Start |Grid View | Author Index | View Uploaded Presentations | Meeting Information

Joint 69th Annual Southeastern / 55th Annual Northeastern Section Meeting - 2020

Paper No. 7-6
Presentation Time: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM

PETROLOGY AND GRAIN SIZE OF GLACIAL SEDIMENT AT RICE CREEK FIELD STATION, OSWEGO, NY


MAIER, Joseph1, PLOSS, Kathryn2, MORO, Gabrielle2, CHRISTOPHER, John2, CLARK, Mikayla3 and DIFRANCESCO, Nicholas2, (1)Department of Atmospheric and Geological Sciences, State University New York at Oswego, Oswego, NY 13126; Atmospheric and Geological Sciences, Oswego State, Oswego, NY 13126, (2)Atmospheric and Geological Sciences, Oswego State, Oswego, NY 13126, (3)Atmospheric and Geological Sciences, State University of New York at Oswego, 7060 State Route 104, Oswego, NY 13126; Atmospheric and Geological Sciences, Oswego State, Oswego, NY 13126

Much of the topography of central New York State has been shaped by the Laurentide Ice Sheet that covered the area until the end of the Pleistocene. Drumlins, essentially piles of unconsolidated till shaped into low, elongate hills during glaciation, are the most characteristic features in the region. This study examines the different lithologies of sediment clasts from till within a drumlin located at the Rice Creek Field Station in Oswego, NY. Samples of sediment were sorted based on their type and grain size. Overall, we identified sediment falling broadly into two major groups- local sedimentary rocks and foreign crystalline rocks. Sediment derived from local sedimentary rock mainly consists of sandstone and siltstone that are part of the Oswego formation. Crystalline rocks consist mainly of gneisses and granites that are not native to this area, and have been transported by glacial flow. The amount of clastic and crystalline rocks collected was compared in order to better understand the overall composition of the drumlin. It has been found that over 75% of sediment collected that is < 50cm in size consists of locally derived rock fragments, with the remainder consisting of the transported crystalline rock. However, a survey of boulders (erratics) larger than 50cm has revealed that nearly 100% of them are crystalline in composition, with no reported sedimentary rock fragments this size.

The data collected during this study will be used to correlate the glacially transported crystalline rocks to their source rocks located within the Canadian Shield. Thin sections were made of collected samples for analysis. Microscopy, coupled with electron microprobe analysis are being used to identify the mineral composition of sampled crystalline rocks. Pyroxene, plagioclase and amphibole compositions will be used to compare glacial sediment to documented occurrences of other crystalline rocks in the path of the advancing Laurentide Ice Sheet. This work could potentially lend insight into the processes of ice flow, and drumlin formation, as well as intra glacial weathering rates.

Session No. 7--Booth# 6

D6. Geomorphology, Quaternary Geology, and Soils (Posters)
Friday, 20 March 2020: 8:00 AM-12:00 PM
Lake Anne (Hyatt Regency Reston)
Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. Vol. 52, No. 2
doi: 10.1130/abs/2020SE-344857
© Copyright 2020 The Geological Society of America (GSA), all rights reserved. Permission is hereby granted to the author(s) of this abstract to reproduce and distribute it freely, for noncommercial purposes. Permission is hereby granted to any individual scientist to download a single copy of this electronic file and reproduce up to 20 paper copies for noncommercial purposes advancing science and education, including classroom use, providing all reproductions include the complete content shown here, including the author information. All other forms of reproduction and/or transmittal are prohibited without written permission from GSA Copyright Permissions.
Back to: D6. Geomorphology, Quaternary Geology, and Soils (Posters)
<< Previous Abstract | Next Abstract >>