Blue Mesa Member Explained

Blue Mesa Member
Period:	Norian
Type:	member
Prilithology:	mudstone, sandstone
Region:	Colorado Plateau
Unitof:	Chinle Formation
Extent:

The Blue Mesa Member is a member of the Chinle Formation. It is located in the Petrified Forest National Park of northeast Arizona.^[1]

Geology

The colorful bands of mudstone and sandstone were laid down during the Triassic, when the area was part of a huge tropical floodplain.^[2]

See also

• Chinle Formation

Literature

• Blakey, and Ranney, 2008. Ancient Landscapes of the Colorado Plateau, Ron Blakey, Wayne Ranney, c 2008, Grand Canyon Association (publisher), 176 pages, with Appendix, Glossary, Index. Contains approximately 75 shaded topographic maps, for geology, etc., with 54 (23 pairs, (46)) for Colorado Plateau specifically; others are global, or North American.
• Utah DeLorme Atlas & Gazetteer, 7th Edition, c. 2010, 64 pages, pp. 24, 32.

Notes and References

1. Gehrels. George. Giesler. Dominique. Olsen. Paul. Kent. Dennis. Marsh. Adam. Parker. William. Rasmussen. Cornelia. Mundil. Roland. Irmis. Randall. Geissman. John. Lepre. Christopher. 2020-09-23. LA-ICPMS U–Pb geochronology of detrital zircon grains from the Coconino, Moenkopi, and Chinle formations in the Petrified Forest National Park (Arizona). Geochronology. English. 2. 2. 257–282. 10.5194/gchron-2-257-2020. free.
2. Web site: Lucas, S.: Restoration of late triassic landscapes at the petrified forest national park, Arizona . February 26, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160324172812/http://www.nature.nps.gov/geology//paleontology/pub/fossil_conference_6/lucas.htm . March 24, 2016 . bot: unknown .