Storm Dominated Channel Sequences on a Shallow Marine Shelf: Morrowan of Northwest Arkansas

The Brentwood Member of the Bloyd Formation (Morrowan, Pennsylvanian) in northwestern Arkansas contains stratigraphic sequences deposted by tropical storms in middle shelf environments. The deposits are confined to shallow channels incised by strong unidirectional currents into an interval of shale deposited during fair weather conditions. Complete storm sequences reflect initial bottom currents of high competency that declined through time and were succeeded by wave generated oscillatory activity. The storm succession consists of an erosion surface followed by a basal pebble conglomerate, massive grainstone and packstone, whole-fossil wackestone, hummocky cross-strata and a swell lag of platy crinoidcalyxes. As storm activity ceased, fairweather deposits of middle shelf clay blanketed the storm sequences

Development of Organic Mud Mounds in a Mixed Carbonate-Siliciclastic Depositional Environment

Organic carbonate mud mounds in the Prairie Grove Member of the Hale Formation developed on a shallow shelf swept by competent tidal currents. The mounds were stabilized by crustose red algae and fostered a sheltered setting where phylloid algae and marine invertebrates could thrive. The mounds supplied skeletal sediment locally to the intermound areas as well as regionally along the stable platform. This sediment mixed with quartz sand to form a major mixed carbonate-siliciclastic system in northwestern Arkansas

Trace Metals and Major Elements in Water-Soluble Rocks of Northwest Arkansas

Trace metals in limestone are potential water contaminants because they can enter the ground water when the limestone is dissolved by carbonic acid and other naturally occurring acids. Four local limestones, the St. Joe and Pitkin Formations (Mississippian) and the Brentwood and Kessler Members of the Bloyd Formation (Pennsylvanian) were sampled in a five county area in Northwest Arkansas. Atomic absorption analyses were made for Na, K, Mg, Ca, Zh, Cu, Ba, Fe, Co, Cr, Ni, Mn, Li and Sr on the acid soluble material of the samples. All the limestones are relatively pure CaCO3 with Pitkin the purest, 93.4%. Calcium and acid soluble material values varied only 3-5% from the average among the limestones whereas 71-108% variation occurred for Fe, Mn, K and Cr. Other elements showed intermediate variations. Only Fe and Mn are present on the average in the limestones at concentration levels which might lead to contamination of ground water to undesirably high levels. Analyses compare well with the reported average limestone except for acid insoluble elements which were not dissolved in our scheme and lithium (1.5 ppm average vs 20 in reference). Ratios of Sr/Ca and Mg/Ca were similar to reported values for limestones of comparable geologic age. Maxima in the areal variation of these ratios occurred at about the same latitude for three of the formations. The areal variation of Fe/Ca and Mn/Ca was also determined for the four limestone formations. Interelement correlations in the limestones showed: Na, Sr, Li, Fe and Zn contents increased with Mg content; Mn and Cr increased with Fe content. Indications were obtained that detrital and other materials not in the calcite structure can be determined by their relative insolubility in acetic acid compared to hydrochloric acid

Stratigraphy of the Lower Atoka Formation, Crawford County, Arkansas

The Atoka Formation (Pennsylvanian) of northwestern Arkansas is a complex succession of sandstone and shale units. Sandstone units in surface sections near the base of the formation in northern Crawford and southern Washington Counties may be correlated with units in the subsurface of the Arkoma Basin. The basal sandstone units of the Atoka Formation as recognized in the Arkoma Basin are correlated with thin, discontinuous sandstones within the Trace Creek Member of the Bloyd Formation in surface exposures to the north. Vertical grain size profiles, electric log profiles and the configuration of thickness trends suggest that lower Atoka sandstone units accumulated as linear coastal sand bodies that prograded southeastward