Paleoweathering of Mississippian Monteagle Limestone preceding development of a lower Chesterian transgressive systems tract and sequence boundary, middle Tennessee and northern Alabama

Research Article| July 01, 1994 Paleoweathering of Mississippian Monteagle Limestone preceding development of a lower Chesterian transgressive systems tract and sequence boundary, middle Tennessee and northern Alabama STEVEN G. DRIESE; STEVEN G. DRIESE 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar KRISHNAN SRINIVASAN; KRISHNAN SRINIVASAN 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar CLAUDIA I. MORA; CLAUDIA I. MORA 1Department of Geological Sciences, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar FRANK W. STAPOR FRANK W. STAPOR 2Department of Earth Sciences, Tennessee Tech University, Cookeville, Tennessee 38505 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1994) 106 (7): 866–878. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1994)106<0866:POMMLP>2.3.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 STEVEN G. DRIESE, KRISHNAN SRINIVASAN, CLAUDIA I. MORA, FRANK W. STAPOR; Paleoweathering of Mississippian Monteagle Limestone preceding development of a lower Chesterian transgressive systems tract and sequence boundary, middle Tennessee and northern Alabama. GSA Bulletin 1994;; 106 (7): 866–878. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1994)106<0866:POMMLP>2.3.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 The contact between the Hartselle Sandstone (Mississippian, lower Hombergian) and the underlying Monteagle Limestone (Mississippian, upper Gasperian) in central Tennessee and northeastern Alabama is a regional disconformity. A paleoweathering surface developed in the uppermost Monteagle is truncated by this disconformity, and only remnant pedogenic features are preserved. These paleosol remnants and associated meteoric diagenetic features are evidence for the subaerial exposure and weathering of the Monteagle Limestone prior to intense erosional scour accompanying deposition of the Hartselle Sandstone. Petrographic evidence for subaerial exposure and meteoric diagenesis includes extensive micritization, reddening, dissolution, and calcitization of allochem grains. Stable carbon and oxygen isotope compositions of whole-rock samples exhibit depth patterns consistent with subaerial exposure, pedogenesis, and meteoric diagenesis. Stable isotope compositions of nonferroan calcite spar occluding moldic pores are considerably depleted relative to Mississippian marine carbonate compositions, further evidence for subaerial exposure and meteoric diagenesis. The paleoweathering surface was modified after burial when reducing conditions developed, resulting in pyritization. Stabilization of high-Mg calcite grains and cements after burial provided a source of magnesium for localized replacement by ferroan dolomite. This disconformity is interpreted to be a third-order Vail/Exxon sequence boundary that marks a dramatic basinward shift in facies belts in the overlying Hartselle Sand-stone, the result of a sea-level fall. 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.