the catskill deltaic complex in north america originated as a result of the taconic (acadian) orogeny.
the catskill deltaic complex in north america originated as a result of the taconic (acadian) orogeny.
which deltaic complex in north america originated as a result of the taconic (acadian) orogeny?
catskill delta
the appalachian basin, during the middle devonian and early mississippian, is characterized by large volumes of deltaic sedimentary rocks that were deposited in the acadian foreland basin as a response to the acadian orogeny. these deposits extend from central new york and pennsylvania westward to ohio, and south along the appalachian mountains through virginia and tennessee to alabama. the acadian delta complex is categorized into two deltas, the catskill delta of middle and upper devonian age, and the price-rockwell (pocono) delta of late devonian and early mississippian age. the acadian delta complex is coupled to the four tectophases of the acadian orogeny, both in terms of provenance and depositional settings. the relief resulting from the orogeny was the fundamental source of the delta sediments.
acadian orogeny
the acadian orogeny is a long-lasting mountain building event which began in the middle devonian, reaching a climax in the early late devonian. it was active for approximately 50 million years, beginning roughly around 375 million years ago, with deformational, plutonic, and metamorphic events extending into the early mississippian. the acadian orogeny is the third of the four orogenies that created the appalachian orogen and subsequent basin. the preceding orogenies consisted of the potomac and taconic orogeny, which followed a rift/drift stage in the late neoproterozoic. the acadian orogeny involved the collision of a series of avalonian continental fragments with the laurasian continent. geographically, the acadian orogeny extended from the canadian maritime provinces migrating in a southwesterly direction toward alabama. however, the northern appalachian region, from new england northeastward into gaspé region of canada, was the most greatly affected region by the collision.
acadian orogeny