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Ancient lavas in Shenandoah National Park near Luray, Virginia

Bulletin 1265
By:
https://doi.org/10.3133/b1265

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Abstract

In the Blue Ridge Province of northern Virginia, Maryland, and southern Pennsylvania, Lower Cambrian beds are underlain by a thick sequence of greenstone and interbedded sedimentary rocks known as the Catoctin Formation. An area near Luray, Va., was studied to determine the thickness of the formation, its relationship to overlying and underlying rocks, and the original nature of the lavas from which the Catoctin greenstone was derived. There the Catoctin Formation lies unconformably on granitic rocks. Its basal sedimentary layer ranges from a few inches to 150 feet in thickness and contains pebbles of underlying basement rocks. The erosion surface beneath the Catoctin is irregular, and in several places, hills as much as 1,000 feet high were buried beneath the Catoctin lavas. No important time break is indicated between the deposition of the Catoctin Formation and the overlying Cambrian sediments. The original Catoctin lavas were basaltic and were probably normal plateau basalts. Columnar joints, amygdules, sedimentary dikes, flow breccias low-dipping primary joints, and other primary structures are well preserved.

Suggested Citation

Reed, J.C., 1969, Ancient lavas in Shenandoah National Park near Luray, Virginia: U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 1265, Report: 43 p.; 1 Plate: 12.50 × 15.01 inches, https://doi.org/10.3133/b1265.

Study Area

Publication type Report
Publication Subtype USGS Numbered Series
Title Ancient lavas in Shenandoah National Park near Luray, Virginia
Series title Bulletin
Series number 1265
DOI 10.3133/b1265
Year Published 1969
Language English
Publisher U.S. Geological Survey
Contributing office(s) U.S. Geological Survey
Description Report: 43 p.; 1 Plate: 12.50 × 15.01 inches
Country United States
State Virginia
City Luray
Other Geospatial Shenandoah National Park
Additional publication details