Grand Canyon

Denise lemos Phd geologa marina

Late Proterozoic (1.800 ) 1.000 541 Ma (GC Supergroup)

Early Proterozoic 2.500 1.800 Ma (Vishnu)

Middle Cambrian (T. Sandstone, B.A. Shale, M. Limestone)

Late Devonian (T.B. Limestone)

Cambrian

Temple Butte Limestone

Early Pennsylvanian (Supai Group: W./M. Formations )

Early Mississippian (Redwall Limestone)

Middle Pennsylvanian (W. Formation, E. Sandstone)

Early Permian (H. Shale, C. Sandstone)

Middle Permian (T. Formation, K. Limestone)

Early Triassic (Moenkopi Fm)

(Moenkopi Fm) Triassic

Late Triassic (Chinle Pet Forest)

Early Jurassic (Kayenta-Navajo Sandstones)

Sub-stage Faunachron Chinle Member(s)

Late Norian-Rhaetian

Apachean Rock Point/Church Rock

Early to Middle Norian

Revueltian Owl RockUpper Petrified Forest

upper Late Carnian

Adamanian

Sonsela SandstoneLower Petrified Forest Moss Back Monitor Butte

lower Late Carnian Otischalkian ShinarumpTemple Mountain

Late Triassic (Chinle Pet Forest)

Middle Jurassic (Entrada Ss)

Late Jurassic (Morrison Fm - Salt Wash)

Early Cretaceous (Cedar Mtn Fm)

Early Cretaceous (Dakota Fm)

Late Cretaceous (Ceno-Turonian)

Late Cretaceous (Campanian)

Eocene (Green River Fm)

Miocene (Fluvial erosion of the Grand Canyon

Eocene (Green River Fm) sedimentation in a group of intermountain lakes

Diplomystus (left) and Knightia (right), two fossil fish from one of the lake beds in the Green River Formation

Unidentified bird from the Green River Formation with preserved feathers

Miocene (Fluvial erosion of the Grand Canyon )

Mid to Late Cretaceous (100 75) Ma

Oligocene Miocene (34 5.3 Ma

http://www.durangobill.com/PaleoriversPart3.html

Archean crustal blocks

Collisions between these blocks (continent-continent) resulted in orogenic events.

Archean and Proterozoic Orogenies in North America

Trans-Hudson Orogeny

Initial rifting separates the Superior region from the rest of the continent. Passive margin eventually develops with sedimentation along the continental shelf. Ocean crust forms as divergence continues. Divergence stops and the Superior plate reverses direction. Ocean basin closes, with subduction zone forming as the oceanic crust is subducted beneath the continent. Volcanic arc develops. Collision of the Superior and Wyoming plates with the Hearne plate results in mountain building.

Late Archean 1

Wopmay Orogeny

Evidence indicates that this area initially opened to form an ocean. Faulting, sedimentary and igneous rocks all indicate that divergence initially formed a rift valley. Continued spreading resulted in the development of a passive margin along which there is no tectonic activity. Shallow marine deposits form on the continental shelf. Oceanic crust is formed due to continued divergence (ophiolite sequence). Divergence stops, then reverses direction. Subduction zone develops as the western margin of the Slave plate is subducted beneath an eastward moving plate. Collision occurs between two continental land masses - results in the Wopmay orogeny.

Late Archean 2

Yavapai, Mazatzal, Central Plains Orogeny Between 1.800 and 1.600 Ma: a series of collisions of volcanic arcs with the growing continent. Lower most rocks in the Grand Canyon were formed during these events.

Early Proterozoic

Middle Proterozoic

Mid-continent Rift

Occurred at the same time as the Grenville Orogeny. Interior of N.A. began rifting from NE Kansas up through Lake Superior, then down through Michigan to Ohio. Thick accumulations of basalt lava flows in central rift zone, and clastic sediments along rift margins.

Grenville Orogeny

Occurred between 1.300 and 900 Ma along eastern margin of N.A. Deformation extending from SW U.S. through Greenland into Scandinavia. Collision with another continental plate resulted in extensive mountain building and deformation.