The ICDP-USGS Deep Drilling Project in the Chesapeake Bay impact structure: Results from the Eyreville Core Holes

Integrated sequence stratigraphy of the postimpact sediments from the Eyreville core holes, Chesapeake Bay impact structure inner basin
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Published:January 01, 2009
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CiteCitation
James V. Browning, Kenneth G. Miller, Peter P. McLaughlin, Jr., Lucy E. Edwards, Andrew A. Kulpecz, David S. Powars, Bridget S. Wade, Mark D. Feigenson, James D. Wright, 2009. "Integrated sequence stratigraphy of the postimpact sediments from the Eyreville core holes, Chesapeake Bay impact structure inner basin", The ICDP-USGS Deep Drilling Project in the Chesapeake Bay impact structure: Results from the Eyreville Core Holes, Gregory S. Gohn, Christian Koeberl, Kenneth G. Miller, Wolf Uwe Reimold
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The Eyreville core holes provide the first continuously cored record of postimpact sequences from within the deepest part of the central Chesapeake Bay impact crater. We analyzed the upper Eocene to Pliocene postimpact sediments from the Eyreville A and C core holes for lithology (semiquantitative measurements of grain size and composition), sequence stratigraphy, and chronostratigraphy. Age is based primarily on Sr isotope stratigraphy supplemented by biostratigraphy (dinocysts, nannofossils, and planktonic foraminifers); age resolution is approximately ±0.5 Ma for early Miocene sequences and approximately ±1.0 Ma for younger and older sequences. Eocene–lower Miocene sequences are subtle, upper middle to lower upper Miocene sequences are more clearly distinguished, and upper Miocene–Pliocene sequences display a distinct facies pattern within sequences. We recognize two upper Eocene, two Oligocene, nine Miocene, three Pliocene, and one Pleistocene sequence and correlate them with those in New Jersey and Delaware. The upper Eocene through Pleistocene strata at Eyreville record changes from: (1) rapidly deposited, extremely fine-grained Eocene strata that probably represent two sequences deposited in a deep (>200 m) basin; to (2) highly dissected Oligocene (two very thin sequences) to lower Miocene (three thin sequences) with a long hiatus; to (3) a thick, rapidly deposited (43–73 m/Ma), very fine-grained, biosiliceous middle Miocene (16.5–14 Ma) section divided into three sequences (V5–V3) deposited in middle neritic paleoenvironments; to (4) a 4.5-Ma-long hiatus (12.8–8.3 Ma); to (5) sandy, shelly upper Miocene to Pliocene strata (8.3–2.0 Ma) divided into six sequences deposited in shelf and shoreface environments; and, last, to (6) a sandy middle Pleistocene paralic sequence (~400 ka). The Eyreville cores thus record the filling of a deep impact-generated basin where the timing of sequence boundaries is heavily influenced by eustasy.
- alkaline earth metals
- assemblages
- Cenozoic
- chemostratigraphy
- Chesapeake Bay impact structure
- cores
- Eocene
- faunal list
- Foraminifera
- International Continental Scientific Drilling Program
- Invertebrata
- isotope ratios
- isotopes
- lithostratigraphy
- metals
- microfossils
- Miocene
- Neogene
- Northampton County Virginia
- Oligocene
- paleobathymetry
- Paleogene
- planktonic taxa
- Pleistocene
- Pliocene
- Protista
- Quaternary
- sequence stratigraphy
- Sr-87/Sr-86
- stable isotopes
- strontium
- Tertiary
- United States
- Virginia
- Eyreville Farm