.
15. Cloud, P. E., 1973. Possible stratotype sequences for the basal Paleozoic in North America. Amer. Jour. Sci., 273:193–206.
16. Cloud, P. E., and Semikhatov, M. A., 1969. Proterozoic stromatolite zonation. Amer. Jour. Sci,., 267:1017–1061.
17. Cooper, J. D., and Fedo, C. M., 1995. Base of the Sauk Sequence in the southern Great Basin and eastern Mojave Desert. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog., 27:331
18. Cooper, J. D., and Fedo, C. M., 1998. Early evolution of the Cordilleran Miogeocline revisited. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog., 30:10–11.
19. Corsetti, F. A., 1998. Regional correlation, age constraints, and geologic history of the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian strata, southern Great Basin, USA:Integrated carbon isotope stratigraphy, biostratigraphy, and lithostratigraphy, 254University of California Santa Barbara. Unpubl. Ph.D. dissertation
20. Corsetti, F. A., and Hagadorn, J. W., 2000. The Precambrian-Cambrian transition, Death Valley, United States. Geology, 28:299–302.
21. Corsetti, F. A., and Kaufman, A. J., 1994. Chemostratigraphy of Neoproterozoic-Cambrian units, White-Inyo Region, eastern California and western Nevada:Implications for global correlation and faunal distribution. Palaios, 9:211–219.
22. Dalziel, I. W. D., 1991. Pacific margins of Laurentia and east Antarctica–Australia as a conjugate rift pair:Evidence and implications for an Eocambrian supercontinent. Geol., 19:598–601.
23. Fedo, C. M., and Cooper, J. D., 1990. Braided fluvial to marine transition:The basal Lower Cambrian Wood Canyon Formation, southern Marble Mountains, Mojave Desert, California. Jour. Sediment. Petrol., 60:220–234.
24. Fedo, C. M., and Cooper, J. D., 1999. Polygenetic origin for arenites of the Neoproterozoic Stirling Quartzite, southeastern California. Geol. Assoc. Can. Abs. Prog., 24:38
25. Fedo, C. M., and Prave, A. R., 1991. “ Extensive Cambrian braidplain sedimentation:Insights from the southwestern U.S.A. Cordillera ”. In Paleozoic paleogeography of the Western United States–II, Edited by:Cooper, J. D., and Stevens, C. H., 227–235. Soc. Econ. Paleontol. Mineral., Pac. Section Guidebook.
26. Gangloff, R. A., 1975. The Archaeocyatha of the central and southwestern Great Basin, California and Nevada, Berkeley:University of California. Unpubl. Ph.D. dissertation
27. Gehling, J., Narbonne, G., Jensen, S., and Droser, M., 1999. Simultaneous appearance of ediacaran trace fossils and bilateral body fossils:Implications for animal evolution. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog., 31:A362
28. Grant, S. W. F., 1990. Shell structure and distribution of Cloudina, a potential index fossil for the terminal Proterozoic. Amer. Jour. Sci., 290-A:261–294.
29. Grotzinger, J. P., Bowring, S. A., Saylor, B. Z., and Kaufman, A. J., 1995. Biostratigraphic and geochronologic constraints on early animal evolution. Science, 270:549–704.
30. Hagadorn, J. W., and Waggoner, B. M., 2000. Ediacaran fossils from the southwestern Great Basin, United States. Jour. Paleontol., 74:349–359.
31. Heaman, L. M., and Grotzinger, J. P., 1992. 1.08 Ga diabase sills in the Pahrump Group, California:Implications for development of the Cordilleran Miogeocline. Geology, 20:637–640.
32. Hoffman, P. F., Kaufman, A. J., and Halverson, G. P., 1998. Comings and goings of global glaciations on a Neoproterozoic tropical platform in Namibia. GSA Today, 8:1–9.
33. Hofmann, H. J., Narbonne, G. M., and Aitken, J. D., 1990. Ediacaran remains from intertillite beds in northwestern Canada. Geology, 18:1199–1202.
34. Horodyski, R., 1991. Late Proterozoic megafossil from southern Nevada. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog., 23:A163
35. Horodyski, R. J., Gehling, J. G., Jensen, S., and Runnegar, B., 1994. Ediacara fauna and earliest Cambrian trace fossils in a single parasequence set, southern Nevada. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog, 26:60
36. Hunt, D. L., 1990. Trilobite faunas and biostratigraphy of the lower Cambrian Wood Canyon Formation, Death Valley Region, California, 140Davis:University of California. Unpubl. masters thesis
37. Kaufman, A. J., and Knoll, A. H., 1995. Neoproterozoic variations in the carbon isotopic composition of sea-water:Stratigraphic and biogeochemical implications. Precamb. Res., 73:27-19
38. Kaufman, A. J., Knoll, A. H., and Narbonne, G. M., 1997. Isotopes, ice ages, and terminal Proterozoic Earth history. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. (USA), 94:6600–6605.
39. Karlstrom, K. E., Williams, M. L., McLelland, J., Geissman, J. W., and Åhäll, K., 1999. Refining Rodinia:Geologic evidence for the Australia–Western U.S. connection in the Proterozoic. GSA Today, 9 (10):1–8.
40. Kennedy, M. J., Runnegar, B., Prave, A. R., Hoffmann, K. H., and Arthur, M. A., 1998. Two or four Neoproterozoic glaciations?. Geol., 26:1059–1063.
41. Kennett, J., 1988. Neogene oxygen and carbon isotopic stratigraphy; correlation and paleooceanography. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., 72:384
42. Kirschvink, J. L., 1992. “ Late Proterozoic low-latitude global glaciation:The snowball earth ”. In The Proterozoic biosphere, Edited by:Schopf, J. W., and Klein, C., 51–52. New York:Cambridge Univ. Press.
43. Knoll, A. H., and Carroll, S. B., 1999. Early animal evolution:Emerging views from comparative biology and geology. Science, 284:2129–2137.
44. Knoll, A. H., Grotzinger, J. P., Kaufman, A. J., and Kolosov, P., 1995a. Integrated approaches to terminal Proterozoic stratigraphy–An example from the Olenek Uplift, northeastern Siberia. Precamb. Res., 73:251–270.
45. Knoll, A. H., Kaufman, A. J., Semikhatov, M. A., Grotzinger, J. P., and Adams, W., 1995b. Sizing up the sub-Tommotian unconformity in Siberia. Geology, 23:1139–1143.
46. Langille, G. B., 1974. Earliest Cambrian-Latest Proterozoic ichnofossils and problematic fossils from Inyo County, California, 194Binghamton:State University of New York. Unpubl. Ph. D. dissertation
47. Lipps, J. H., and Fedonkin, M., 1988. Trace fossils and the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog, 20:A256
48. Levy, M., and Christie-Blick, N., 1991. Tectonic subsidence of the early Paleozoic passive continental margin in eastern California and southern Nevada. Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 103:1590–1606.
49. Loomis, K. B., and Hall, C. A., 1991. “ Lithofacies and paleoenvironments of the Lower Cambrian Deep Spring Formation, White-Inyo Range, eastern California ”. In Natural history of eastern California and high-altitude research, Edited by:Hall, C. A., and Doyle-Jones, V., Vol. 3, 399-126White Mountain Research Station Symp.
50. Magaritz, M., Kirschvink, J. L., Latham, A. J., Zhuravlev, A. Y., and Rozanov, A. Y., 1991. Precambrian/Cambrian boundary problem:Carbon isotope correlations for Vendian and Tommotian time between Siberia and Morocco. Geology, 19:847–850.
51. Moore, J. N., 1973. Stratigraphic comparison of the Precambrian Johnnie and Wyman formations in the western Great Basin, California, 144Los Angeles:Univ. California. Unpubl. masters thesis
52. Moores, E. M., 1991. Southwest U.S.-East Antarctic (SWEAT) connection:A hypothesis. Geol., 19:425–428.
53. Mount, J. F., and Bergk, K. J., 1998. Depositional sequence stratigraphy of Lower Cambrian Grand Cycles, southern Great Basin, USA. INT. GEOL. REV., 40:55–77.
54. Mount, J. F., and Signor, P. W., 1989. “ Fieldtrip Stop 13:Hines Ridge ”. In Late Proterozoic and Cambrian tectonics, sedimentation, and record of metazoan radiation in the western United States, Edited by:Christie-Blick, N., and Levy, M., 92–96. Washington, DC:Amer. Geophys. Union, Fieldtrip Guidebook T331.
55. Narbonne, G. M., Kaufman, A. J., and Knoll, A. H., 1994. Integrated chemostratigraphy and biostratigraphy of the Windermere Supergroup, northwestern Canada:Implications for Neoproterozoic correlations and the early evolution of animals. Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 106:1281–1292.
56. Narbonne, G. M., Myrow, P. M., Landing, E., and Anderson, M. M., 1987. A candidate stratotype for the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary, Fortune Head, Burin Peninsula, southeastern Newfoundland. Can. Jour. Earth Sci., 24:1277–1293.
57. Nelson, C. A., 1962a. Lower Cambrian-Precambrian succession, White-Inyo Mountains, California. Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 73:139–144.
58. Nelson, C. A., 1962b. Age of the Johnnie Formation. Geol. Soc. Amer. Spec. Paper, 68:45–46.
59. Nelson, C. A., 1976. “ Late Precambrian–Early Cambrian stratigraphic and faunal succession of eastern California and the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary ”. In Depositional environments of lower Paleozoic rocks in the White Inyo Mountains, Inyo County, California, Edited by:Moore, J. N., Vol. 1, 31–42. Pac. Sect. Soc. Econ. Paleontol. Mineral., Pac. Coast Paleogeog. Field Guide.
60. Nelson, C. A., 1978. Late Precambrian–Early Cambrian stratigraphic and faunal succession of eastern California and the Precambrian-Cambrian boundary. Geol. Mag., 115:121–126.
61. Nolan, T. B., 1924. Notes on the stratigraphy and structure of the northwest portion of Spring Mountain, Nevada. Amer. Jour. Sci., 217:461–472.
62. Prave, A. R., 1999. Two diamictites, two cap carbonates, two delta 13C excursions, two rifts:The Neoproterozoic Kingston Peak Formation, Death Valley, California. Geology, 27:339–342.
63. Runnegar, B., 1998. Precambrian-Cambrian boundary in the southern Great Basin, California and Nevada and the base of the Sauk sequence. Geol. Soc. Amer. Abs. Prog., 30:63
64. Saylor, B. Z., Kaufman, A. J., Grotzinger, J. P., and Urban, F., 1998. A composite reference section for terminal Proterozoic strata of southern Namibia. Jour. Sediment. Res., 68:1223–1235.
65. Signor, P. W., McMenamin, M. A. S., Gevirtzman, D. A., and Mount, J. F., 1983. Two new pre-trilobite faunas from western North America. Nature, 303:415–418.
66. Signor, P. W., and Mount, J. F., 1986. Position of the Lower Cambrian Boundary in the White-Inyo Mountains of California and in Esmeralda County, Nevada. Newslet. Stratig., 16:9–18.
67. Stewart, J. H., 1966. Correlation of Lower Cambrian and some Precambrian strata in the southern Great Basin, California and Nevada, U.S. Geol. Surv.
68. Stewart, J. H., 1970. Upper Precambrian and Lower Cambrian strata in the southern Great Basin, California and Nevada, U.S. Geol. Surv.
69. Stewart, J. H., 1972. Initial deposition in the Cordilleran geosyncline:Evidence of a Late Precambrian (>850 m. y.) Continental separation. Geol. Soc. Amer. Bull., 83:1345–1360.
70. Stewart, J. H., 1974. Correlation of uppermost Precambrian and lower Cambrian strata from southern to east-central Nevada. Jour. Res. U.S. Geol. Surv., 2:609–618.
71. Stewart, J. H., 1991. “ Latest Proterozoic and Cambrian rocks of the western United States:An overview ”. In Paleozoic paleogeography of the Western United States-II, Edited by:Cooper, J. D., and Stevens, C. H., 13–37. Soc. Econ. Paleontol. Mineral., Pacific Sect.
72. Summa, C. L., 1993. Sedimentologic, stratigraphic, and tectonic controls of a mixed carbonate-siliciclastic succession; Neoproterozoic Johnnie Formation, Southeast California, 616Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
73. Taylor, M. E., 1966. Precambrian mollusc-like fossils from Inyo County, California. Science, 153:198–201.
74. Tucker, M. E., 1986. Carbon isotopic excursions in Precambrian/Cambrian boundary beds, Morocco. Nature, 319:48–50.
75. Van Wagoner, J. C., Posamentier, H. W., Mitchum, R. M., Vail, P. R., Sarg, J. F., Loutit, T. S., and Hardenbol, J., 1988. An overview of the fundamentals of sequence stratigraphy and key definitions. Soc. Econ. Paleontol. Mineral. Spec. Publ., 42:39–45.
76. Wiggett, G. J., 1974. Ecology, ethology, and biostratigraphy of early metazoan faunas in eastern California, 347California:University of California, Davis.
77. Wright, L. A., and Troxel, B. W., 1966. Strata of late Precambrian-Cambrian age, Death Valley region, California-Nevada. Amer. Assoc. Petrol. Geol. Bull., 50:846–857.
78. Wright, L. A., Troxel, B. W., Williams, E. G., Roberts, M. T., and Diehl, P. E., 1974. “ Precambrian sedimentary environments of the Death Valley region, Eastern California ”. In Guidebook, 27–35. Geol. Soc. Amer. Cord. Sec.