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Alan R. CarrollAssistant Professor
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| Research | How are sedimentary basins created, and how do they evolve? What record do they provide of regional tectonics? How can paleoclimatic signals from be read from their deposits? Such questions by their nature require a broad, multidisciplinary approach, including (but not limited to) the application of clastic sedimentary facies and paleocurrent analyses, sequence stratigraphy, sandstone petrography, geohistory analysis, and organic geochemistry. Several of my current projects currently involve the application of stable and radiogenic isotopes to deciphering sedimentary provenance, weathering histories, and age relationshiops. My research integrates these techniques to help elucidate processes of basin subsidence and fill as they relate to continental tectonics, regional paleoclimatic evolution, and petroleum exploration. Recent research projects include the following:
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| Teaching | I teach courses in Physical Geology (100, 101), field geology (457, 459, 737), Sedimentary Basin Analysis (530), and Physical Sedimentology (630). I also contribute to Earth Materials (203). |
| Service | In addition to a number of Departmental and University committees, I serve as an Associate Editor for the American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin. |
| Recent Publications |
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Comments and suggestions can be sent to the Webmaster Last updated on October 27, 2009 |
Books
Journal Publications and Book Chapters
Conference Abstracts
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Dept. of Geoscience, University of Wisconsin-Madison
1215 W Dayton St. Madison WI 53706. Tel: (608) 262-8960. Fax: (608) 262-0693
Alan R. Carroll
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Recent Publications
Books Pitman, J. K., and Carroll, A. R. (eds.), 1998, Modern and Ancient Lakes: New Problems and Perspectives: Utah Geological Association Guidebook 26, 328 p. Journal Publications and Book Chapters Pietras, J. T., Carroll, A. R., and Rhodes, M. K., (in review), Tectonic control on lacustrine evaporite deposition in the Eocene Green River Formation, Wyoming: SEPM special volume. Rhodes, M. R., Carroll, A. R., Pietras, J. T., Beard, B. L., and Johnson, C. M., (in press), Strontium Isotopic Variation During Lake Level Change, Laney Member of the Eocene Green River Formation: Geology. Wartes, M. A., Carroll, A. R., and Greene, T. J., (in press), Permian Stratigraphic Evolution of the Turpan-Hami Basin and Adjacent Regions, Northwest China: Constraints on Post-amalgamation Tectonic Evolution: Geological Society of America Bulletin. Carroll, A. R., and Bohacs, K. M., 2001, Lake Type Control on Hydrocarbon Source Potential in Nonmarine Basins: American Association of Petroleum Geologist Bulletin: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 85, p. 1033-1053. Carroll, A. R., Graham, S. A., Chang, E., and McKnight, C. L., 2001, Sinian through Permian tectonostratigraphic evolution of the northwestern Tarim basin, China, in Hendrix, M. S., and Davis, G., eds., Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonic evolution of central and eastern Asia -- from continental assembly to intracontinental deformation: Geological Society of America Memoir 194, in press. Dumitru, T. A., Zhou, D., Chang, E., Graham, S. A., Hendrix, M. S., Sobel, E. R., and Carroll, A. R., 2001, Uplift, exhumation, and deformation in the Chinese Tian Shan in Hendrix, M. S., and Davis, G., eds., Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonic evolution of central and eastern Asia -- from continental assembly to intracontinental deformation: Geological Society of America Memoir 194, in press. Greene, T. J., Carroll, A. R., Hendrix, M. S., and Graham, S. A., 2001, Sedimentary record of intra-Mesozoic deformation and Middle to Late Triassic inception of the Turpan-Hami basin, northwest China in Hendrix, M. S., and Davis, G., eds., Paleozoic and Mesozoic tectonic evolution of central and eastern Asia -- from continental assembly to intracontinental deformation: Geological Society of America Memoir 194, in press. Bohacs, K. M., Carroll, A. R., Neal, J. E., and Mankiewicz, P. J., 2000, Lake-basin type, source potential, and hydrocarbon character: an integrated sequence-stratigraphic geochemical framework: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir, in Gierlowski-Kordesch, E. H., and Kelts, K., eds., Lake Basins Through Space and Time: AAPG Studies in Geology #46, p. 3-33. Greene, T. J., Carroll, A. R., Hendrix, M. S., Wartes, M. A., and Hu, T., 2000, Sedimentology and paleogeography of Middle Jurassic lacustrine deposits of trhe Qiketai Formation, Turpan-Hami basins, NW China: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir, in Gierlowski-Kordesch, E. H., and Kelts, K., eds., Lake Basins Through Space and Time: AAPG Studies in Geology #46, p. 141-152. Wartes, M. A., Carroll, A. R., Greene, T. J., Cheng, K., and Hu, T., 2000, Permian lacustrine deposits of northwest China: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Memoir, in Gierlowski-Kordesch, E. H., and Kelts, K., eds., Lake Basins Through Space and Time: AAPG Studies in Geology #46, p. 123-132. Carroll, A. R., and Bohacs, K. M., 1999, Stratigraphic classification of ancient lakes: Balancing tectonic and climatic controls: Geology, v. 27, p. 99-102. Stephens, N. P., and Carroll, A. R., 1999, Salinity stratification in the Permian Phosphoria sea; a proposed oceanographic model: Geology, v. 27, p. 899-902. Carroll, A.R., 1998, Upper Permian Lacustrine Organic Facies Evolution, Southern Junggar Basin, NW China: Organic Geochemistry, v. 28, p. 649-667. Carroll, A. R., Stephens, N. P., Hendrix, M. S., and Glenn, C. R., 1998, Eolian-derived siltstone in the Upper Permian Phosphoria Formation: Implications for marine upwelling: Geology, v. 26, p. 1023-1026. Wegner, M., Bohacs, K. M., Simo, J. A., Carroll, A. R., and Peavear , D., 1998, Siltstone facies of the upper Brushy Canyon and lower Cherry Canyon Formations (Guadalupian), Delaware Basin, West Texas; depositional processes and stratigraphic distribution, in DeMis, W. D., and Nelis, M. K. (eds.), The search continues into the 21st century; West Texas Geological Society fall symposium: West Texas Geological Society, Publication 98-105, Pages 59-65. Conference Abstracts Bohacs, K. M., Carroll, A. R., and Neal, J. E., 2001, Chaos and order: how predictable are the character and extent of lake stata?: American Association of Petroleum Geologists National Meeting, Abstracts, p. A21. Carroll, Alan R.; Pietras, Jeffrey T.; Rhodes, Meredith K.; Johnson, Clark M.; Beard, Brian L., 2001, Application of Advanced Provenance Tools to Lacustrine Stratigraphy: Strontium Isotopes in the Eocene Green River Formation, Wyoming: American Association of Petroleum Geologists National Meeting, Abstracts, p. A33. Pietras, J. T., Carroll, A. R., and Johnson, R. C., 2001, Tectonostratigraphy of the Wilkins Peak Member of the Green River Formation, southerwestern Wyoming: American Association of Petroleum Geologists National Meeting, Abstracts, p. A158. Rhodes, M. K. and Carroll, A. R., 2001, Nonmarine sequence stratigraphic interpretation of the Laney Member of the Eoceme Green River Formation along the Delaney and Kinney Rims, Washakie Basin, SW Wyoming: American Association of Petroleum Geologists National Meeting, Abstracts, p. A167. Bohacs, K. M., Carroll, A. R., Neal, J. E., 2000, Lessons from large lake systems — thresholds, nonlinearity, and strange attractors: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 7, p. 312. Bohacs K. M., Neal, J. E., Carroll, A. R., and Reynolds, D. J., 2000, Lakes are not small oceans! –sequence stratigraphy in lacustrine basins: American Association of Petroleum Geologists National Meeting Abstracts, p. A15. Carroll, A. R., Smith, M.E., Singer, B. S., Pietras, J. T., 2000, Deposition, alteration, and crystallinity of Eocene tuffs of the Green River Formation, Wyoming and Utah: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 7, p. 459. Carroll, A. R., and Wartes, M. A., 2000, Permian Mega-lakes of Northwestern China: A Consequence of Continental Amalgamation: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 7, p. 312. Carroll, A. R., Wegner, M., Simo, J. A., Bohacs, K. M., Chen, Y. Y., and Hill, R. J., 2000, Deep Water Organic Facies and Marine Transgression, Cherry Canyon Formation, West Texas: American Association of Petroleum Geologists National Meeting Abstracts, p. A24. Kuchta, Matthew A., Geary, Dana H., Carroll, Alan R., Utility of nonmarine mollusca as paleoenvironmental indicators in the Green River Formation, Wyoming: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 7, p. A12. Pietras, J. T., Carroll, A. R., Tectonically-induced lacustrine lowstand: base of the Wilkins Peak Member, Green River Formation, southwestern Wyoming: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 7, p. 388. Pietras, J. T., Carroll, A. R., and Rhodes, M. K., 2000, Lacustrine Sequence Stratigraphy: Example from the Green River Formation of Southwestern Wyoming: American Association of Petroleum Geologists National Meeting Abstracts, p. A116. Rhodes, M. K., Carroll, A. R., Beard, B. L., Johnson, C. M., Radiogenic isotopic provenance evolution of cyclic lacustrine carbonates, Eocene Green River Formation, Wyoming: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 7, p. 389. Walling, C. T., Carroll, A. R., Valley, J. W., Spicuzza, M. J., 2000, Oxygern isotopic evidence for the origin of eolian-marine silt, Permian Phosphoria Formation: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 32, no. 7, p. 254. Carroll, A. R., and Wartes, M. A., 1999, Permian lakes of the Jungar and Turpan-Hami basins, northwest China: Lennou, 2nd International Congress on Limnogeology, Brest, France. Carroll, A. R., Wartes, M. A., and Greene, T. J., 1999, Sedimentary evidence for Early Permian normal faulting, southern Bogda Shan, northwest China: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, Vol. 31, No. 7, p. A-369. Pietras, J. T., Rhodes, M. K, Wartes, M. A., Carroll, A., Beard, B., and Johnson, C., 1999, Strontium isotopes in provenance studies of large ancient lacustrine basins: an example from the Junggar-Turpan-Hami basins, NW China: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 31, no. 7, p. A-298. Wartes, M. A., and Carroll, A. R., 1999, Early Permian post-orogenic extension of the ancestral Tian Shan range, northwest China: Eos, v. 80, No. 46, p. F1018. Wartes, M. A., Carroll, A. R., and Greene, T. J., 1999, Permian sedimentary evolution of the Junggar and Turpan-Hami basins, northwest China: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 31, n. 7, p. A-291. Rhodes, M. K., Beard, B. L., Carroll, A. R., Pietras, J. T., and Johnson, C. M., 1999, Strontium isotopic composition and paleohydrology of the Eocene Green River Formation, Wyoming: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 31, n. 7, p. A-375. Stephens, N. P., and Carroll, A. R., 1999, Sedimentology and organic geochemistry of the Permian Phosphoria Formation, reconstructing paleoceanography: Geological Society of America, Cordilleran section abstracts. Carroll, A. R., 1998, Tectonic and climatic controls on lacustrine sedimentary basins: University of Wisconsin Industrial Affiliates: American Association of Petroleum Geologists International Conference, Extended Abstracts, p. 912 Rhodes, M. K., and Carroll, A. R., 1998, Tectonic controls on lake type evolution, Peace River Formation, Ridge basin, California: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, no. 7, p. A-192. Wartes, M .A., Greene, T. J., and Carroll, A. R., 1998, Permian lacustrine paleogeography of the Junggar and Turpan-Hami basins, northwest China: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention, Extended Abstracts, v. 2, p. A682. Zinniker, D. A., Moldowan, J. M., Greene, T. J., Ritts, B. D., Hanson, A. D., Graham, S. A., Carroll, A. R., Hendrix, M. S., and Wood, G. D., 1998, Permian through Jurassic nonmarine source rocks of central Asia: inter-basinal correlation of geologic age and depositional environment using higher plant and algal biomarkers: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, no. 7, p. A-83.
Comments and suggestions can be sent to the Webmaster Last updated on October 27, 2009 |
Alaskaooo Green River ooo Java ooo Phosphoria
Summary
The Permian marks an important, yet poorly understood, tectonic transition in the Tian Shan region of northwestern China between Devonian-Carboniferous continental amalgamation and recurrent Mesozoic-Cenozoic intracontinental orogenic reactivation. The Turpan-Hami basin accommodated up to 3000 m sediment and is ideally positioned to provide constraints on this transition. New stratigraphic data and mapping indicate that extension dominated Early Permian tectonics in the region, whereas flexural, foreland subsidence controlled Late Permian basin evolution.
Lower Permian strata in the northwestern Turpan-Hami basin consist of coarse-grained debris flow and alluvial fan deposits interbedded with mafic to intermediate volcanic sills and flows. In contrast, Lower Permian rocks in the north-central and northeastern Turpan-Hami basin unconformably overlie an Upper Carboniferous volcanic arc sequence. These Lower Permian strata include possible shallow marine carbonate, and thick volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks which are in turn followed by littoral to profundal lacustrine facies. Following a regional Lower-Upper Permian unconformity, regional sedimentation patterns record the development of a more integrated sedimentary basin. The Upper Permian is entirely nonmarine and can be correlated along the west-east depositional strike of the basin. The lower Upper Permian consists of a broad belt of braided fluvial deposits shed northward. This is followed by fluctuating littoral-profundal lacustrine and associated fluvial facies. The uppermost Permian is characterized by shallow lake-plain and fluvial environments.
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Location map of the Junggar and Turpan-Hami basins, showing maximum known extent of Upper Permian lake deposits. |
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Geologic map and satellite image of the Taoshuyuan fault, southern Bogdashan. The Taoshuyuan fault is interpreted to be a reactivated Early Permian normal fault (Wartes et al., in press). |
Organic-rich Upper Permian oil shales of the Lucaogou Formation, southern Junggar basin (photo: Alan Carroll). |
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Upper Permian Tarlong Formation in the western-most Turpan basin (photo: Alan Carroll). |
Early Permian lacustrine mudstone and volanic rocks in the eastern Hami basin near Tianshanxiang (northeast of Hami), with Upper Permian Tarlong Formation on skyline (photo: Alan Carroll). |
Researchers
This project represents the recently completed M.S. thesis of Marwan Wartes. We also collaborated with Todd Greene of Stanford University (now at Anadarko Petroleum).
Acknowledgements
Financial support was provided by the Donors of the Petroleum Research Fund, American Chemical Society, and by Conoco and Texaco.
page created December 5, 2001
Alaskaooo Chinaooo Javaooo Phosphoria
Summary
My principal area of current research is the sequence stratigraphy and three-dimensional distribution of lacustrine and associated facies, primarily in the Eocene Green River Formation. The Green River Formation provides an excellent natural laboratory for such studies by virtue of its accessibility, the diversity of lake types it encompasses, and the geologic context provided by its long history of previous studies. One goal of this work will be to document the stratigraphic context, sequence-scale and basin-scale distribution, and hydrocarbon generative potential of the heterogeneous Green River Formation organic facies. In addition to stratigraphic and source-rock studies, we will also seek to quantify specific tectonic and climatic influences on the evolution of lake facies. Part of this study will involve detailed application of traditional techniques of sedimentary basin analysis, such as facies and paleocurrent analysis and sandstone petrography.
In addition, we are applying various radiogenic isotopic tools to the Green River Formation, in collaboration with UW professors Clark Johnson and Brad Singer. By examining temporal changes in 87Sr/86Sr ratios in lacustrine carbonates we are seeking to document the provenance of lake waters, which is controlled by both tectonic reorganization of drainage patterns and by climatically-induced changes in runoff and evaporation. These studies are supported by conventional provenance analyses using sandstone petrography, and by sedimentary facies and paleocurrent evidence. A unique advantage of using these different approaches is that we will be able to differentiate between the provenance of clastic sediments and the provenance of lake waters, allowing sediment supply variations to be effectively decoupled from lake level variations. High-resolution 40Ar/39Ar dating of interbedded tuffs will provide the best chronostratigraphy in any lake basin, permitting the first reliable measures of lacustrine sediment accumulation rates. This information will be useful both to tie lake types to timing of subsidence and uplift events, and to test for possible Milankovitch-scale cyclicities.
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Location of the greater Green River basin. |
Stratigraphy of the greater Green River basin. |
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Farson Sandstone Member, northern Green River Basin. Note the clinoforms dipping to the left (southwest) in this deltaic sandstone. Wasatch Formation underlies the sandstone. (photo: Alan Carroll) |
Wilkins Peak Member at Wilkins Peak, near Rock Springs. (photo: Alan Carroll) |
Wilkins Peak Member, White Mountain. Note strong evidence for cyclicity in lacustrine and lake-marginal mudstone. (photo: Alan Carroll) |
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Sand Butte, Washakie basin. Base of exposure is the alluvial Wasatch Formation, top is volcaniclastic sandstone of the Sand Butte Bed, Laney Member. LaClede Bed of the Laney Member is partially exposed in between. (photo: Alan Carroll) |
Simplified stratigraphic cross-section of the Laney Member at DeLaney Rim, Washakie Basin (Rhodes et al., in prep.). |
Schematic representation of strontium isotopic evolution of lake waters during a flooding-desiccation cycle, Laney Member (Rhodes et al., in press). |
Researchers
Jeff Pietras is completing his Ph.D. disseration on the stratigraphy and strontium isotope geochemistry of the Wilkins Peak Member. Meredith Rhodes is completing her Ph.D. dissertation on the Laney Member. Both of their projects involve major collaboration with Clark Johnson and Brian Beard of the UW Radiogenic Isotopes Laboratory.
Mike Smith is working on 40Ar/39Ar age determinations for tuff horizons interbedded in the Green River Formation, in collaboration with Brad Singer of the UW Rare Gas Geochronology Laboratory. He is currently completing an M.S.. His Ph.D. dissertation will continue with this work, with a goal of documenting the uplift timing of Laramide basin-bounding uplifts by dating synorogenic coarase clastic deposits that interfinger with the Green River Formation.
Ackowledgments
Financial support provided by the National Science Foundation, the Donors of the Petroleum Research Fund of the American Chemical Society, Conoco, and Texaco.
page created December 5, 2001
AlaskaooooChina ooo Green Riverooo Phosphoria
Summary
UW research in Java examines the regional structural and stratigraphic controls on the development of petroleum reservoirs in Upper Cenozoic reservoir facies. These reservoirs have been the subject of renewed interest, due to the discovery of large quantities of oil and gas in recent years (for example, the Mudi Field discovered by Santa Fe Energy in the early 1990’s and the more recent discoveries offshore by Gulf Indonesia and onshore by Exxon Mobil in the last 2 years). The quality of these reservoirs is inherently difficult to predict, due to their highly variable facies and porosity distributions. Our study employs detailed field investigations of selected outcrop transects, combined with a basin-scale structural and stratigraphic study based on an extensive seismic and well-log data base. These approaches will be integrated to form a cohesive picture of how major carbonate reservoirs form in this region, where they most commonly occur, and how to predict their occurrence.
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Geological map northeastern Java basin, Indonesia (modified from Gafoer Dan and Ratman, 1999). |
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Quarry exposures of the Pliocene-Pleistocene Karren Limestone. |
Walking across rice paddies to examine Miocen/Pliocene angular unconformity. |
Remnants of a teak "forest". Smoke is the result of pervasive burning of farm fields. |
Researchers
This project involves an interdisciplinary team including professors Alan Carroll and Toni Simo, and Ph.D. students Martin Shields and Essam Sharaf..
Ackowledgments
Support for this project is provided by ExxonMobil and by Devon Energy.
page created December 5, 2001
AlaskaoooChinaoooGreen Riverooo Java
Summary
Silty marine mudrocks represent one of the most volumetrically important sedimentary rock types, but their genesis remains very poorly understood. It is widely believed that silt and siltstone associated with dominantly calcareous and dolomitic strata is often eolian in origin, but very little documentary evidence has been published in support of this belief.
The Permian Phosphoria Formation provides an intriguing case study of possible windblown silt deposited in marine environments. Preliminary work suggests that organic-rich siltstone facies of the Meade Peak Member represent wind-transported suspension deposits, accumulated during sea level lowstands to transgressions (Carroll et al., 1998). This implies that the long accepted models for the genesis of one of the world's largest phosphate accumulations need to be re-evaluated, to consider the impact of airborne Fe influx on productivity.
If previous climate simulations suggesting zonal wind circulation are correct, time-equivalent eolian-derived siltstone facies should fine in a downwind direction, to the south. In contrast, monsoonal circulation might result in a more equivocal regional distribution of grain sizes. We are measuring grain-size distributions from siltstone and other silty facies at a number of widely distributed sites, correlated based on previous biostratigraphic studies and on outcrop and well-log gamma-ray spectrometry.
We are also using petrographic, microprobe, SEM, and SEM-CL analyses will to document textural evidence for silt origin. Oxygen isotopic analyses of different quartz grain size fractions are being used to constrain their temperature of crystallization. A large, regionally distributed sample set will permit an assessment of the relative importance of reworked versus primary quartz.
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Location map showing Phosphoria Formation paleogeography during deposition of the Meade Peak Member (after Maughan, 1984)) |
Cross-section of the Meade Peak Member, based on subsurface well logs. Note onlap toward the east (modified from Stephens and Carroll, 1999). |
Researchers
Colin Walling is working on his Ph.D. dissertation on the Phosphoria Formation. He previously completed his M.S. on the same topic. We are collaborating with John Valley and Mike Spicuzza of the UW Stable Isotope Laboratory.
Ackowledgments
Financial support provided by the National Science Foundation.
page created December 5, 2001
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