The Silurian rocks in Delaware County, Indiana, include, in ascending order, the Salamonie Dolomite, Limberlost Dolomite, Waldron Formation, and Louisville Limestone, and Mississinewa Shale Member of the Wabash Formation, all of the Niagaran Series (middle Silurian).The oldest exposed Silurian rocks are the Salamonie and the overlying Limberlost Formation (lower Niagaran) are exposed in Irving and Eaton quarries. The Salamonie is 25 feet of apparently reefflank rocks within the Salamonie, with primary dips to 20 degrees, are exposed in Eaton Quarry. The Limberlost, averages six feet and is generally brown, vuggy, dolostone.The Waldron and Louisville formations (middle Niagaran), are exposed in Hoyt, Irving, and Eaton quarries. The Waldron averages six feet and is interbedded grey shale and argillaceous dolostone, and is fossiliferous. It is conformably overlain by about 60 feet of Louisville Formation, predominately argillaceous dolostone with nodular chert and fossils.At Buchanan Quarry, 10 feet of grey dolomitic siltstone and shale of the Mississinewa Member, Wabash Formation, comprise the youngest Silurian strata exposed.Correlation of distinct units within the Louisville between Hoyt, Irving, and Eaton quarries shows considerable lateral continuity and general thinning toward the north.

The Muncie esker, a glaciofluvial ridged system, consists of three sharp-crested esker segments in the proximal and central sections, and a broad=crested, fan shaped distal segment. Grain size ranged from clay to boulders, although a larger presence of coarser material with high standard deviation values occurs in the proximal and central segments, while higher concentrations of finer sediment, primarily sand, exists in the distal segment. Field mapping and description included its geomorphic expression, stratigraphic relationships that consisted of facies identification, sedimentary structure , and paleocurrent direction. Sedimentological parameters, including downesker trends in grain size, sorting, a fractal analysis of grain size persistence, and clast roundness, was also investigated.The interpretation of the results provided us with detailed information allowing us to formulate a specific model of esker genesis. The depositional model consists primarily of nearly continuous, contemporaneous subglacial deposition that reulted in the formation of the proximal and central esker segments, and time-transgressive sedimentation, containing interlayered and randomly distributed ice rafted debris, in the form of a subaqueous delta that prograded beyond the ice-margin, forming the distal esker segment. Early stage deposition consisted of bed load transport from moderate flow velocities within a preglacial bedrock valley that served as an R-channel for preliminary subglacial meltwater drainage. Intermediate stage formation consisted of subglacial sedimentation from a hyperconcentrated deforming bed, induced by an outburst flood, and distal deltaic sedimentation as the subglacial flood discharged beyond the ice margin into an ice-marginal lake. Late stage deposition arises from bed load sedimentation of moderate fluvial activity reworking the upper portions of the hyperconcentrated flow deposits and upper deltaic facies. The finality of esker formation concluded with the ablation of the subglacial tunnel roof, sending a supraglacial debris flow that conformably covers the proximal and central esker segments in the form of a diamicton drape. / Department of Geology

Delaware County, Indiana, is characterized by its glacial sediments and topography. With increasing development, the need for reliable, cost-effective subsurface surveying methods becomes more important. This thesis explores the possibilities of electrical resistivity methodology. Fifty survey sites were established on a one-mile grid over twenty square miles west of Muncie, Indiana. Three electrode arrays were tested, Wenner, Lee Partitioning, and Schlumberger, and the data interpreted by three methods, logarithmic curve matching, Moore's cumulative method, and Barnes' layer method.No one method proved to be completely accurate and reliable. Used in conjunction, however, data from the three are consistent and the techniques are viable measures for the analysis of heterogeneous glacial sediments. Additionally, apparent resistivity values which characterize the particular sediments in the study area were established and several pervasive stratigraphic units were defined.Ball State UniversityMuncie, IN 57406