Differences And Similarities Between The Tuscarora Formation And The Navajo R

In the United States there are many different types of rock formations. For example, there is the Tuscarora formation and the Navajo sandstone. These two formations have many differences and similarities. Like their location which differs. The Tuscarora lies in the eastern coast, while the Navajo lies in the western coast. From the formations being wide and beautiful they both form many attractions! To begin with, the Navajo sandstone was deposited in the mid Jurassic period ( Herbert, 2015). The group of the sandstone is the Glen Canyon group, whose members are the Kayenta, Wingate, and primary aquifer Moab areas (Weaver, 2015) ( Navajo Sandstorm, 2010). In the upper rock layer of the Navajo sandstone is the Carmel Formation. The current
layer is the Navajo sandstone and the layer below that is the Kayenta Formation (Herbert, 2015).The formation of the Navajo sandstone is mostly in southern Utah,which has led to many attractions such as the Red Rock Canyon and the Zion National Park (Weaver, 2015). In addition, the depositional environment of the sandstone has eolian “wind blown” which is an eolian environment, and is also made up of large sand dunes. The two main types of dunes are large scale troughs and inter dunes which are flat lying spaces between dunes (Herbert, 2015). Aside from the depositional environment the sandstone also appears, light colored ( mostly white and tan), with cliffs , and dunes. On top of the Navajo cliffs, it appears as rounded dunes and bluffs (Weaver, 2015). The Navajo sandstones exposed locations are in southern Nevada, northern Arizona, northwest Colorado, and the plateau province of America (Weaver, 2015). The Navajo also lacks the amount “diagnostic” fossils. So far they have only found a small amount of clams, brachiopods, ostracods, and multiple fossils of plants and dinosaurs (Hoesch, 2005). The thickness, size, and shape of the sandstone came to be because the amount of iron oxide fallen in the sandstone.
When the iron oxide falls it make layers, columns, and piles of ironstone in the sandstones. To summarize the information above the iron oxide determines the shape ( balls, spheres, and discs), size , and thickness. The grains shape forms when the grain flows like an avalanche and the grains of sands slump down to the bottom of the dunes. Now let’s talk about the porosity and the permeabilities ( Revolvy,(.n.d). The porosity can come vertical or horizontal in conductions. However, permeabilities is water at 100% from the lower middle of the formation to the top ( Castle, Byrnes, 2016).
Now let's move on to the Tuscarora formation which was deposited in the Silurian age ( 440-417 million years ago) ( Tuscarora Formation, PAS;19). Aside from the age we have its one member which is the Castanea! The appearance of the rock can be thick or thin , can be bendded , the color can go from white to gray, and it can contain fine rich grain. The exposed areas of the Tuscarora is in ridge crests, water gaps that are in the Ridge and Valley. They are also found in the Appalachians of Pennsylvania, Maryland, and West Virginia (
Revolvy,(n.d).
Furthermore, the formation is a bed of quartzite (which is a metamorphic rock), that is mashed into a sandstone by multiple cycles of mountain building. Also the Seneca rock had a part to do with the formation (The Tuscarora Clinch/Massanutten Sandstone, 2016). In addition, the depositional environment which can have a shallow depositing area ( can result in Taconic Orogeny), and sand shoal along the ocean. The thickness may vary for instance, in Pennsylvania it is 935 ft thick, in Maryland it is 60 ft , and from the east to west it is 400 ft thick. How does the economy use this formation? Well, they use it for tourism industry , furnace linares, and canisters. In addition the sand grains are made up of sandstone s that have been cemented by “ silica”. By doing this it is making the grain not very hard and durable ( Revolvy,(.n.d). They have multiple rock types in this formation such as the primary which is quartzite, secondary sandstone, and many other rocks types ( siltstone, shale, and conglomerate) ( Tuscarora Formation, PAS;19). Lastly let's talk about the porosity which is in between 2-18% and the permeability which is in between 0.0002-450 md ( Castle, Byrnes, 2016).
In the same way as life and death ,the Navajo and Tuscarora sandstones have some similarities. For example they both obtain the same color which is white. In addition, archaeologist were able to find fossils in both of these sandstones. Lastly they both have multiple rock types ( three for each). For example the Tuscarora has quartzite, secondary sandstone, and many other rocks types ( siltstone, shale, and conglomerate) ( Tuscarora Formation, PAS;19). The Navajo has Caramel Formation, the Navajo sandstone ,and the Kayenta Formation (Herbert, 2015).
Despite having some similarities, they also have many differences. For example their depositional environment is different. One had dunes, while the other had shallow marines. They also had different formations. For example the Navajo has many attractions ( Zion National Park, Red Rock Canyon , and etc) ( Revolvy,(n.d). Besides having different formations and depositional environment the were both deposited in different ages. For example the Tuscarora was deposited during the Silurian ages, while the Navajo was deposited during the Mid- Jurassic.
In conclusion, based on the information above the reader can conclude that the Navajo and Tuscarora Sandstone, aren't exactly alike. Instead they are unique, but can have some similarities and differences to each other.