1887

Abstract

Abstract

The Kingston Peak Formation (KPF) of Death Valley, California, provides an exceptional archive of Cryogenian glaciation and concomitant rifting of Rodinia. In the Saratoga Hills, an 800 m thick succession of diamictite-dominated strata is exposed, allowing lithofacies and clast compositions to be studied in detail, and for the relative influence of glacial versus slope processes on sedimentation to be critically assessed for the first time. Two detailed sections, 400 m apart, allow four facies associations (FA) to be established: (1) Thinly Laminated Argillaceous Sandstone (interpreted as low density turbidites) (2) Laminated, Deformed, and Brecciated Limestone (interpreted as carbonate sourced turbidites truncated by fault-controlled debris flow marking the onset of glaciation) (3) Bedded Massive Diamictite (interpreted as glacially-fed debris flow deposits) (4) Interbedded Mudstone, Sandstone, and Diamictite (interpreted as stratified diamictite deposited via ice rafted debris and passing gradually into turbidites punctuated by heavily deformed intervals). Bedded massive diamictite (FA 3) is dominant in the succession and shows a gradual up section transition into interbedded mudstone, sandstone, and diamictite (FA 4). This is interpreted to record a waning glacial influence (from glacially sourced debris flow to stratified diamictite strongly influenced by ice rafted debris) and a waxing tectonic influence upsection. Clasts in the diamictite include carbonate, siliciclastic intraclasts, granite, diabase, gneiss, and quartzite. Clast presence profiles suggest that in spite of the comparable along-strike facies profiles between the two logs, clast content is of little use in aiding correlation and lithostratigraphic subdivision of the Kingston Peak Formation. Thus, local source areas and a complex drainage network are envisaged. The stacking pattern of the lithofacies, complex drainage network reflected in the variation of clast-composition, and localized deformation features of FA4 all support the deposition as part of a trough mouth fan system.

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/content/papers/10.3997/2214-4609.201900230
2018-12-09
2024-03-29
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