Print this pageClastic dikes in the Deer Haven area of Badlands National Park are divided into four groups based on their structural orientation. Group 1 dikes are oriented between N25°E and N50°E. Group 2 dikes are oriented between N60°E and N85°E. Group 3 dikes are oriented between N75°W and N50°W, and Group 4 dikes are oriented between N20°W and N5°E. Each group may be associated with a unique source, formation mechanism, or tectonic episode. Additional data will be collected and correlated based on the structural, geometric, compositional and sedimentological characteristics of the dikes. Correlations between these criteria will be used to devise a conceptual model of dike formation that is consistent with the field observations.
The primary result of this study combines field observations and laboratory compositional analyses into a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) database. Each dike is mapped using the Global Positioning System (GPS) to obtain its location within sub-meter accuracy. This database will allow for the searching and mapping of correlations between variables like dike orientation and composition, dike age and orientation, and dike aperture and stratigraphic occurrence.
AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90925©1999 AAPG Foundation Grants-in-Aid