Quantification of a Distributive Fluvial System: The Salt Wash DFS of the Morrison Formation, SW U.S.A.

• DOI: 10.2110/jsr.2015.35
• Publication Date: 2015-05-21T03:16:30Z
• Authors: A. Owen; G. J. Nichols; A. J. Hartley; G. S. Weissmann; L. A. Scuderi
• Keywords: Distributed File System

Recent analysis of modern aggradational continental sedimentary basins reveals that sedimentation patterns are dominated by distributive fluvial systems (DFSs).The Salt Wash Member the Late Jurassic Morrison Formation has previously been described as a fan-shaped system.This study characterizes facies variations across DFS to qualitatively test predicted trends in conceptual models.Notable proximal-to-distal include change total thickness succession from 174 m 40 m, and average grain size coarse sand silt, while percentage decreased 70% proximal region 8% distal region.The proportion amalgamated channel-belt deposits 67% 0%, floodplain lacustrine increase (38% 94% 0.1% 7% respectively).A downstream decrease channel belt (15 3.8 thickest thinnest) story (7.7 2.3 is also recorded.Significant changes deposit architecture were noted, with regions stacked high degree amalgamation.Distal muds sheet sandstones sparse ribbon channels, little no amalgamation deposits.This provides quantified information for an ancient aim providing dataset can be used objective comparison between different DFSs, well numerical data aid resource exploration modelling efforts.