Database for the geologic map of the Frederick 30 x 60 quadrangle, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia
The database for the geologic map of the Frederick 30 x 60 quadrangle covers the distinct geologic provinces and sections of the central Appalachian region that are defined by unique bedrock and resulting landforms. From west to east, the provinces include the Great Valley section of the Valley and Ridge province, the Blue Ridge province, and the Piedmont province; in the extreme southeastern corner, a small part of the Coastal Plain province is present. The Piedmont province is divided into several sections; from west to east, they are the Frederick Valley synclinorium, the Culpeper and Gettysburg basins, the Sugarloaf Mountain anticlinorium, the Westminster terrane, and the Potomac terrane.
The Blue Ridge province contains Mesoproterozoic (1 billion years old, or 1 Ga) paragneiss and granitic gneisses that are intruded by a swarm of Neoproterozoic (570 million years old, or 570 Ma) metadiabase and metarhyolite dikes. Unconformably overlying the gneisses are Neoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks and metavolcanic rocks associated with the dikes. The Mesoproterozoic gneisses were deformed and metamorphosed during the Grenville orogeny. Subsequently, the Neoproterozoic metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks accumulated during a continental rifting event (Rankin, 1976). Clastic metasedimentary rocks of the newly formed continental margin were deposited paraconformably upon the Neoproterozoic rocks. To the east, Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks were deposited on the margin of the rifted continent. These rocks underlie the Sugarloaf Mountain anticlinorium and Westminster and Potomac terranes. As the rifted continental margin stabilized and became a passive margin during the early Paleozoic, carbonate rocks were deposited on the broad continental shelf. Those carbonate rocks are now exposed in the Great Valley section and the Frederick Valley synclinorium. The early Paleozoic carbonate platform became unstable in response to the Ordovician Taconian orogeny. Deformation associated with this tectonic event is recorded in rocks of the Piedmont province to the east. These rocks, which are now part of the Potomac terrane, were thrust westward onto rocks of the Westminster terrane; next, rocks of the Westminster terrane were thrust onto rocks now exposed in the Sugarloaf Mountain anticlinorium and Frederick Valley synclinorium (Drake and others, 1989; Southworth, 1996). The early Paleozoic sea eventually closed up and disappeared during the continental collision of tectonic plates during the late Paleozoic Alleghanian orogeny. The Alleghanian orogeny transported all of the rocks within the map area westward along the North Mountain thrust fault, which is exposed immediately northwest of the quadrangle. The Alleghanian orogeny produced numerous thrust faults and folds in the rock and regional-scale folds that help define the geologic provinces. The Massanutten synclinorium underlies the Great Valley section, the Blue Ridge-South Mountain anticlinorium underlies the Blue Ridge province, and the Frederick Valley synclinorium and Sugarloaf Mountain anticlinorium underlie the western Piedmont province. Tens of millions of years after the Alleghanian orogeny, early Mesozoic continental rifting formed the Culpeper and Gettysburg basins, which once were connected to form a large down-faulted basin filled with sediments that eroded from the adjacent Blue Ridge and Piedmont highlands. Continued rifting resulted in igneous intrusions and extrusive volcanic rock at about 200 Ma, and eventually led to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Sediments eroded from the Appalachian highlands were deposited by river systems and transgressing seas and now form the Coastal Plain province.
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Complete Metadata
| @type | dcat:Dataset |
|---|---|
| accessLevel | public |
| bureauCode |
[
"010:12"
]
|
| contactPoint |
{
"fn": "Ernest A Crider",
"@type": "vcard:Contact",
"hasEmail": "mailto:ecrider@usgs.gov"
}
|
| description | The database for the geologic map of the Frederick 30 x 60 quadrangle covers the distinct geologic provinces and sections of the central Appalachian region that are defined by unique bedrock and resulting landforms. From west to east, the provinces include the Great Valley section of the Valley and Ridge province, the Blue Ridge province, and the Piedmont province; in the extreme southeastern corner, a small part of the Coastal Plain province is present. The Piedmont province is divided into several sections; from west to east, they are the Frederick Valley synclinorium, the Culpeper and Gettysburg basins, the Sugarloaf Mountain anticlinorium, the Westminster terrane, and the Potomac terrane. The Blue Ridge province contains Mesoproterozoic (1 billion years old, or 1 Ga) paragneiss and granitic gneisses that are intruded by a swarm of Neoproterozoic (570 million years old, or 570 Ma) metadiabase and metarhyolite dikes. Unconformably overlying the gneisses are Neoproterozoic metasedimentary rocks and metavolcanic rocks associated with the dikes. The Mesoproterozoic gneisses were deformed and metamorphosed during the Grenville orogeny. Subsequently, the Neoproterozoic metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks accumulated during a continental rifting event (Rankin, 1976). Clastic metasedimentary rocks of the newly formed continental margin were deposited paraconformably upon the Neoproterozoic rocks. To the east, Neoproterozoic and early Paleozoic metasedimentary and metavolcanic rocks were deposited on the margin of the rifted continent. These rocks underlie the Sugarloaf Mountain anticlinorium and Westminster and Potomac terranes. As the rifted continental margin stabilized and became a passive margin during the early Paleozoic, carbonate rocks were deposited on the broad continental shelf. Those carbonate rocks are now exposed in the Great Valley section and the Frederick Valley synclinorium. The early Paleozoic carbonate platform became unstable in response to the Ordovician Taconian orogeny. Deformation associated with this tectonic event is recorded in rocks of the Piedmont province to the east. These rocks, which are now part of the Potomac terrane, were thrust westward onto rocks of the Westminster terrane; next, rocks of the Westminster terrane were thrust onto rocks now exposed in the Sugarloaf Mountain anticlinorium and Frederick Valley synclinorium (Drake and others, 1989; Southworth, 1996). The early Paleozoic sea eventually closed up and disappeared during the continental collision of tectonic plates during the late Paleozoic Alleghanian orogeny. The Alleghanian orogeny transported all of the rocks within the map area westward along the North Mountain thrust fault, which is exposed immediately northwest of the quadrangle. The Alleghanian orogeny produced numerous thrust faults and folds in the rock and regional-scale folds that help define the geologic provinces. The Massanutten synclinorium underlies the Great Valley section, the Blue Ridge-South Mountain anticlinorium underlies the Blue Ridge province, and the Frederick Valley synclinorium and Sugarloaf Mountain anticlinorium underlie the western Piedmont province. Tens of millions of years after the Alleghanian orogeny, early Mesozoic continental rifting formed the Culpeper and Gettysburg basins, which once were connected to form a large down-faulted basin filled with sediments that eroded from the adjacent Blue Ridge and Piedmont highlands. Continued rifting resulted in igneous intrusions and extrusive volcanic rock at about 200 Ma, and eventually led to the opening of the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Sediments eroded from the Appalachian highlands were deposited by river systems and transgressing seas and now form the Coastal Plain province. |
| distribution |
[
{
"@type": "dcat:Distribution",
"title": "Digital Data",
"format": "XML",
"accessURL": "https://doi.org/10.5066/P13REKRW",
"mediaType": "application/http",
"description": "Landing page for access to the data"
},
{
"@type": "dcat:Distribution",
"title": "Original Metadata",
"format": "XML",
"mediaType": "text/xml",
"description": "The metadata original format",
"downloadURL": "https://data.usgs.gov/datacatalog/metadata/USGS.679107ddd34ea6a4002bf792.xml"
}
]
|
| identifier | http://datainventory.doi.gov/id/dataset/USGS_679107ddd34ea6a4002bf792 |
| keyword |
[
"Adamstown Member",
"Antietam Formation",
"Araby Formation",
"Arcola",
"Ashby Gap",
"Balls Bluff Member",
"Bear Island Granodiorite",
"Beekmantown Group",
"Beltsville",
"Benevola Member",
"Berkeley (county)",
"Berryville",
"Big Pool",
"Big Spring Station Member",
"Bluemont",
"Bolivar Heights Member",
"Boyce",
"Buckeystown",
"Bull Run Formation",
"Buzzard Knob Member",
"Cambrian",
"Carroll (county)",
"Carter Run Formation",
"Cash Smith Formation",
"Catharpin Creek Formation",
"Catoctin Formation",
"Catoctin Furnace",
"Cavetown Member",
"Cenozoic",
"Chambersburg Formation",
"Charles Town",
"Chatham Group",
"Chewsville Member",
"Chilhowee Group",
"Clarke (county)",
"Clarksville",
"Cobbler Mountain Alkali Feldspar Quartz Syenite",
"Conocheague Limestone",
"Cretaceous",
"Dalecarlia Intrusive Suite",
"Damascus",
"Dargan Member",
"Devonian",
"Elbrook Limestone",
"Fairfax (county)",
"Falls Church",
"Fauquier (county)",
"Fauquier Group",
"Finksburg",
"Fort Duncan Member",
"Frederick",
"Frederick (county)",
"Frederick Formation",
"Funkstown",
"Gaithersburg",
"Georgetown Intrusive Suite",
"Germantown",
"Goose Creek Member",
"Grove Formation",
"Groveton Member",
"Guilford Granite",
"Harpers Ferry",
"Harpers Formation",
"Hedgesville",
"Herndon",
"Hickory Grove Basalt",
"Holocene",
"Howard (county)",
"Ijamsville Phyllite",
"Inwood",
"Jefferson (county)",
"Jurassic",
"Keedysville",
"Kensington",
"Kensington Tonalite",
"Laurel Formation",
"Leesburg",
"Leesburg Member",
"Libertytown",
"Lime Kiln Member",
"Lincoln",
"Linden",
"Loch Raven Schist",
"Loudoun (county)",
"Loudoun Formation",
"Manassas Sandstone",
"Marburg Formation",
"Martinsburg",
"Martinsburg Formation",
"Maryland",
"Maryland Heights Member",
"Mather Gorge Formation",
"Meriden Group",
"Mesoproterozoic",
"Mesozoic",
"Middleburg",
"Middletown",
"Middleway",
"Midland Formation",
"Montgomery (county)",
"Mount Zion Church Basalt",
"Myersville",
"Neoproterozoic",
"New Market Limestone",
"New Windsor",
"Norbeck Intrusive Suite",
"Northwest Branch Formation",
"Oella Formation",
"Ordovician",
"Owens Creek Member",
"Paleozoic",
"Phanerozoic",
"Pinesburg Station Dolomite",
"Pleistocene",
"Point of Rocks",
"Poolesville",
"Poolesville Member",
"Potomac Formation",
"Precambrian",
"Prettyboy Schist",
"Proterozoic",
"Purcellville",
"Quaternary",
"Rectortown",
"Red Run Member",
"Reston Member",
"Robertson River Igneous Suite",
"Rockdale Run Formation",
"Rockville",
"Rocky Springs Station Member",
"Round Hill",
"Row Park Limestone",
"Sams Creek Formation",
"Sander Basalt",
"Sandy Spring",
"Seneca",
"Shepherdstown",
"Silurian",
"Soldiers Delight Ultramafite",
"St. Paul Group",
"Stephenson",
"Sterling",
"Stonehenge Limestone",
"Stoufferstown Member",
"Sugarloaf Mountain Quartzite",
"Swains Mountain Formation",
"Swift Run Formation",
"Sykesville",
"Sykesville Formation",
"Tablers Station",
"Tertiary",
"Tomstown Formation",
"Triassic",
"Turkey Run Formation",
"Tuscarora Creek Member",
"USGS:679107ddd34ea6a4002bf792",
"Union Bridge",
"Upperville",
"Urbana",
"Urbana Formation",
"Vienna",
"Virginia",
"Wakefield Marble",
"Walkersville",
"Washington (county)",
"Washington East",
"Washington West",
"Waterford",
"Waynesboro Formation",
"West Virginia",
"Westminister",
"Weverton Formation",
"Williamsport",
"Winfield",
"Woodbine",
"Woodsboro",
"alluvial terrace",
"alluvium",
"alteration",
"amphibolite",
"aplite",
"basalt",
"bedrock geologic units",
"biotite gneiss",
"black shale",
"calc-silicate rock",
"carbonate rock",
"chemical sedimentary rock",
"clastic rock",
"colluvium",
"conglomerate",
"deformation (geologic)",
"diabase",
"diorite",
"dolostone",
"earth history",
"earth sciences",
"economic geology",
"faulting (geologic)",
"felsic gneiss",
"felsic metavolcanic rock",
"felsic volcanic rock",
"folding (geologic)",
"foliation (geologic)",
"fracture (geologic)",
"gabbroid",
"geochronology",
"geologic contacts",
"geologic history",
"geologic maps",
"geologic processes",
"geologic structure",
"geologic time periods",
"geology",
"geoscientificInformation",
"gneiss",
"granite",
"granitic gneiss",
"granitoid",
"granodiorite",
"granofels",
"gravel",
"hornfels",
"igneous rocks",
"karst",
"lake or marine sediment",
"limestone",
"lineation (geologic)",
"mafic metavolcanic rock",
"mafic volcanic rock",
"maps and atlases",
"marble",
"mass wasting material",
"melange",
"metabasalt",
"metaconglomerate",
"metaluminous granite",
"metamorphic rock",
"metamorphic rocks",
"metamorphism (geological)",
"metarhyolite",
"metasedimentary rock",
"metavolcanic rock",
"migmatite",
"mixed carbonate/clastic rock",
"mixed volcanic/clastic rock",
"monzonite",
"mudstone",
"mylonite",
"norite",
"orthogneiss",
"paragneiss",
"pegmatite",
"phyllite",
"phyllonite",
"plutonic rock",
"plutonic rocks",
"pyroxenite",
"quartz diorite",
"quartz gabbro",
"quartz syenite",
"quartzite",
"rhyolite",
"rocks and deposits",
"sand",
"sandstone",
"schist",
"sedimentary breccia",
"sedimentary rock",
"sedimentary rocks",
"sedimentation",
"sedimentology",
"serpentinite",
"shale",
"silt",
"siltstone",
"sinkhole formation",
"slate",
"stratigraphy",
"structural geology",
"surficial geologic units",
"syenite",
"tectonic processes",
"tectonite",
"tonalite",
"trondhjemite",
"ultramafic intrusive rock",
"ultramafitite",
"unconformities",
"unconsolidated deposits",
"unconsolidated material",
"volcanic rocks"
]
|
| modified | 2025-04-30T00:00:00Z |
| publisher |
{
"name": "U.S. Geological Survey",
"@type": "org:Organization"
}
|
| spatial | -78.0214, 38.9786, -76.9858, 39.5215 |
| theme |
[
"geospatial"
]
|
| title | Database for the geologic map of the Frederick 30 x 60 quadrangle, Maryland, Virginia, and West Virginia |
