Structural observations and stratigraphic variability in Jurassic strata, Upheaval Dome, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA
type: CreativeWork
description: Upheaval Dome is a structurally deformed topographic depression located in Canyonlands National Park, southeast Utah. Multiple hypotheses for its origin have been proposed by various scientists over many years of research. The two remaining viable hypotheses are at opposite ends of the geologic spectrum, one proposing long-term deformation of the structure, while the other proposes a catastrophic meteorite impact. (1) The seminal paper by Jackson et al. (1998) suggests that Upheaval Dome was created due to the growth and subsequent pinch-off of a salt diapir sourced from the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation. Their conclusions were based on various growth geometries in Jurassic age strata. (2) Perhaps the most influential paper proposing a meteorite impact at Upheaval Dome is by Buchner and Kenkmann (2008), titled "Upheaval Dome, Utah, USA: Impact origin confirmed". In this paper only two grains of shocked quartz are identified, out of 120 standard thin sections. Based on these thin sections comprising medium-coarse sand grains, only ~0.00043% of grains displayed evidence of high-pressure deformation. For shocked quartz to confirm a meteorite impact there must be abundant shocked grains (2-5%), and ~0.00043% cannot be considered abundant (French and Koeberl, 2010). Prior to this study there has been no attempt made to combine an in depth stratigraphic investigation of exposed, accessible formations with structural and lithologic observations in the Upheaval Dome area. Analysis of stratigraphic field data for Triassic to Jurassic-aged strata reveals: (1) stratigraphic thicknesses from measured sections range from 7 meters to 224 meters in the Kayenta Formation, and projected thicknesses in cross sections can exceed 400 meters; (2) distinct changes in facies distributions in relation to mapped structural features; (3) localized angular discordances, such as angular unconformities and onlaps, at the contact between formations or within individual formations. Analysis of …
abstract: Upheaval Dome is a structurally deformed topographic depression located in Canyonlands National Park, southeast Utah. Multiple hypotheses for its origin have been proposed by various scientists over many years of research. The two remaining viable hypotheses are at opposite ends of the geologic spectrum, one proposing long-term deformation of the structure, while the other proposes a catastrophic meteorite impact. (1) The seminal paper by Jackson et al. (1998) suggests that Upheaval Dome was created due to the growth and subsequent pinch-off of a salt diapir sourced from the Pennsylvanian Paradox Formation. Their conclusions were based on various growth geometries in Jurassic age strata. (2) Perhaps the most influential paper proposing a meteorite impact at Upheaval Dome is by Buchner and Kenkmann (2008), titled "Upheaval Dome, Utah, USA: Impact origin confirmed". In this paper only two grains of shocked quartz are identified, out of 120 standard thin sections. Based on these thin sections comprising medium-coarse sand grains, only ~0.00043% of grains displayed evidence of high-pressure deformation. For shocked quartz to confirm a meteorite impact there must be abundant shocked grains (2-5%), and ~0.00043% cannot be considered abundant (French and Koeberl, 2010). Prior to this study there has been no attempt made to combine an in depth stratigraphic investigation of exposed, accessible formations with structural and lithologic observations in the Upheaval Dome area. Analysis of stratigraphic field data for Triassic to Jurassic-aged strata reveals: (1) stratigraphic thicknesses from measured sections range from 7 meters to 224 meters in the Kayenta Formation, and projected thicknesses in cross sections can exceed 400 meters; (2) distinct changes in facies distributions in relation to mapped structural features; (3) localized angular discordances, such as angular unconformities and onlaps, at the contact between formations or within individual formations. Analysis of …
author: Geesaman, Patrick J.
language: eng
language: English
keywords: Upheaval Dome, salt diapir, Canyonlands, meteorite impact, long-term deformation
identifier: T 7397
date published: 2014
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:43:08Z
provider: Colorado School of Mines
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Colorado School of Mines. Arthur Lakes Library

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/11124/12302