Trends Of Bedrock Geochemistry Across Strike In The Cox Brook Drainage Basin, Central Vermont
Michael Hussey (GL ’05),
The Moretown Formation was examined to see if there are regular changes in the whole rock geochemistry across strike that would be compatible with a model of deposition in a forearc basin between the Ordovician trench to the west and the Bronson Hill volcanic arc to the east ( Fig. 1).
figure 1
This study was done from northwest to southeast from Moretown Gap to Northfield Falls along the length of the Cox Brook Basin in central Vermont. Samples were collected primarily from the Moretown Formation, but also the Stowe formation to the west and the Harlow Bridge and Cram Hill Formations to the east ( Fig. 2).
figure 2
Samples were analyzed for whole rock chemistry both major and minor elements. The results of this study show that there is increasing silica content starting with low amounts in the northwest and ending up with higher amounts down basin in the southeast ( Fig. 3).
figure 3
These results fit with a model of a forearc basin with either a duel source of sediment or with mineralogical sorting of sediments from a single source ( Fig. 4).
figure 4