What fossils are in Coconino Sandstone?
The only fossils preserved within the Permian-age Coconino Sandstone are trace fossils. Footprints, tracks, and burrows created by prehistoric vertebrate and invertebrate animals indicate life in a vast, sandy desert. This is a photo of reptile tracks, which are common in the Coconino Sandstone.
How old is the Coconino Sandstone?
about 260 million years old
Coconino Sandstone – This layer averages about 260 million years old and is composed of pure quartz sand, which are basically petrified sand dunes. Wedge-shaped cross bedding can be seen where traverse-type dunes have been petrified. The color of this layer ranges from white to cream colored.
During which period did the Coconino Sandstone form?
Permian
It consists primarily of fine well-sorted quartz grains, with minor amounts of potassium feldspar grains deposited by eolian processes (wind-deposited) approximately 275 million years ago….Coconino Sandstone.
| Coconino Sandstone Stratigraphic range: Permian | |
|---|---|
| Type | Sedimentary |
| Sub-units | Harding Point Sandstone Member, Cave Spring Sandstone |
Are there dinosaur fossils in the Grand Canyon?
What about dinosaur fossils? Not at Grand Canyon! The rocks of the canyon are older than the oldest known dinosaurs. To see dinosaur fossils, the Triassic-aged Chinle Formation on the Navajo Reservation and at Petrified Forest National Park is the nearest place to go.
What is the name of the geologic formation that makes up the Coconino Plateau?
Toroweap Formation (slopes and cliffs) crops out between massive cliffs the Kaibab Formation (above) and Coconino Sandstone (below) on Grand Canyon’s South Rim.
What kind of landscape formed the Coconino Sandstone?
dune desert
The Coconino Sandstone was a Sahara-like sand sea, called an erg. It was a wind-blown dune desert that stretched from present-day Arizona all the way to Canada.
How thick is the Coconino Sandstone?
51.6 feet
Coconino Sandstone. Chiefly a cliff-forming, white, fine- to medium-grained, cross-bedded sandstone. Thickness 51.6 feet (15.7 m).
Why are there no dinosaurs in the Grand Canyon?
There are no dinosaur bones in the Grand Canyon The rock that makes up the canyon walls is vastly more ancient than the dinosaurs – about a billion years more ancient, in some cases – but the canyon itself probably didn’t form until after the dinosaurs were long gone.
What is Kaibab Formation Grand Canyon?
The Kaibab Formation is well-known and easily visible at both the north and south rims of the Grand Canyon, where it forms the resistant cap rock of the canyon. The Kaibab limestone forms the uppermost cliffs of the canyon, with the slopes and ledges of the Toroweap formation below.
What is the Coconino Sandstone?
Coconino Sandstone is a geologic formation named after its exposure in Coconino County, Arizona. This formation spreads across the Colorado Plateau province of the United States, including northern Arizona, northwest Colorado, Nevada, and Utah . Vertebrate tracks known as Chelichnus gigas from the Coconino Sandstone in Grand Canyon.
What is the name of the Sandstone Formation in Arizona?
Coconino Sandstone is a geologic formation named after its exposure in Coconino County, Arizona. This formation spreads across the Colorado Plateau province of the United States, including northern Arizona, northwest Colorado, Nevada, and Utah . This rock formation is particularly prominent in the Grand Canyon,…
What are vertebrate tracks in the Grand Canyon?
Vertebrate tracks known as Chelichnus gigas from the Coconino Sandstone in Grand Canyon. This rock formation is particularly prominent in the Grand Canyon, where it is visible as a prominent white cliff-forming layer.