Geology Commons^™

Spatial Variations In Ancient Meteoric Water: An Investigation Of The Rattlesnake Tuff, Julian Michael Cohen

Dissertations and Theses

Volcanic glass has been used extensively as a paleoclimate proxy. Deuterium (2H) concentrations in glass have been found to be stable over geologic timescales, making δD a reliable proxy for ancient water chemistry. However, continued work revolves around better understanding how different factors affect preserved water in ash. Here, I analyze δD in the Rattlesnake Tuff (RST), a widespread ca. 7 Ma ashflow tuff, and create an isoscape to assess variations in δD across Oregon during that time. Additionally, I examine compositional data from glass shards to explore the relationship between δD and shard composition. The RST exhibits well defined …

The Spatial And Temporal Evolution Of The Portland And Tualatin Basins, Oregon, Usa, Darby Patrick Scanlon

Dissertations and Theses

The Portland and Tualatin basins are part of the Puget-Willamette Lowland in the Cascadia forearc of Oregon and Washington. The Coast Range to the west has undergone Paleogene transtension and Neogene transpression, which is reflected in basin stratigraphy. To better understand the tectonic evolution of the region, I modeled three key stratigraphic horizons and their associated depocenters (areas of maximum sediment accumulation) through space and time using well log, seismic, outcrop, aeromagnetic, and gravity data. Three isochore maps were created to constrain the location of Portland and Tualatin basin depocenters during 1) Pleistocene to mid-Miocene (0-15 Ma), 2) eruption of …

Early To Middle Pleistocene Catastrophic Flood Deposits, The Dalles, Oregon, David Irving Cordero

Dissertations and Theses

A roadcut on Highway 197, three kilometers southeast of The Dalles, Oregon, exposes a sequence of Quaternary sediments and five buried paleosols. The sediments, paleosols, and associated tephras at this site provide evidence of a Quaternary history of catastrophic flooding in the Columbia Basin extending back at least 700 ka and of an early eruption (ca. 600 ka) of Mount Adams. Four sedimentary units are exposed in this cut: Holocene loess, late Wisconsin Missoula Flood slackwater deposits, five pre-late Wisconsin catastrophic flood slackwater deposits bearing well developed paleosols, and late Tertiary Dalles Formation volcaniclastics. All but the oldest are predominantly …

Geology And Geochemistry Of Hydrothermal Alteration, Eastern Portion Of The North Santiam Mining Area, J. Michael Pollock

Dissertations and Theses

The Ruth Mine is a base-metal vein deposit near the eastern margin of a reported porphyry copper deposit in the Western Cascade Range in Oregon. Uplift of the Western Cascade Range has resulted in a deeply dissected terrain in which more than a kilometer of the stratigraphy overlying the porphyry-style mineralization is preserved and exposed. The stratigraphic units, which are middle Tertiary in age, have been given arbitrary letter designations beginning with the lowest unit (Unit A) through the uppermost unit (Unit D).

Stratigraphy And Sedimentology Of Paleogene Arkosic And Volcaniclastic Strata, Johnson Creek-Chambers Creek Area, Southern Cascade Range, Washington, Warren Jon Winters

Dissertations and Theses

Over 1150 m of middle to late Eocene nonmarine arkose, lithic arkose, mudstone, and siltstone, referred to here as the Chambers Creek beds, are int~r.stratified with, and overlain by over 1600 m of late Eocene-Oligocsne(?) andesitic volcaniclastic and subordinate volcanic rocks assigned to the Ohanapecosh Formation, in a dissected structural high in the southern Washington Cascade Range, about 18 km south-southeast of the town of Packwood.

The Bedrock Geology Of The Southwest Part Of The Kachess Lake Quadrangle, Washington, David Carl Lofgren

Dissertations and Theses

The southwestern part of the Kachess Lake quadrangle lies between Lakes Cle Elum and Kachess, on the east flank of the central Cascade Range of Washington. The region lies between the North and South Cascade petrologic provinces, and includes rocks typical of each. Pre-Tertiary Easton Schist (called the Shuksan Suite farther north), and the Late Cretaceous-Paleocene Swauk Formation occur widely in the North Cascades, while the Tertiary Silver Pass Volcanics and Teanaway Basalt are typical of South Cascade volcanic sequences. Diabasic dikes of the Teanaway dike swarm occur throughout the vicinity.

The area is bounded on the west by a …