Abstract
Paleocurrent data have been obtained from cross-beds and ripple marks found in the Lower Cambrian Chilhowee Group of eastern Tennessee. These indicate that the major direction of clastic transport during Chilhowee time was toward the southeast. In addition, the ripple-mark data suggest a shoreline oriented northeast-southwest. Evidently the Chilhowee currents moved primarily down the regional paleoslope to the southeast, perpendicular to the shoreline. Such a transport direction is in opposition to the prevailing current motion (predominantly east to west) inferred from Precambrian sediments below the Chilhowee and from most of the Paleozoic strata above. The reversals in Late Precambrian and Paleozoic current directions reflect changing source areas during the evolution of the southern Appalachian geosyncline.
