Dr. Rosscoe, Kimbell School of Geosciences
Geochemical and geophysical data is of extraordinary value in sedimentary geology. The ability to interpret past depositional environments, sources of deposited materials, and to correlate rocks from one region to another are all greatly dependent on the quality and resolution of the data collected. In many cases rock must be collected in the field and brought to a lab for further analysis. In this study, we look to several types of field tools to allow us to quickly generate this important data at high-resolutions in the field, test the quality of that data, and test the applicability of that data to correlation.
In this study, we will use three portable field devices to collect geophysical data from outcrops of the Salesville Formation in Palo Pinto County, Texas. We will use a Gamma Scout Detector to count bulk gamma radiation, a Gamma Surveyor II to detect gamma radiation by elemental source, and a KT-20 Magnetic Susceptibility and Conductivity Meter to determine magnetic susceptibility and conductivity of the rocks. There are three primary objectives to this study. First, we will develop procedures for collecting precise and accurate data from rocks with these tools. Second, we will test those procedures, in the field, by collecting high resolution data from two outcrops near Mineral Wells, Texas. Finally, once collected, we will see how the data can be used to correlate the data from both outcrops.