Sedimentation Within Southern Oklahoma Aulacogen: Viola Limestone: ABSTRACT

The Viola Limestone (Middle Ordovician) was deposited within the southern Oklahoma aulacogen in the Arbuckle Mountains of Oklahoma. The northwest-trending aulacogen is a basement rift which opened in the Late Cambrian (535 to 525 m.y.a). During the early history of the aulacogen, the thick Cambro-Ordovician Arbuckle Group (2,050 m) was deposited as a predominantly peritidal complex. The conformably overlying Early Ordovician Simpson Group (700 m) shows more variation in water depth but still is dominated by shallow-water deposits. The Viola Limestone rests disconformably on a hardground which was developed at the top of the Simpson Group. Early Viola deposition was below wavebase probably with continental slope bathymetry; this time thus represents the deepest carbonate sedimentation within the aulacogen. Initial results show that the oldest microfacies of the Viola Limestone is a laminated calcisiltite deposited within anoxic bottom conditions by weak traction currents. Progressively increasing oxygenation and wave energy resulted in deposition of a bioturbated wackestone which then grades upward into a washed grainstone. These microfacies indicate a general upward shallowing along the axis of the aulacogen. Early workers, however, suggested that the more cratonward Viola microfacies may deepen slightly upward. As noted in earlier studies, the carbonate ramp model seems to fit best the depositional setting of the Viola. The ramp model can deal with the conflicting water depth trend by having a subsidence hinge axis upslope from the upward-deepening and upward-shallowing sections. In addition, sedimentation rates would have been greater in the aulacogen axis than on the marginal platforms. Shallow subtidal deposits cap the Viola of both the aulacogen and platform. In both areas these shallowwater carbonates were subjected to early diagenesis by meteoric water, confirming their proximity to sea level.