About This Item

Share This Item

The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database

Journal of Sedimentary Research (SEPM)

Abstract


Journal of Sedimentary Petrology
Vol. 31 (1961)No. 1. (March), Pages 5-14

Composition, Grain Size, Roundness, and Sphericity of the Potsdam Sandstone (Cambrian) in Northeastern New York

Donald R. Wiesnet

ABSTRACT

The Potsdam Sandstone of Late Cambrian age crops out along the north, east, and southeast borders of the Adirondack Mountains in northeastern New York State. It has generally been described as an orthoquartzite. In the Mooers area, however, the Potsdam is mainly a subarkose or arkose.

Detailed analysis of 10 thin sections of the Potsdam Sandstone from the Mooers Quadrangle provide data for grain-count composition, median grain size, cumulative size curves for individiaul samples, mean grain size, coefficient of sorting, roundness, and sphericity. The examination of 25 additional thin sections provided data for a lithofacies map.

In the Mooers area, the Potsdam can be distinguished from the sandstone in the overlying Theresa Dolomite, which, unlike the Potsdam, contains no zircon, very little feldspar, and very well rounded quartz grains. Mean grain roundness in the Potsdam ranges from 0.4 to 0.5; sphericity ranges from 0.73 to 0.79. The relation of roundness to sphericity is similar to that reported in other published studies. The median size decreases and sphericity increases to the north, away from outcropping Precambrian rocks. Sorting is best and median grain size smallest where the beds dip least, suggesting that the dip is probably primary. Sedimentary analysis by thin-section techniques gives abundant, fairly reliable quantitative data for sedimentary studies.


Pay-Per-View Purchase Options

The article is available through a document delivery service. Explain these Purchase Options.

Watermarked PDF Document: $14
Open PDF Document: $24