PREDICTING GEOGRAPHIC DISTRIBUTION OF BEDFORMS AND TRACE FOSSILS IN STRATA USING INDICATOR KRIGING IN EMIGRANT PASS, CALIFORNIA

The objective of this project is to develop a method for predicting the geographic distribution of trace fossils and bedding features. Cambrian units exposed in the Emigrant Pass area of California were used as a model for the interior range of California’s Basin and Range province. GPS Trimbles were used to collect points in the field to interpret lateral facies changes within the Emigrant Pass Lower Cambrian sequence. Points were then inputted into ESRI 10.3 mapping software to calculate likelihood of trace fossil and bed form occurrences. Kriging is a spatial statistical method utilized in many disciplines of Geology. Kriging prediction analysis constructs new data information within a range of existing points and creates a statistical regression of significance for predicted surfaces. Indicator Kriging modeling was employed to create predicted interpolated surfaces. This project explored spatial and statistical methods such as kernel smoothing and spline with barriers in Arc 10.3 mapping software to account for structural displacement of strata and improve the significance of predicated locations. Statistically significant surfaces could be grounds for further exploration and can contribute to establish evidence for regional stratigraphic interpretation.