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Michigan Structural Basin and Its Relationship to Surrounding Areas

1932; American Association of Petroleum Geologists; Volume: 16; Linguagem: Inglês

10.1306/3d932a4e-16b1-11d7-8645000102c1865d

1558-9153

George W. Pirtle,

Geological formations and processes

The Michigan basin is a broad structural and sedimentary basin probably originating in pre-Cambrian time. It is slightly rectangular in form, trending northwest and southeast, with its deepest point near the center of the southern peninsula of Michigan. It extends approximately 450 miles east and west, and almost the same distance north and south. The rocks dip toward the center at the rate of 30-35 feet per mile. Its sedimentary and structural history is closely related to the large positive elements of the Cincinnati, Kankakee, and Wisconsin arches. These features are outlined on a structural map contoured on the Trenton limestone. Folds within the Michigan basin have a persistent northwest-southeast parallel trend and may be traced through a distance of 40-60 miles. Th ir origin is believed to be closely related to the early history of the basin itself, being controlled by trends of folding or lines of structural weakness which existed in the basement rocks.