Historical Geology Chapter Vocabulary
Chapter 10-Early Paleozoic
based upon Historical Geology-by Wicander and Monroe
 

1815-first geologic map by William Smith (England)

Cratons and Mobile Belts
By the beginning of Paleozoic there were six major continents.
A craton consist of a shield and a platform.
A platform consists of a shield covered by Phanerozoic sedimentary rocks.
Shallow seas (epeiric) periodically covered the platforms.
Famous St. Peter sandstone in Wisconsi (used to make glass and candy)
Mobile belts are areas of mountain building:
     Cordillera, Ouachita, Appalachian, & Franklin mobile belts
Figure 10.1 Important
 

Paleozoic paleogeography
Laurentia (N. America, Greenland, NW Ireland, and Scotland)
was close to equator in Cambrian times.
During the Silurian, Baltica and Avalonia collided with Laurentia.

Early Paleozoic evolution of N. America
Figure 10.3 Important
6 episodes of major flooding of the craton during the Phanerozoic:
starting with the first..
SAUK...TIPPECANOE...KASKASKIA..ABSAROKA...ZUNI...TEJAS
The first 4 flooding events were Paleozoic.

SAUK  (flood #1)
Cambrian-Ordovician  (Arizona: Bolsa quartzite and Abrigo Limestone)
Only part that stayed land was the Canadian Shield and the TRANSCONTINENTAL ARCH.
The transcontinental Arch goes through central Arizona  (Fig. 10.4)
 

Grand Canyon-Cambrian
formed by a transgressing sea
Tapeats sandstone, Bright Angel shale, Muav limestone
 

TIPPECANOE (flood #2)
Middle Ordovician to Early Devonian)
SE Arizona missed this one
Famous St. Peter sandstone in Wisconsin (used to make glass and candy)
Laurentia almost totally underwater (Fig.10.7)
Lots of limestone was deposited over Laurentia.
Major land area above water: Taconic highlands (N. Appalachian area today)
Michigan basin has a layer of salt and gypsum (circular basin)
Fig. 10.10  Note that equator crosses Laurentia (warm water, rich in corals)

Applachian mobile belt and the TACONIC OROGENY
Fig. 10.13b-Subduction zone and island arc formed the Taconic highlands.
An extensive CLASTIC WEDGE formed next to the Taconic Highlands (QUEENSTON DELTA)
 

Important:
Note that planetary sea level was much higher dur than early Paleozoic than now.
Table 10.1, p.207