Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-g7gxr Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T09:06:51.794Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

The Origin and Distribution of Subbottom Sediments in Southern Lake Champlain

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 January 2017

R. P. Freeman-Lynde
Affiliation:
Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont 05753 USA
D. R. Hutchinson
Affiliation:
U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 USA
D. W. Folger
Affiliation:
Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont 05753 USA
B. H. Wiley
Affiliation:
Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont 05753 USA
M. J. Hewett
Affiliation:
Middlebury College, Middlebury, Vermont 05753 USA

Abstract

Three units, correlatable with recent Lake Champlain, late-glacial marine Champlain Sea, and proglacial Lake Vermont sediments, have been identified from about 200 km of high-resolution seismic reflection profiles and eight piston cores collected in southern Lake Champlain. Lake Vermont deposits are nonfossiliferous and range from thin to absent nearshore and on bedrock highs to more than 126 m thick near Split Rock Point. Champlain Sea sediments contain marine foraminifers and ostracodes and are fairly uniform in thickness (20–30 m). Recent Lake Champlain sediments range in thickness from 0 to 25 m. Average sedimentation rates for Lake Vermont are considerably higher (4–8 cm/yr) than those for the Champlain Sea (0.8–1.2 cm/yr) and Lake Champlain (0.14–0.15 cm/yr). Bedrock, till, and deltaic and alluvial deposits were also identified on the acoustic records but were not sampled. An unconformity separating Champlain Sea deposits from Lake Champlain deposits is associated with numerous benches at water depths of 20–30 m. These benches, the alluvial deposits, and the onset of deltaic deposition are probably associated with a low water level stillstand at the close of the Champlain Sea episode.

Type
Articles
Copyright
University of Washington

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Chapman, D.H. Late glacial and post-glacial history of the Champlain Valley. American Journal of Science, 5th Series 34 1937 88 124 Google Scholar
Chase, J.S. Operation UP-SAILS: subbottom profiling in Lake Champlain. Unpublished M.S. thesis 1972 University of Vermont Burlington Google Scholar
Chase, J.S. Hunt, A.S. Subbottom profiling in central Lake Champlain—a reconnaissance study Proceedings of 15th Conference on Great Lakes Research 1972 International Association for Great Lakes Research Madison, Wisc 317 329 Google Scholar
Connally, G.G. Calkin, P.E. Woodfordian glacial history of the Champlain lowland, Burlington to Brandon, Vermont New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference, 64th Annual Meeting Burlington, Vt., Oct. 13–15, 1972 Guidebook for Field Trips in Vermont 1972 University of Vermont, Dept. of Geology Burlington 389 397 Google Scholar
Connally, G.G. Sirkin, L.A. Luzerne readvance near Glens Falls, New York. Geological Society of America Bulletin 82 1971 989 1008 Google Scholar
Cronin, T.M. An arctic foraminiferal fauna from Champlain Sea deposits in Ontario. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 13 1976 1678 1682 Google Scholar
Cronin, T.M. Late Wisconsin marine environments of the Champlain Valley (New York, Quebec). Quaternary Research 7 1977 238 253 Google Scholar
Cronin, T.M. Champlain Sea Foraminifera and ostracods: a systematic and paleoecological synthesis. Geographic physique et Quaternaire 31 1977 107 122 Google Scholar
Cronin, T.M. Foraminifer and ostracode species diversity in the Pleistocene Champlain Sea of the St. Lawrence Lowlands. Journal of Paleontology 53 1979 233 244 Google Scholar
Elson, J.A. Radiocarbon dates, Mya arenaria phase of the Champlain Sea. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 6 1969 367 372 Google Scholar
Elson, J.A. Late Quaternary marine submergence of Quebec. La Revue de Geographie de Montreal 23 1969 247 258 Google Scholar
Fillon, R.H. Hunt, A.S. Late Pleistocene benthic Foraminifera of the southern Champlain Sea as paleotemperature and paleosalinity indicators. Maritime Sediments 10 1974 14 18 Google Scholar
Flint, R.F. Glacial and Quaternary Geology 1971 Wiley New York Google Scholar
Folger, D.W. Haupt, R.S. The sedimentology of Vermont vs. International Paper Company and New York. Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs 7 1975 59 Google Scholar
Goldring, Winifred The Champlain Sea; decreased salinity southward. New York State Museum Bulletin 239/240 1922 153 194 Google Scholar
Hunt, A.S. Bottom Sediments of Lake Champlain, 1965–1971 1971 U.S. Dept. of Interior Washington, D.C Completion Report to Office of Water Resources Google Scholar
Hunt, A.S. Boardman, C.C. Stein, D.E. The Volume of Lake Champlain 1971 Champlain Resources Report No. 3 Google Scholar
Hunt, A.S. Henson, E.B. Recent sedimentation and water properties, Lake Champlain Guidebook to Field Excursions 1969 New York State Geological Association Plattsburgh, N.Y Google Scholar
Isachsen, Y.W. Possible evidence for contemporary doming of the Adirondack Mountains, New York, and suggested implications for regional tectonics and seismicity. Tectonophysics 29 1975 169 181 Google Scholar
Mason, D.L. Folger, D.W. Haupt, R.S. McGirr, R.R. Hoyt, W.H. Distribution of pollutants from a new paper plant in southern Lake Champlain, Vermont and New York. Environmental Geology 1 1977 341 347 CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mott, R.J. A radiocarbon-dated marine algal bed of the Champlain Sea episode near Ottawa, Ontario. Canadian Journal of Earth Sciences 5 1968 319 324 Google Scholar
Stewart, D.P. The Glacial Geology of Vermont 1961 Vermont Geological Survey Bulletin 19 Google Scholar
Stewart, D.P. MacClintock, P. The Surficial Geology and Pleistocene History of Vermont 1969 Vermont Geological Survey Bulletin 31 Google Scholar
Van Morkhoven, F.P.C. Post-Paleozoic Ostracoda, Their Morphology, Taxonomy and Economic Use Vol. 1 1962 Elsevier Amsterdam/New York Google Scholar
Van Morkhoven, F.P.C. Post-Paleozoic Ostracoda, Their Morphology, Taxonomy and Economic use Vol. 2 1963 Elsevier Amsterdam/New York Google Scholar
Wagner, F.J.E. Published references to Champlain Sea faunas 1837–1966 and list of fossils. Geological Survey of Canada Paper 67-16 1967 1 82 Google Scholar
Wagner, F.J.E. Faunas of the Pleistocene Champlain Sea. Geological Survey of Canada Bulletin 181 1970 1 104 Google Scholar
Wagner, W.P. Ice margins and water levels in north-western Vermont New England Intercollegiate Geological Conference, 64th Annual Meeting Burlington, Vt., Oct. 13–15, 1972 Guidebook for Field Trips in Vermont 1972 University of Vermont, Dept. of Geology Burlington 317 342 1 Google Scholar
Woodworth, J.B. Ancient water levels of the Champlain and Hudson Valleys. New York State Museum and Science Service Bulletin 84 1905 65 265 Google Scholar