Sequence stratigraphy and event correlations of upper Black River and lower Trenton Group carbonates of northern New York State and southern Ontario, Canada

Successions of carbonate to mixed carbonate/siliciclastic rocks of Middle Ordovician age were deposited in New York State and Ontario, Canada on the passive edge of the westward advancing Taconic foreland basin. The transition from carbonate to siliciclastic sedimentation is thought to record the critical change from a passive to active tectonic margin. In addition to tectonic change, it has been suggested that this stratigraphic interval also records an overall transgressive series (Tippecanoe megasequence Sloss, 1963) which is interrupted by shorter duration sea-level fall events (Holland & Patzkowsky, 1996, 1998). Holland & Patzkowsky (1996, 1998) delineated 6 sequences for the Mohawkian and correlated these sequences in the southern Appalachians, Nashville Dome, and Cincinnati Arch. However, the succession in New York and Ontario have not been equally evaluated within this framework. Herein, the upper Black River to lower Trenton groups are investigated in order to help understand the event and cyclic stratigraphic relationships of units recognized throughout the outcrop belt from southern Ontario, Canada, to northern New York State and to place these rocks into a sequence stratigraphic framework. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)...