Ancient Sand Dune Research Journal Article
Ancient Sand Dune Research Journal Article
This study challenges the prevailing view that Wyoming's Middle Jurassic lower Sundance Formation solely originated from an open marine environment, presenting instead a variety of carbonate facies and significant eolian and reworked eolian deposits. Petrologic evidence points to large, cross-stratified sets of ooids formed in an eolian environment, triggered by the deflation of emergent ooid shoals after a fall in sea level. The discovery of these oolitic dunes marks the first documented occurrence of Mesozoic eolian carbonates in the Western Interior.
This study challenges the prevailing view that Wyoming's Middle Jurassic lower Sundance Formation solely originated from an open marine environment, presenting instead a variety of carbonate facies and significant eolian and reworked eolian deposits. Petrologic evidence points to large, cross-stratified sets of ooids formed in an eolian environment, triggered by the deflation of emergent ooid shoals after a fall in sea level. The discovery of these oolitic dunes marks the first documented occurrence of Mesozoic eolian carbonates in the Western Interior.
Link to publisher's April 2024 website: https://www.rmag.org/index.php?src=gendocs&ref=CurrentIssuesMG&category=Publications
Strasen Eolian Paper - Mountain Geologist Journal.pdf