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Master of Science / Department of Geology / Matthew Totten / The Viola Limestone is a prominent petroleum reservoir in the Mid-Continent Region, particularly in Oklahoma and Kansas. Coral Coast Petroleum established production from the Viola Ls. in 2011 in their Stephens Ranch lease in Clark County, south-central Kansas. Development of this lease has been hindered by the unpredictable production rates encountered in each of the subsequent eleven development wells. Infield drilling locations to date were chosen by favorable structural position as determined by 3D seismic. The best reservoir conditions, however, do not necessarily coincide with structural position. It was the purpose of this study to determine whether the ideal porosity and permeability are controlled by depositional environment, diagenetic alterations, or a combination of these factors. Several approaches to solve this question were implemented and utilized, including well log analysis, petrographic inspection of well cuttings and thin sections, and the application of the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). An exploration model of the Viola Ls. in this field was developed, where the Viola A and B zones were dolomitized during during marine transgressions by mixing of sea water with other Mg-rich fluids. Reservoir conditions are found where these facies were preserved as paleotopographic highs during a subsequent sea level low-stand. These preserved dolomitized facies correspond to the seismic facies identified by seismic attributes in a 3D seismic study by Vohs (2016).

of Mgr. Martin Valent doctoral thesis Hyoliths of the Barrandian Area The submitted Ph.D. thesis summarizes recent information on comparatively poorly known group of invertebrates - the hyoliths. The first part of the thesis is composed by six main chapters focussed in detail on various aspects of hyoliths; major characteristics and ecology of hyoliths, progress in systematic of hyoliths, principles of hyolith classification, stratigraphical and palaeogeographical distribution of hyoliths, hyoliths within the Bohemian Massif and morphology of hyoliths. Up-to-date information has been included in all chapters. New data were published in five author's papers on hyolith colour patterns, systematics of hyoliths, pattern of palaeogeographic distribution and palaeoecologic interactions between hyoliths and various elements of the Cambrian invertebrate fauna. Short appendage consists of the Czech-English-Chinese terminological dictionary, simplifying study of Chinese literature.

Taxonomic position of the cephalopod Bactroceras sandbergeri (Barr., 1867) from the Ordovician of the Prague Basin was subjected to wide discussions and disputes in the past. The species was first classified within the genus Bactrites. Later, a separate, monotypic genus Eobactrites was defined. At present, the species is assigned to the genus Bactroceras. It belongs to the family Baltoceratidae, the genera of which are supposed to represent the oldest orthoceridans. The order Orthocerida is one of the most successful and most diversified cephalopod groups of the Paleozoic Era. In this thesis, a revision of Bactroceras sandbergeri has been made after a detailed study of about one hundred specimens. Attention was paid to those features, that are missing in the original species descriptions or that were neglected in the past. Special attention was paid mainly to muscle scars, structure of the siphuncle and morphology of the embryonic shell. The embryonic shell was originally described as Tretoceras parvulum Barrande, 1868. In addition, Orthoceras naufragum Barrande, 1870 was synonymized with the studied species and the species Orthoceras interpolatum Barrande, 1870 was assigned to the genus Bactroceras. Key words: Cephalopoda, Ordovician, Czech Republic, Barrandian area

Here, I evaluate biospheric evolution during the Ordovician using high-resolution inorganic carbon and sulfur (carbonate-associated sulfate and pyrite) isotope profiles for Early Ordovician to early Late Ordovician strata from geographically distant sections in Western Newfoundland and the Argentine Precordillera. Additionally, I present new, high-resolution U-Pb ages for volcanic ash beds within strata of the Argentine Precordillera. Carbon isotope data record subdued variation that is typical of Early- to Middle Ordovician strata worldwide. By contrast, sulfur-isotopic compositions of carbonate-associated sulfate reveal a complex signal of short-term, rhythmic variation superimposed over a longer-term signal. This short-term, rhythmic variation occurs in all sections and appears to be unrelated to lithology or depositional environment, suggesting preservation of an oceanographic signal. I interpret this signal to reflect a combination of a marine sulfate reservoir that was likely much smaller than the modern, the persistence of a substantial deep-ocean hydrogen sulfide reservoir, and the episodic oxidation of a portion of the deep-ocean euxinic reservoir. Persistent euxinia likely resulted from decreased solubility of oxygen in warmer water and/or sluggish oceanic circulation during greenhouse conditions that reduced vertical ventilation. A dramatic change in the behavior of carbonate-associated sulfate and pyrite in the Middle Ordovician is interpreted to reflect a major oceanographic event that records the initial transition from Ordovician greenhouse to icehouse states. I suggest that the initiation of downwelling of increasingly cool, oxygen-rich surface water resulted in widespread oxidation of much of the deep ocean hydrogen sulfide reservoir and concomitant limitation of marine pyrite formation. It is unknown, however, why sea surface temperatures declined through the Early to Middle Ordovician. Explosive volcanism does not appear to be a primary climate driver, based on the timing of Argentinian K-bentonite formations relative to marine records of sea surface temperature, carbon and strontium isotopic composition. Rather, long-term positive feedback between organic carbon burial rates and productivity may have increased carbon dioxide drawdown, ultimately driving a gradual decrease in sea surface temperatures in the Early to Middle Ordovician.

The Middle-Late Ordovician Eureka Quartzite in south-central Nevada and eastern California is a supermature quartz arenite that was deposited along the Lower Paleozoic western passive margin of Laurentia. Measured section descriptions and facies stacking patterns indicate that the Eureka Quartzite represents a 3rd-order sequence and contains three ~2-4 m.y. sequences and many small parasequences. Detrital zircon analysis of eight samples from the base and top of four locations contains three main populations of ~1.8-2.0 Ga, ~2.6-2.8 Ga, and ~2.0-2.3 Ga, and a smaller infrequent population of ~1.6-1.8 Ga grains. These peaks are interpreted to represent sediment sourced from exposed proximal basement to the east, likely from the Yavapai and Mazatzal Provinces (~1.6-1.7 Ga), the Trans-Hudson Orogen (~1.8-1.9 Ga), Paleoproterozoic crusts (~2.0-2.3 Ga), and underlying or proximal Archean (~2.6-2.8 Ga) sources. Sediment likely was transported to the shoreline and across Archean basement by rivers draining the Transcontinental Arch. Long-shore currents played an important role in deposition and likely account for the similarity of Middle-Late Ordovician, supermature, quartz arenite deposits on western Laurentia. Although the Peace River Arch likely provided some sediment for the Eureka Quartzite, it is apparent its provenance was mostly Trans-Hudson Orogen and Archean basement. Temporal and spatial provenance changes are inferred from probability-density plots of the detrital zircon analyses to indicate sea-level changes covered or exposed possible sediment sources during deposition.

Middle-Late Ordovician Mt. Wilson Quartzite, southern British Columbia, Canada, is a supermature quartz arenite deposited in shallow marine-marginal marine environments on the Early Paleozoic western Laurentian passive margin. Facies-stacking patterns indicate the Mt. Wilson Quartzite is an unconformity bounded, 2nd-order depositional sequence, containing two 3rd-order sequences, and numerous parasequences. Detrital zircon age spectra of six samples of the Mt. Wilson Quartzite have numerous peaks that are unique to Middle to Late Ordovician quartz arenites of western Laurentia. The main peaks, 1800-2000 Ma, 2000-2200 Ma, and 2300-2400 Ma are interpreted to have been derived from basement rocks that were exposed east of the study area: Trans-Hudson Orogeny (1800-2000 Ma), Taltson Orogen (1800-2000 Ma), Buffalo Head Terrane (2000-2400 Ma), Paleoproterozoic crust (2000-2400 Ma), and the Wopmay Terrane (2000-2400 Ma). It is likely that these areas were sourced by local rivers and tributaries draining the Transcontinental Arch and delivered sediment to the deposition location of the Mt. Wilson Quartzite. While longshore transport was a viable distribution method for sediment along the passive margin, it is unlikely that the Peace River Arch (located northwest of the Mt. Wilson Quartzite) was its sole point source; rather it is more likely that there were multiple sediment sources for these western Laurentian quartz arenites. Temporal changes in provenance indicate different areas of basement rock were exposed throughout the deposition of the Mt. Wilson Quartzite, most likely reflecting long-term flooding of North America. The potential for spatial changes in provenance remains unsolved.

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Continuing activity in the Upper Ordovician mudrocks of the Montreal area for manufacturing purposes and construction encouraged this study of their weathering behavior in relation to composition and microstructure. / The mudrocks are grouped into four primary lithological divisions based on clay contents. Illite, chlorite and small amounts of mixed-layer clay minerals are present in similar proportions throughout all microlithologies. The distribution of calcium and magnesium in X-ray scanning images indicates that carbonates are present as silt grains rather than as cement. The specific surface of the mudrocks ranges from 2 to 20 m('2)/g for nitrogen and from 15 to 40 m('2)/g for water vapor. / The higher degree of susceptibility to moisture of the more clay-rich facies is attributed to their greater parallelism of microstructure, the presence of mesopores (2-50 nm) and less compacted packing. Changes in apparent cohesion at the menisci of capillary held water in the irregular network of passages appear to occur as cycles of adsorption and desorption proceed, resulting in the opening and closing of cracks and intermittent crack development.