Mapping at high resolution

Geologic mapping has been a traditional tool of Earth science; the distribution of exposed rock types provides a key constraint to any discussion about the processes that formed the rocks. Generally, a map provides great insight as to the spatial and temporal nature of Earth materials. And because geology exerts great influence on ecosystems and land use, a geologic map provides extended benefits to those wishing to understand a location.

The eastern Wichita Mountains offer near-continuous exposure of Cambrian rift magmatic products. These are only partially obscured by younger sediments, including Permian conglomerate, sandstone, and claystone as well as Quaternary alluvium. Therefore, accurate mapping provides tremendous insight into the geometry and interrelationships of shallow plutons and dikes, and document the timing of intrusions through cross-cutting relationships.

The eastern Wichita Mountains were mapped as part of the Lawton 1:100 000 Sheet published by the Oklahoma Geological Survey (Stanley and Miller, 2004); the result included a GIS data set as well as a printed map. My group is working to improve our knowledge by mapping a subset of the Lawton Sheet at 1:24 000 or better resolution. This is being directly recorded within an ArcGIS project.

The map is a work in progress; the image includes updates through March of 2022 (Price, 2022). Key contributors to this effort included Amber Quevy's work on lowland dikes, Alex Stevenson's thesis on anomalous granites within the Quanah pluton, Megan Schmidt's thesis on the Cache Granite, and most recently, Aarrron Hillard's thesis work on the Craterville facies of the Quanah Pluton.

Price, J.D., 2022, High Resolution Digital Mapping of the Eastern Wichita Mountains, Southern Oklahoma: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 54, doi:10.1130/abs/2022SC-373560.

Stanley, T.M., and Miller, G.W., 2004, Geologic map of the Oklahoma part of the Altus 30’ X 60’ quadrangle, Greer, Harmon, Jackson, and Tillman Counties, Oklahoma: Oklahoma Geological Survey Map OGQ-59, scale Cartographers: _:n2086.