This comprehensive collection of well-illustrated papers dealing with Paleozoic rocks in the Rocky Mountains region and Nevada is of obvious importance to local workers. Most of the papers, especially those dealing with high-resolution stratigraphy, will also be of great value to those studying Paleozoic systems in other areas. Given the very reasonable price, this book should find its way into the collections of many geologists.
The opening paper by the editors is a thorough introduction and overview to the volume. The Cambro-Ordovician is the topic of three papers: the dominantly siliciclastic section of the Deadwood-Winnipeg groups (R. D. LeFever), carbonates of the Red River Formation (M. W. Longman and F. M. Haidl) in the Williston Basin, and a regional stratigraphic overview for the western United States (R. J. Ross, Jr.). Three papers describe the Devonian: carbonates of the entire Devonian (A. K. Chamberlain and J. E. Warme) and the Guilmette Formation (J. E. Estes-Jackson) in central Nevada, and Nisku Formation carbonates of southern Alberta and northwest Montana (D. L. Kissling). Four papers deal with the Mississippian: siliciclastics of the Copper Basin Group in central Idaho (P. K. Link, I. Warren, J. M. Preacher, and B. Skipp), the Joana Limestone of the Great Basin region (K. A. Giles), the Madison Limestone of Wyoming and Montana (M. D. Sonnenfeld), and the Mission Canyon carbonates of North Dakota (D. M. Petty). The Pennsylvanian is discussed in six papers. Four of these are from the Paradox Basin: carbonates of the Barker Creek and Akah intervals (G. L. Gianniny and J. A. Simo), the Desert Creek and Ismay intervals (G. M. Grammer, G. P. Eberli, F. S. P. Van Buchem, G. M. Stevenson, and P. Homewood), and the Desert Creek interval (J. P. Matheny and M. W. Longman); and carbonates-siliciclastics of the Honaker Trail Formation (M. R. Williams). The Tensleep Sandstone of Wyoming (M. Carr-Crabaugh and T. L. Dunn) and Pennsylvanian-Permian carbonates-siliciclastics of the Denver Basin in eastern Colorado (E. P. Rall) complete this section. The Permian is the subject of five papers: evaporites of the northern Denver Basin (D. W. Oldham), carbonates-siliciclastics of the Park City and Phosphoria formations of northeastern Utah and western Wyoming (M. T. Whalen) and in the Bighorn Basin of Wyoming (R. F. Inden and E. B. Coalson), and siliciclastics of the Colorado Plateau area (R. C. Blakey) and the Paradox Basin (R. F. Dubiel, J. E. Huntoon, S. M. Condon, and J. D. Stanesco).
Great outcrops and plentiful subsurface data for Paleozoic rocks of the Rocky Mountain region make it an ideal area to develop and apply new geologic concepts. The papers in this volume prove this notion with several focusing on the importance of high-resolution stratigraphy in enhancing facies reconstruction at the reservoir flow unit scale and also for basinwide paleogeography. Of particular importance to those not working in the Rocky Mountain region is information bearing on several stratigraphic issues: (1) whether sequence stratigraphic concepts and global eustatic charts can be applied in semi-enclosed epeiric basins; (2) the interplay between tectonics and stratigraphy; (3) the stratigraphic context for thick evaporites; (4) how unfilled accommodation space and lateral variability in cycle thickness create obvious pitfalls in stacking pattern analysis based solely on cycle thickness; (5) alternative models for algal mound building; (6) factors impacting the preservation of eolian sands; and (7) variations of stratigraphy and reservoir architecture between "icehouse" and "greenhouse" times.
Congratulations to Editors Longman and Sonnenfeld and to the Rocky Mountain Section of SEPM for a very fine volume!
PAUL M. (MITCH) HARRIS
Chevron Petroleum Technology Company
La Habra, California
Source
http://archives.datapages.com/data/sepm/journals/v66-67/data/068/068002/0362.HTM