Depositional Environment of the Green River Formation of Wyoming: A Preliminary Report

Research Article| April 01, 1973 Depositional Environment of the Green River Formation of Wyoming: A Preliminary Report HANS P. EUGSTER; HANS P. EUGSTER 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar RONALD C. SURDAM RONALD C. SURDAM 2Department of Geology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 83070 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information HANS P. EUGSTER 1Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland 21218 RONALD C. SURDAM 2Department of Geology, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 83070 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1973) 84 (4): 1115–1120. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1973)84<1115:DEOTGR>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation HANS P. EUGSTER, RONALD C. SURDAM; Depositional Environment of the Green River Formation of Wyoming: A Preliminary Report. GSA Bulletin 1973;; 84 (4): 1115–1120. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1973)84<1115:DEOTGR>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract A new model is proposed for the depositional environment of the Green River Formation of Wyoming, which is based on a combination of lake and playa environments. We propose that oil shales and trona beds accumulated in shallow lakes which were fringed by large playa flats. In these playa flats alkaline brines evolved through evaporation and precipitation of calcium carbonate and protodolomite in the capillary zone near the ground-water table. Dolomitic mudstones, marlstones, and calcareous and siliciclastic sandstones were the products of occasional floods on the playa; chief evidence consists of the assemblage of sedimentary structures found in these rocks, indicating frequent exposure to air, strong shallow-water currents, transport, and resedimentation. The playa-lake model leads to a more consistent picture of the hydrology, brine evolution, mineral formation, and sedimentation in the Green River basins than the previously accepted stratified lake concept. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.