Excursions in Geology and History: Field Trips in the Middle Atlantic States
The 2006 GSA Annual Meeting in Philadelphia provided a unique venue for the geologic and historic exploration of the Middle Atlantic States. Excursions into Geology and History is a collection of 13 papers and accompanying field guides that explores topics ranging from fossil plants of the Pennsylvania Anthracite basins, to the use of slate as a building stone, to the structural geology of Appalachian orogen transects, to coal basin mine fires, to the geological influences on the outcome of the Civil War battle at Gettysburg, America’s most hallowed ground. The book will prove to be a valuable educational resource for geologists and historians alike.
Refining the metamorphic and tectonic history of the southeastern Pennsylvania Piedmont: Recent results from monazite and zircon geochronology and accessory-phase thermometry Available to Purchase
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Published:January 01, 2006
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CitationJoseph M. Pyle, Howell Bosbyshell, Gale C. Blackmer, 2006. "Refining the metamorphic and tectonic history of the southeastern Pennsylvania Piedmont: Recent results from monazite and zircon geochronology and accessory-phase thermometry", Excursions in Geology and History: Field Trips in the Middle Atlantic States, Frank J. Pazzaglia
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Abstract
This field trip examines two distinct lithotectonic groups of the Pennsylvania Piedmont, separated by the Martic Line, each consisting of massifs of Mesoproterozoic gneiss overlain unconformably by Paleozoic metasediments. To the north of the Martic Line, the Mesoproterozoic gneisses are lithologically similar to rocks of the Adirondack anorthosite-mangerite-charnockite-granite (AMCG) association, and also include amphibolite-facies gneisses of felsic to mafic bulk composition. The overlying Paleozoic quartzite and carbonate ± semipelite succession records only greenschist-facies metamorphism, with on-going debate as to the extent of Taconian, Acadian, and Alleghanian contribution to the low-grade metamorphism and pervasive deformation. South of the Martic Line, AMCG lithologies are absent from the Mesoproterozoic gneisses. Paleozoic rocks of the Wissahickon Formation record low-pressure, high-temperature (0.3–0.4 GPa, 600–700 °C; andalusite-sillimanite) Silurian metamorphism, and Devonian moderate-pressure, moderate-temperature (0.6–0.8 GPa, 500–600 °C; kyanitesillimanite) metamorphism. Additionally, the Wissahickon Formation east of the Rosemont Shear Zone records Ordovician magmatic activity and limited contact metamorphism associated with emplacement of the Wilmington Complex. The Wissahickon Formation (sensu lato) is informally subdivided into three units: Glenarm Wissahickon (overlying Baltimore Gneiss and Glenarm Group, between the Embreeville and Street Road Faults), Mount Cuba Wissahickon (south and east of the Street Road fault, including a strip immediately east of the Wilmington Complex), and Wissahickon Formation (sensu stricto) (east of the Wilmington Complex). Day 1 treats the rocks north of the Martic Line. Day 2 addresses rocks south of the Martic Line, and within and around the Wilmington Complex.
- Acadian
- Appalachians
- Baltimore Gneiss
- Cambrian
- Devonian
- field trips
- geochronology
- gneisses
- guidebook
- low-grade metamorphism
- lower Paleozoic
- metamorphic rocks
- metamorphism
- monazite
- nesosilicates
- North America
- orthosilicates
- P-T conditions
- Paleozoic
- Pennsylvania
- phosphates
- Piedmont
- Precambrian
- Proterozoic
- road log
- silicates
- Silurian
- Taconic Orogeny
- unconformities
- United States
- upper Precambrian
- Wilmington Complex
- Wissahickon Formation
- zircon
- zircon group
- southeastern Pennsylvania