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George Plafker

Publications and source records attributed to George Plafker.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
USGS1989

Reinterpretation of lower Mesozoic rocks on the Chilkat Peninsula, Alaska, as a displaced fragment of Wrangellia

The southern Chilkat Peninsula is underlain by low-grade metamorphic rocks consisting of a thick unit of greenstone, in part of Carnian age, that is locally overlain by an attenuated section of calcareous sedimentary rocks and chart of latest Carnian to late Norian age and a thick flysch unit of Jurassic and/or Cretaceous age. The Triassic part of this sequence has previously been inferred to be part of the Taku terrane. However, its lithology, age, fossils, and regional distribution indicate that it is probably a sliver of Wrangellia that was offset from the eastern Alaska Range to its present position by at least 350 km dextral displacement on the Denali fault.

Geology↗
USGS1988

Late Cenozoic offsets on the offshore connection between the Fairweather and Queen Charlotte faults off southeast Alaska

Closely spaced seismic reflection profiles permit us to extend the onshore Fairweather fault across the continental margin off southeast Alaska to the Queen Charlotte fault. Evidence for Quaternary movement along this major plate boundary includes 20–40-m high sea-floor scarps, offset subsurface seismic reflectors, sea-floor bathymetry that indicates as much as 70 km of right-lateral offset in the last 1 m.y., 5–6 cm/yr of movement on the onshore Fairweather fault, and recorded seismicity along the fault. The Fairweather-Queen Charlotte fault system, similar in dimension to the San Andreas fault system, is a dextral transform fault that truncates the continental margin of North America. Much of the late Cenozoic motion between the Pacific and North American plates has been taken up along the fault system. The Fairweather-Queen Charlotte fault evolved to its present form after passage of the Yakutat block, the youngest of the allochthonous terranes that form southern Alaska.

Marine Geology↗
USGS1985

Summary of data on the age of the Orca Group, Alaska: A section in The United States Geological Survey in Alaska: Accomplishments during 1984

The Orca Group is a widespread, thick, complexly deformed accretionary sequence of flysch and tholeiitic basalt in the Prince William Sound area (Winkler, 1976; Winkler and Plafker, 1981) (fig. 49). Despite a number of extensive field studies of the Orca Group, reliable data on the age of the unit have been elusive. On the basis of sparse paleontologic and radiometric data, the sequence was regarded as Paleocene and early Eocene(?) age (Winkler and Plafker, 1981). New paleontologic data from fossil localities shown in figure 49 suggest that some strata assigned to the Orca Group are of middle Eocene age and possibly as young as late Eocene or Oligocene. However, data suggesting an age younger than about 50 Ma appear to be incompatible with radiometrically determined ages for plutons that intrude the Orca Group.

Alaska↗
USGS1980

Holocene Pacific–North American plate interaction in southern Alaska: Implications for the Yakataga seismic gap

The St. Elias, Alaska, earthquake (magnitude 7.1 M s ) on February 28, 1979, occurred along the complex Pacific–North American plate boundary between Yakutat Bay and Prince William Sound, rupturing only a fraction of the seismic gap identified in that region. To aid in evaluating the potential for, and likely site of, a future earthquake occurring in the remainder of the gap, we have formulated a kinematic model of neotectonic deformation in southern Alaska from available geologic and seismic data. In this model the part of the North American plate bordering on the Gulf of Alaska is divided into three subblocks, which are partially coupled to the Pacific plate. On the basis of the model, the gap-filling rupture or ruptures would most likely be along the north-dipping thrust faults of the Pamplona zone between Icy Bay and the eastern end of the Aleutian Trench. If the accumulated strain of 3.8 m postulated for this region were released suddenly in one event involving the remainder of the gap, the result would be an earthquake as large as magnitude 8.

Geology↗
USGS1979

Evidence for the recurrence of large-magnitude earthquakes along the Makran coast of Iran and Pakistan

The presence of raised beaches and marine terraces along the Makran coast indicates episodic uplift of the continental margin resulting from large-magnitude earthquakes. The uplift occurs as incremental steps similar in height to the 1–3 m of measured uplift resulting from the November 28, 1945 ( M 8.3) earthquake at Pasni and Ormara, Pakistan. The data support an E—W-trending, active subduction zone off the Makran coast. The raised beaches and wave-cut terraces along the Makran coast are extensive with some terraces 1–2 km wide, 10–15 m long and up to 500 m in elevation. The terraces are generally capped with shelly sandstones 0.5–5 m thick. Wave-cut cliffs, notches, and associated boulder breccia and swash troughs are locally preserved. Raised Holocene accretion beaches, lagoonal deposits, and tombolos are found up to 10 m in elevation. The number and elevation of raised wave-cut terraces along the Makran coast increase eastward from one at Jask, the entrance to the Persian Gulf, at a few meters elevation, to nine at Konarak, 250 km to the east. Multiple terraces are found on the prominent headlands as far east as Karachi. The wave-cut terraces are locally tilted and cut by faults with a few meters of displacement. Long-term, average rates of uplift were calculated from present elevation, estimated elevation at time of deposition, and 14 C and U–Th dates obtained on shells. Uplift rates in centimeters per year at various locations from west to east are as follows: Jask, 0 (post-Sangamon); Konarak, 0.031–0.2 (Holocene), 0.01 (post-Sangamon); Ormara 0.2 (Holocene).

Makran coast↗
USGS1979

Petroleum source potential of rocks dredged from the continental slope in the eastern Gulf of Alaska

A bedrock dredging program by the R/V Sea Sounder in 1977 and 1978 along the continental slope in the eastern Gulf of Alaska revealed a previously unknown Eocene sedimentary sequence that includes argillaceous rocks with favorable petroleum source rock characteristics. Seven of 36 dredge hauls that sampled outcrop contain argillaceous rocks with more than l percent and as much as 1.64 percent organic carbon. Some of the rocks in samples of probable early Eocene age have undergone a thermal history that has resulted in generation of hydrocarbons. The organic matter appears to be hydrogen deficient, however, which could indicate that the rocks are more likely to be a source of gas rather than liquid hydrocarbon, unless the hydrogen loss is due to weathering. The Eocene rocks are associated with sandstone and conglomerate on the continental slope. They dip northward beneath younger Tertiary strata in the outer continental shelf where they could be an important petroleum source and exploratory target.

Open-File Report↗
USGS1979

Interim report on the St. Elias, Alaska earthquake of 28 February 1979

On 28 February 1979 an earthquake with surface wave magnitude (Ms) of 7.7 (W. Person, personal communication, 1979) occurred beneath the Chugach and St. Elias mountains of southern Alaska (fig. 1). This is a region of complex tectonics resulting from northwestward convergence between the Pacific and North American plates. To the east, the northwest-trending Fairweather fault accommodates the movement with dextral slip of about 5.5 cm/yr (Plafker, Hudson, and others, 1978); to the west, the Pacific plate underthrusts Alaska at the Aleutian trench, which trends southwestward (Plafker 1969). The USGS has operated a telemetered seismic network in southern Alaska since 1971 and it was greatly expanded along the eastern Gulf of Alaska in September 1974. The current configuration of stations is shown in Figure 9. Technical details of the network are available in published earthquake catalogs (Lahr, Page, and others, 1974; Fogleman, Stephens, and others, 1978). Preliminary analysis of the data from this network covering the time period September 1, 1978 through March 10, 1979, as well as worldwide data for the main shock will be discussed in this paper.

Alaska↗
USGS1978

Refraction studies between Icy Bay and Kayak Island, eastern Gulf of Alaska

Results of five seismic refraction lines shot by the U.S. Geological Survey in the Gulf of Alaska between Icy Bay and Kayak Island indicate the following: (1) The Continental Shelf is underlain by as much as 11 km of sedimentary rock of probable Tertiary age where refraction velocities range from 1.2 to 5.5 kilometers per second; (2) a section approximately 5 km thick, which has velocities of 4.1-5.5 km/s and which could represent the Orca Group (lower Tertiary), is present in the western part of the study area but not in the eastern part; and (3) consistent basement velocities of approximately 7.0 km/s could indicate oceanic crust underlying the continental margin.

Alaska↗
USGS1977

Preliminary foraminiferal biostratigraphy and correlation of selected stratigraphic sections and wells in the Gulf of Alaska Tertiary province

As part of ongoing research by the U.S. Geological Survey on the geology and resource potential of the Gulf of Alaska Tertiary Province, a vast amount of data has been accumulated over the past 25 years on the lithology and paleontology of bedded rocks in the province. This report brings together available information on the occurrence, age, and paleoecologic, significance of benthonic foraminifers and presents correlations based on these data from 16 measured stratigraphic sections and 12 exploratory wells. Relatively few reports employing modern taxonomic methods developed during the past 40 years have been published on foraminiferal biostratigraphy of the Gulf of Alaska. Reports by Cushman (1941), Cushman and Todd (1947), Tappan (1951), Todd (1953), Loeblich and Tappan (1953), Todd (1957), Rau (1963), Cooper (1964), and Todd and Low (1967) are primarily concerned with taxonomy, ecology and paleoecology, or the geologic age of assemblages from isolated outcrops. Almost no data have been published on foraminiferal correlations of measured sections and wells. The paucity of such information has prompted the synthesis and interpretation of foraminiferal data that provide the framework of correlation presented in this report. Some of the benthonic provincial stages that have been assigned to lower and middle parts of the Tertiary of other west coast areas are recognized for the Gulf of Alaska. Divisions for the upper part of the Tertiary are broad, but specific faunal occurrences are recognized as possible aids to correlations. Regional correlations presented in this report are necessarily broad and may be modified and redefined when new data become available from the current round of exploratory drilling for petroleum in the offshore part of the Gulf of Alaska Tertiary Province. It is anticipated that this report will be of particular interest to readers associated with petroleum exploration. As a convenience to them and because most foraminiferal data from wells, including those of this report, are from cuttings, all checklists are arranged to show plainly the highest occurrence of each species within each measured section and well. Furthermore, in conformity with these data, all sections and wells are described from the top to bottom. The text describes the stratigraphic and paleoecologic significance of foraminifers by biostratigraphic units and by individual sections and wells.

Alaska↗
USGS1977

The Guatemala earthquake and Caribbean Plate tectonics

The main fault along which the destructive Guatemala earthquake occurred was the Motagua fault. Ground breakage was observed in a continuous, well-defined line for 230 km. At its closest point, the fault is 25 km north of Guatemala City. Surface displacement across the fault was dominantly horizontal and sinistral (see back cover). The strike-slip component averaged 1.08m and was as high as 3.40m. Unlike many other earhtquake-related strike-slip displacements in the world (such as the San Andreas system in California), subsidiary faults, splays, and an echelon offsets are relatively rare along the Motagua fault. Most of the fault trace is marked by linear stream valleys, minor scarps, shutter ridges (a fault-displaced ridge which "shuts in" the adjacent canyon), and sag ponds (fault-formed depressions which fill with water).

Earthquake Information Bulletin (USGS)↗
USGS1977

Intrusive rocks of the Yakutat-St. Elias area, south-central Alaska

Twenty-three plutons, exposed over a total area of nearly 1200 km 2 , have been studied in the Alaska part of the St. Elias Mountains between long 138° and 141°W. Results of potassium-argon age determinations combined with field relations, petrography, and major- and trace-element chemistry suggest six major intrusive events: (1) late Paleozoic gabbro to quartz diorite intruded Paleozoic metamorphic rocks that are probably equivalent to the Kaskawulsh Group in adjacent areas of Canada, (2) Triassic quartz diorite formed one small pluton in undated metamorphic rocks near Mt. St. Elias, (3) Jurassic tonalite and granite intruded upper Paleozoic(?) and lower Mesozoic(?) metamorphic rocks, (4) Late Cretaceous or Tertiary altered tonalite formed three widely separated plutons in metasedimentary rocks of Jurassic(?) and Cretaceous age in the Yakutat Group, (5) Eocene granodiorite and granite, and (6) late Cenozoic tonalite and granodiorite intruded both the Yakutat Group and upper Paleozoic(?) and lower Mesozoic(?) metamorphic rocks. The Paleozoic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous or Tertiary plutonic suites are restricted to particular geologic terranes, and the Jurassic and Eocene suites correlate with regional plutonic belts present elsewhere in southern Alaska. The distribution of the Tertiary plutons does not require large-scale horizontal displacements along the Fairweather and other major high-angle faults. The available data indicate that the mineral resource potential of the Yakutat-St. Elias area is low for those deposits that are generally related to magmatic processes.

Alaska↗
USGS1977

Metamorphic rocks of the Yakutat-St. Elias area, south-central Alaska

Metamorphic rocks in the Yakutat-St. Elias area range in grade from zeolite to amphibolite facies. Radiometric age determinations on selected metamorphic rocks have helped to identify two major metamorphic events, one in Late Cretaceous time that was characterized by penetrative deformation, and one in the Miocene Epoch that resulted in widespread recrystallization and igneous intrusions. Mapped facies units show many discontinuities across major faults, and their distribution indicates major differential uplift between several structurally bound crustal blocks within a strongly deformed mobile belt west of the Art Lewis fault. Late Cretaceous metamorphic gradients indicate that the blocks have been tilted to the west or northwest parallel to their general structural grain. As mineral assemblages that were recrystallized during Miocene time occur on both sides of the Fairweather fault, large-scale, post-Miocene strike-slip movement along the fault is not indicated.

Alaska↗