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Geology 7900 - Spring 2005
High Resolution Provenance in Clastic Sediments, Sedimentary Rocks and Metasedimentary Rocks

Instructor: Darrell Henry

lecture: Monday, Wednesday (9:30-10:30 am) – E207 Howe-Russell
lab: Monday (12:30-3:30) - E206 Howe-Russell

Determining the source of detritus of clastic material in sedimentary and metasedimentary rocks has undergone tremendous changes in the last few years. A particular thrust of recent provenance studies has been its relation to tectonics and tectonic reconstruction. In addition to the more traditional methods of point counting various detrital components, geologists now use the mineral chemistry and the geochronology of detrital constituents, the isotopic character of the rocks and minerals, and the trace element chemistry of the rocks to establish more details about the provenance of clastic material.

This course will investigate some of the traditional and new approaches to provenance studies. In some instances the class may even develop approaches that have not been previously used. During the course, we will learn more details about the chemistry of minerals that may retain chemical fingerprints of the original rock. We will also have a chance to try out new techniques that we have available at LSU (e.g. color SEM cathodoluminescence, micro-chemical analysis and chemical signature and others).

The topics covered will be dynamic and dependent on the interests of the class, and the instructor. We will take advantage of any opportunities for external geologists to address this topic. For example, geologists from Dominion Oil have offered to give a presentation and/or lab on how they use provenance in their company.

Grading will be based on participation in the class and class presentations.

The schedule below is purposely dynamic and take into account the interests and needs of the students.  Due to the varied nature of student backgrounds we will practice "just-in-time" learning of aspects of mineralogy and petrology. The lab period will be used for analytical techniques and/or discussion of research projects.

Last update: 04/17/06

Date

Topic
There are direct links to lecture material (some are password-protected) and other web resources in the syllabus

Readings
(complete references are in the bibliography links listed below)

Jan. 19, 2005

Introduction to the course with goals for projects

 

Jan. 24, 2005

Sandstone Provenance - Framework Grains I - the beginning of the link to tectonics

Dickinson and Suczek (1979)

Jan. 24, 2005 (lab)

Survey of minerals in the petrographic microscope

Useful web resources:

Jan. 26, 2005

 Sandstone Provenance - Framework Grains II - point counting techniques and influences of climate Ingersoll et al. (1984); Suttner and Basu (1985); Decker and Helmold (1985); Suttner and Dutta (1986)
Jan. 31, 2005 Sandstone Provenance - Framework Grains III - lessons from the Orinoco basin [Jason Holloman] and more on global tectonics [Luke Patterson] Johnsson et al. (1988); Dickinson (1988)

Jan. 31, 2005 (lab)

 Discussions of projects and planning for sample preparation Useful web resources:
Feb. 2, 2005 Sandstone Provenance - Framework Grains IV - more on global tectonics [Luke Patterson]; Actualistic models [Haiting Sun] and synthesis of clastic systems [Jay Smith] Ingersoll (1990); Johnsson (1993)
Feb. 14, 2005 Sandstone Provenance - Framework Grains V - Conglomerate clasts - Clast generation and tectonic uplifts [Jill Womack] and engmatic quatz porphyry clasts [Luke Patterson] DeCelles (1988); Hellman et al. (1988)

Feb. 14, 2005 (lab)

Processing sediments and sedimentary rocks (rock prep lab); and point counting practices; Handling a large point counting dataset, and applications to local tectonics

 Useful web resources:

Feb. 16, 2005

Illustrations of applications of cathodoluminescence

 Useful web resources:

Feb 21, 2005

 Deformation bands in sandstones- another application of SEM-CL

Theory of cathodoluminescence in materials

Milliken and Reed (2002)

Marshall (1988) Chapters 1-4

Feb 21, 2005 (lab)

 begin detailed petrographic examination of research samples - group discussions  
Feb 23, 2005 Quartz CL, silica polymorphs and diagnostic trace elements and textures in quartz Gotze et al. (2001); Boggs et al. (2002)

Feb 28, 2005

 Feldspar crystallography, crystal chemistry, CL response and provenance potential Trevena and Nash (1981); Lee et al. (2003)

Feb 28, 2005 (lab)

petrographic and optical CL examination of research samples - group discussions

 

Mar 2, 2005

Monazite, apatite and xenotime crystal chemistry and geochronology [Haiting Sun]

Spear and Pyle (2002)

Mar 7, 2005

Special lecture by Bob Tracy (Virginia Tech):

Monazite in Extreme Environments:  Constraining the Dependability of Monazite Geochronology in Thermally and Mechanically Extreme Conditions

  

Mar 7, 2005 (lab)

Optical CL  and SEM examination of research samples - group discussions

 

Mar 9, 2005

Continuation of monazite discussion [Haiting Sun] - begin discussion of Apatite CL and provenance.

Kempe and Gotze (2002)

Mar 14, 2005

Continuation of discussion of Apatite CL and provenance. and begin Crystal chemistry of amphibole, geothermobarometry and application to provenance I

Ernst and Liu (1998); Anderson and Smith (1995)

Mar 14, 2005 (lab)

SEM and SEM-CL examination of research samples - group discussions

 

Mar 16, 2005

Crystal chemistry of amphibole, geothermobarometry and application to provenance II

Zenk and Schulz (2004); Pe-Piper (1988)
Mar 28, 2005

Crystal chemistry of biotite and Ti-thermometry using biotite and application to provenance

Henry and Guidotti (2002); Henry et al. (2005)

Useful web resources:

Mar 28, 2005 (lab)

 examination of research samples - group discussions  
Mar 30, 2005 Crystal chemistry of biotite and Ti-thermometry using biotite and application to provenance II

 
April 4, 2005 Tourmaline crystallography and crystal chemistry and geologic environs with applications to provenance I

Krynine (1946); Henry and Guidotti (1985)

Useful web resources:

  

April 4, 2005 (lab)

 examination of research samples - group discussions  
April 6, 2005 Tourmaline crystallography and crystal chemistry and geologic environs with applications to provenance II Henry and Dutrow (1992); Hawthorne and Henry (1999)
April 11, 2005 Rutile crystal chemistry, geothermometry and applications to provenance Zack (2004a); Zack (2004b)

April 11, 2005 (lab)

 examination of research samples - group discussions  
April 13, 2005 Zircon crystal chemistry, geochronology and applications to provenance I Fedo et al. (2003)
April 18, 2005 Zircon crystal chemistry, geochronology and applications to provenance II  

April 18, 2005 (lab)

 examination of research samples - group discussions  
April 20, 2005 Preliminary results presentations  
April 25, 2005 Example of an integrated provenance study Von Eynatten and Gaupp (1999)

April 25, 2005 (lab)

 examination of research samples - group discussions  
April 27, 2005 heavy minerals in weathering and diagenetic environments Morton and Hallsworth (1999)
May 2, 2005 Student presentations  

May 4, 2005

Student presentations

 

Full bibliographic information of readings used for this class

General Provenance Bibliography - based on mineral chemistry, mineral-based isotopes and conglomeratic clasts

References from earlier class


Darrell Henry is the Campanile Charities Professor of Geology and Geophysics at Louisiana State University whose research specialty is metamorphic petrology. Further details of his professional background are included in an accompanying vita or  faculty profile.

To contact Darrell Henry call (225)-578-2693, fax (225)-578-2302 or e-mail dhenry@geol.lsu.edu . Address: Department of Geology and Geophysics, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803.

This page was last updated on 04/17/06.


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