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Revisiting the Sundance Sea: Applying CT (computed tomography) as a complementary method for characterizing middle Jurassic thrombolites, Cody, Wyoming
Baker, Mitchell D
Baker, Mitchell D
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t25037_Baker.pdf
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2025-12-01
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This pilot study describes the use of CT (computed tomography) in visualizing thrombolites to examine the composition of the Middle Jurassic strata in Wyoming and make inferences about the paleoecology of these organosedimentary structures. The study site near Cody, Wyoming, represents an ancient coastline that is dominated by thrombolitic patch reefs. CT and μCT provides a nondestructive analysis to detail the internal structure, grain characteristics, texture, and growth patterns of the thrombolites. CT not only constructs high-resolution 2D images, but also 3D recreations that visualize variation in surficial texture. For microbialite identification, both CT and μCT are excellent methods to identify lamination, clots, grains, distribution of clasts, and general microbialite type.
Based on the CT scans, the thrombolite samples are determined to be primarily homogeneous in texture and density, with oolitic/oncoidal grains in a laminated region/crust located at the top and outer edges of the thrombolites. This change in texture is attributed to a paleoenvironmental shift that may have led to diagenetic modification, altered growth patterns, or detrital binding. Results from this study suggest that future research with thrombolites would benefit from μCT using billet-sized portions of the thrombolite samples to detail grain characteristics and additional textural analysis with SEM to account for detail lost from CT.
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Thesis (M.S.)-- Wichita State University, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Dept. of of Geology
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Wichita State University
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© Copyright 2025 by Mitchell D Baker
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