Field Trip #2: Paleozoic Rocks of the Llano Uplift

I. OBJECTIVES:

• Sketch and describe sedimentary aspects of the Pennsylvanian Smithwick Formation.
• Measure and plot the orientation of sedimentary structures, joints, and soft sediment deformation features in Smithwick sandstone.
• Examine topographic and geologic expressions of middle Pennsylvanian faulting.

• Examine features of Lower Paleozoic clastic and carbonate units.

II. WHEN:

• February 23 or 24.

We depart from the east basement entrance.  Trips will return to Austin by about 6 PM.

IV. BACKGROUND MATERIAL

• Read the write-up in your lab manual entitled "The Llano Uplift" and examine the first two figures that follow it.

• The Paleozoic history of central Texas is described in the University Students Geological Societies "Guidebook to the Geology of Travis County"

• See a highly generalized geologic map of the Llano uplift region.

See pictures from this trip in 1999

Paleozoic Rocks (brown), Precambrian plutons
(pink) and Pennsylvanian faults in the Llano uplift.

III. BRING:

• Clipboard & field book
• Compass, ruler, protractor
• Mechanical & colored pencils
• Hand lens, hammer, acid bottle
• Water, lunch, raincoat

Be on time and come prepared!

Last Updated August 20, 2009
helper@mail.utexas.edu
Geological Sciences
U. Texas at Austin