The Base of the Arbuckle Group, Southern Oklahoma


Danielle McBride AYAN
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Introduction Abstract
Definition of Arbuckle Group Aims, Purposes and Objectives
Research Methodology Professional & Educational Significance
Investigator Qualifications Research Schedule
References Resume

The below proposal is written in conjuction with Dr. R. Nowell Donovan, my TCU M. S. thesis advisor (his graduate student page can be located here). The study area of interest has been a focus of his post-doctoral work for the last 20 years or more. Dr. Donovan, Andrea Bucheit, and I all led the TCU Geology Department on a fieldtrip to the described area on 17-20 October 1996. We are all currently very involved in our studies of this area and have provided lectures and posters at the Oklahoma Geological Survey and AAPG regional meetings in 1996 and 1997, respectively. Details of petrographic and cathode luminescent analyses of samples collected in the area will be posted as determined; a publishable thesis of personal findings will be posted on-line by August 1997...stay tuned!
Any questions, comments or feedback will be very much appreciated

Abstract

The Wichita Mountains and Slick Hills in southwestern Oklahoma are exposed portions of the Southern Oklahoma aulacogen, the trend of which is WNW-ESE from southeastern Oklahoma to the Texas Panhandle. The series of events leading to Slick Hills and Wichita Mountain development include: (1) introduction of a late Precambrian-Cambrian igneous suite; (2) basin subsidence and subsequent carbonate deposition (e.g., the Arbuckle Carbonate Platform); and (3) breakup of Paleozoic basin into asymmetric basins and uplifts (e.g., the Wichitas and Arbuckles) (Donovan, 1986).
This study will focus on a late Cambrian/early Ordovician transgression that initiated deposition within the aulacogen; in particular, it will seek to define the boundary between the siliciclastic/carbonate Timbered Hills Group and the overlying carbonate Arbuckle Group. Previous work by McElmoyl (1991) has demonstrated that the Honey Creek, uppermost Formation of the Timbered Hills Group, displays evidence of a significant low sea level stand resulting in ³Lower² and ³Upper² Honey Creek units, separated by a major hiatus. The passage from the Upper Honey Creek into the overlying Fort Sill Formation (basal unit of the Arbuckle Group) is apparently conformable and simply records a great increase in the amount of lime mud in the section. It is the purpose of this study to clarify the facies changes occurring in this transition via detailed petrographic and sedimentological study. Therefore, the importance of this work is that it will clarify the sequence of events that occurred during the greatest Paleozoic transgression that affected the Laurentian craton.

Definition of the base of the Arbuckle Group

The contact between the Timbered Hills and Arbuckle Groups is well exposed in parts of Comanche, Kiowa and Caddo Counties in Southwestern Oklahoma. The boundary, or contact of interest (outlined below in colored Figure 1.), is between the stratigraphically distinct Honey Creek and Fort Sill Formations, the upper- and lowermost units of the Timbered Hills and Arbuckle Groups, respectively. Previous work has shown that the principal defining change associated with this boundary is the incoming of copious amounts of lime mud. In other respects, however, the contact between the two formations is gradational (see Figure 2.): (1) the siliciclastic content decreases gradationally, (2) the grain size of the siliciclastics decrease gradationally, and (3) both formations can be subdivided into meter scale shallowing-upward cycles.
Preliminary work has shown that hardgrounds, oolitic sandstones and intraformational conglomerates appear within the Fort Sill, whereas the bimodal cross bedding that characterizes the Honey Creek is not seen in the Fort Sill. Air photograph reconnaissance suggest the presence of carbonate build-ups close to the contact.

Figure 1. Contact between Honey Creek and Fort Sill Formations

Aims, Purposes and Objectives

The specific goals of the proposed research consist of: (1) Section logging and field correlation of all available exposures of the contact between the Upper Honey Creek and Lower Fort Sill Formations. This logging will define the character of cycles in both formations and will define the essential facies present. (2) thin section and cathode luminescent analyses will be used to define the petrographic characteristics of the facies recognized.
The field research will begin in the summer of 1996, under the direction of Dr. Nowell Donovan. Since 1978, Donovan has been investigating all aspects of the geology of the Slick Hills. The long term aim of the study is the production of a detailed map and bulletin for the Oklahoma Geological Survey. During this period he has supervised 10 MS theses at Texas Christian University (1986-present) and 15 MS theses at Oklahoma State University (1978-1986) in which the geology of Oklahoma has been the principal theme. 47 papers and 62 abstracts (most co-authored with students) have resulted from this work. In addition, he has led numerous professional and student-oriented field trips to the region. The study proposed here will clarify one of the lacunae that remain in defining the stratigraphic relationships in the Slick Hills.

Research Methodology

Fieldwork will be undertaken in two stages: 3 initial trips in May, 1996 and 2 follow-up trips in September, each trip lasting 3 days. Logging and Sample collection will be the principal focus of these field trips.
Laboratory examination will involve standard petrographic studies using microscopes and cathode luminescence which are available at TCU. The aim of this work is to characterize variations in petrography across the conformable boundary between the Timbered Hills and Arbuckle Groups.

Professional and Educational Significance

During the late Cambrian a widespread transgression took place across the Laurentian (proto-North American) craton. Ultimately, this transgression led to the development of what is probably the most extensive carbonate platform in world history. This research will examine one of the critical moments in this story. The research will also increase our knowledge of the Cambrian geology of Oklahoma, in particular the Southern Oklahoma aulacogen.
The results of this work will be included in a professional poster by the investigator at the Oklahoma Geological Survey in the Spring of 1997, in addition to other possible publications. It is also planned to incorporate the work into a new Slick Hills field guide as well as the aforementioned OGS map and Bulletin.

Investigator Qualifications

The investigator is well qualified to complete all field and technical aspects of the work. The traverses and sample-collection methods proposed are similar to work done while assisting Dr. Donovan in other areas of the Slick Hills over the past 1.5 years.
The investigator is familiar with the proposed area of research and has spent time at the site. Provisional fieldwork has been carried out by the investigator that lends itself to a developed methodology.
The investigator also has experience and interest in presenting research material:

Research Schedule

Targeted completion of this work is not later than August, 1997. Preliminary literature seeking and associated research are currently being conducted by the investigator.
Initial fieldwork is scheduled to start late May to early June, 1996. Follow-up trips will proceed into September. All required laboratory analyses will be conducted during the summer and fall months of 1996, with final lab results confirmed by December, 1996. The investigator will be writing thesis text throughout the study, but formatting will be initiated by November, 1996. The text will be ready for editing by April, 1997 and finalized by June, 1997.
The thesis will be completed with illustrations by August, 1997, and the research presented in the Texas Christian University Geology Department by August, 1997.
The results of this work have, to-date, also been presented at the 'Marine Clastics in the Southern Midcontinent', Workshop sponsored by the Oklahoma Geological Survey, Spring 1997.

Figure 2. Honey Creek and Fort Sill Formations--lithostratigraphic section

Some References:

1946 Schatski, N.S., The Great Donets Basin and the Wichita system--comparative tectonics of ancient platforms: SSSR Akad. Nauk. Isv., Geology Series No. 1, p. 5-62.SSSR Akad. Nauk. Isv., Geology Series No. 1, p. 5-62.
1983 Donovan, R.N., et al., Subsidence rates in Oklahoma during the Paleozoic, Shale Shaker, v. 33, 86-88.
1985 Ragland, D.A. and Donovan, R.N., The Thatcher Creek Member, basal unit of the Cool Creek Formation in southern Oklahoma; Oklahoma Geol. Notes, Vol. 45, No. 3, p. 83 96.
1986 Donovan, R.N., The Geology of the Slick Hills in Donovan, R.N. (editor) The Slick Hills of southwestern Oklahoma, Fragments of an aulacogen? Oklahoma Geological Survey, Guidebook 24, p. 1-12.
1986 Donovan, R. N. and Ragland, D. A., Paleozoic Stratigraphy of the Slick Hills, Southwestern Oklahoma, in Donovan, R.N. (editor) The Slick Hills of southwestern Oklahoma, Fragments of an aulacogen? Oklahoma Geological Survey, Guidebook 24, p. 13-16.
1986 Cloyd, K., Donovan, R.N. and Rafalowski, M.B., Ankerite at the contact between the Reagan Sandstone and the Honey Creek Limestone (Timbered Hills Group) in Donovan, R.N. (editor), The Slick Hills of southwestern Oklahoma, Fragments of an aulacogen? Oklahoma Geological Survey, Guidebook 24, p. 17-20.
1988 Donovan, R.N., Ragland, D.A., Cloyd, K., Bridges, S. and Denison, R.E., Carlton rhyolite and Lower Paleozoic sedimentary rocks at Bally Mountain in the Slick Hills of southwestern Oklahoma in Hayward, O.T. editor, Geol. Soc. American, Decade of North American Geology, Vol. 4, p.93-96.
1991 Donovan, R. N. and Stephenson, M. D. A new Island in the Southern Oklahoma Archipelago: in Johnson, K. S. Editor, Late Cambrian-Ordovician Geology of the Southern Midcontinent, 1989 Symposium, Oklahoma Geological Survey Circular 92, p. 118-121.
1991 Donovan R.N. and Ross, D. L. The Saddle Mountain dolomite at Maukeen Hill - A dolomite interface in the Upper Arbuckle Group, Western Slick Hills, Oklahoma.: In Johnson, K. S. Editor, Late Cambrian-Ordovician Geology of the Southern Midcontinent, 1989 Symposium, Oklahoma Geological Survey Circular 92, p. 143-153.
1991 Donovan, R.N. and Ragland, D. A., Sedimentology and diagenesis of the Arbuckle Group in Outcrops of Southern Oklahoma, in Johnson, K. S. Editor,Arbuckle Group Core Workshop and Field Trip, Special Publication 91-3, Oklahoma Geological Survey, p. 9-29.
1991 Donovan, R.N. and Ragland, D. A., The base of the Arbuckle Group at Bally Mountain, in Johnson, K. S. Editor,Arbuckle Group Core Workshop and Field Trip, Special Publication 91-3, Oklahoma Geological Survey, p. 244-246.
1991 Donovan, R.N., The Arbuckle Group - An Aide de Memoire, in Johnson, K. S. Editor,Arbuckle Group Core Workshop and Field Trip, Special Publication 91-3, Oklahoma Geological Survey, p. 199-208.

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Last updated 16 July 1997 by Danielle Ayan