Revision of Calceocrinidae

40 p., 3 pl., 21 fig.http://paleo.ku.edu/contributions.htm

Divisions of the Pennsylvanian System in Kansas

This report summarizes studies in the northern midcontinent region bearing on classification of rocks belonging to the Pennsylvanian System in Kansas. It does not review historical features in the development of classification, treated in 1936 (Kansas Geological Survey Bulletin 22), but takes account of work done since that date. In particular, it gives explanation of time-stratigraphic divisions of the Pennsylvanian rocks and embodies changes in the definition and naming of groups and subgroups which were adopted by agreement of the State geological surveys of Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma at a conference held in May 1947. Except for definition of member subdivisions of formations belonging to the Marmaton group and a few revisions of formation and member names in the Shawnee and Wabaunsee groups, no changes in designation of lithologic units of the Kansas Pennsylvanian succession have been made during the last dozen years. The Pennsylvanian rocks (including subsurface deposits which are not exposed in Kansas) are divided into five series (in upward order): Morrowan, Atokan, Desmoinesian, Missourian, and Virgilian. The boundaries between these divisions are drawn at disconformities which are judged to denote important interruptions in sedimentation. Each of the designated series is characterized by paleontological distinctions, also. Deposits of Morrowan age (Kearny formation) and Atokan age (unnamed) are recognized in the subsurface of western Kansas but do not crop out. The Desmoinesian Series is well exposed in southeastern Kansas and widely distributed beneath the surface in the State. It comprises rocks of the Cherokee group, below, and Marmaton group, above. Paleontologically, the Desmoinesian rocks belong to the Zone of Fusulina. The Missourian Series contains important limestone formations and is divided, in upward order, into the Pleasanton, Kansas City, Lansing, and Pedee groups. It comprises the lower half of the Zone of Triticites. Rocks of Virgilian age are widely and excellently exposed in eastern Kansas. This uppermost main division of the Pennsylvanian rocks contains the Douglas, Shawnee, and Wabaunsee groups and comprises the upper part of the Zone of Triticites. The interstate agreement on classification of Pennsylvanian rocks agreed to the name Pleasanton group for clastic deposits (formerly called Bourbon group by the Kansas Geological Survey). In the lower part of the Missourian Series, the conference adopted definition of the Kansas City group as extending from the top of Pleasanton beds to the base of the Plattsburg limestone. The rocks of this group were divided into three subgroups: Bronson (base of Hertha limestone to top of Winterset limestone), Linn (base of Cherryvale shale to top of Iola limestone), and Zarah (base of Lane shale to top of Bonner Springs shale). in the Wabaunsee group, the conference recognized differentiation of subgroups, in upward order: Sacfox, Nemaha, and Richardson

Upper Pennsylvanian Gastropods from Kansas

A molluscan fauna collected in north-central Kansas from the Deer Creek limestone of the Shawnee group, upper Pennsylvanian (Virgil) in age, contains bellerophontid and other gastropods that excellently show apertural characters and some features of shell structure.Study of specimens of Euphemites indicates that the prismatic shell layer, secreted by an anterior border region of the mantle, is marked on the outerside by growth lines and covered externally by a thin smooth shell layer, here named perinductura, formed by a backward reflection of the outer edge of the mantle and partly by a longitudinally ribbed inductura deposited by the posterior and lateral parts of the mantle. Some species of Euphemites show the presence of another distinct shell layer that is deposited over part of the inductura. This layer is named the coinductura. The “obsolescence” of revolving ridges on a portion of the last whorl of Euphemites, not previously well explained, is seen to belong inherently both to old and young individuals.The smooth area is covered only the noncostate perinductura, whereas the costate area is formed by the inductura or by the inductura and coinductura. A new bellerophontid genus, Knightites, which is represented in the collections by nearly all growth stages, is especially characterized by a series of paired tubular projections bordering the slit band. These hornlike structures are believed to mark the loci of incurrent streams of water that bathed the ctenidia and osphradia. Mature or gerontic specimens of this genus and ofsome other bellerophontids in the collection show a thick inductura that is much more strongly curved transversely than the underlying shell of the preceding whorl. A new species that is assigned to Warthia, previously known from Permian rocks of Asia, seems to be the first determination of the occurrence of this genus in North America. Two new species of Bellerophon are described

The Occurrence of Corals in Late Paleozoic Rocks of Kansas

This report summarizes information on late Paleozoic corals in Kansas that has become available during somewhat detailed studies of these fossils. Although the systematic investigations are incomplete as yet, preliminary data on the more abundant types of corals in Kansas may be of immediate use in studies of the rock formations in the State and to students of paleontology. The morphology of the corals is considered briefly and major structural characters are illustrated. The genera of corals known to occur in the State are illustrated and characterized, and a key is given for ease in identification of the several distinctive genera. The stratigraphic occurrence of the corals in Kansas as determined by careful study of the collections made by the Geological Survey is recorded, and mention is made of corals that seem especially useful in the determination and tracing of stratigraphic horizons

Ray structures of some inadunate crinoids

48 p., 4 pl., 17 fig.http://paleo.ku.edu/contributions.htm

Unique stalked crinoids from Upper Cretaceous of Mississippi

36 p., 8 pl., 8 fig.http://paleo.ku.edu/contributions.htm

Effects of a noncoplanar biphenyldiamine on the processing and properties of addition polyimides

Addition curing polyimides, prepared from noncoplanar 2,2'-bis(trifluoromethyl) 4,4' diaminobiphenyl (BTDB) with various dianhydrides were evaluated as high temperature polymer matrix materials. T sub g of these polymers were measured by mechanical methods as well as by thermal mechanical analysis. Physical and mechanical properties as well as the thermo-oxidative stability of neat resins and the corresponding G40-600 graphite fiber reinforced composites were compared to that of PMR-II-50 and V-CAP-75