Current Research

2014 – Present – Global Correlation of the Late Ordovician, Katian Ka3 Stage Slice

The Ka3 Stage Slice of the Ordovician is a dynamic time paleoecologically, geochemically and sedimentologically although this interval as a whole is widely understudied. During this time, we can see the continuation of the Great Ordovician Biodiversification Event (GOBE) which resulted in an explosion of marine life diversity. We also see evidence for a ”Richmondian Invasion” (RI) in the Waynesville Formation of the Cincinnati Arch which saw dozens of marine organisms migrate into the region from elsewhere. During the Ka3 was also see large perturbations in the carbon cycle, with a large positive excursion at the base of the stage, and a sharp negative excursion at its top. Ongoing research funded by Fulbright, Dry Dredgers, AAPG and AAPS is looking to correlate the Ka3 from the Cincinnati Arch to paleobasins around the world using chemostratigraphy, biostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy. The goal is to be able to assess the global Ordovician system during the Ka3 and how these different biological, chemical and environmental events progressed in different parts of the world. This work is being done in collaboration with Carl Brett (University of Cincinnati), Benjamin Dattilo (Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne), and André Desrochers (University of Ottawa).

2012 – Present –  A Comprehensive Study of the Late Ordovician (Katian; Richmondian) Butter Shale Lagerstätten

The Late Ordovician of the Cincinnati Arch is home to a large number of clay rich deposits colloquially referred to as butter shales. These deposits are most commonly known for their excellent preservation of articulated trilobites (prone and enrolled), articulated bivalves (with periostrium intact) along with cephalopods and other fossils. Much of the research in the past has focused on the trilobites and bivalves. Ongoing research funded by the Clay Mineral Society and the Dry Dredgers, is looking to studying the sedimentology and microstratigraphy of different butter shale horizons using x-ray diffraction (for mineralogy), x-ray fluorescence (for chemistry), scanning electron microscope (for sediment structure) and polished slabs / thin sections (for microstratigraphy and sedimentology).The goal will be to ascertain how these butter shale horizons compare/differ and to further understand how these deposits formed. This research is being conducted in collaboration with Carl Brett (University of Cincinnati), Benjamin Dattilo (Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne), and Warren Huff (University of Cincinnati).

2014 – Present – Carbonate Petrology and Neomorphism of the Late Ordovician Marble Hill and Cato Gastropod Beds

The Late Ordovician, Waynesville and Liberty formations of Kentucky contain a number of horizons referred to as Marble Hill Gastropod Beds due to the unusually high abundance of molds of the gastropod Loxoplocus. In addition to their abundance, a number of these gastropods preserve relict aragonite structures despite the Ordovician being a time of calcite seas and being neomorphosed. Previous work in the 70s mapped the extent of these deposits and interpreted them as shoals, but little has been done to study the reasons behind the gastropod deposits, or their remarkable preservation. Ongoing work funded by the Dry Dredgers and Fulbright, is using thin sections, cathodoluminescence microscopy, geochemistry and scanning electron microscopy to better understand the process by which these gastropods were neomorphosed and why gastropods were occurring in such large quantities in these areas. To assist with this research, samples of modern and Pleistocene gastropods from San Salvador Island, Bahamas have also been collected. This research is being conducted in collaboration with Carl Brett (University of Cincinnati), Benjamin Dattilo (Indiana University Purdue University Fort Wayne), and André Desrochers (University of Ottawa).

Completed Research

2010 – 2012 – Geotechnical Mapping of Dinosaur Tracks at the Dinosaur Footprint Reservation in Holyoke, Massachusetts 

The Dinosaur Footprint Reservation is home to hundreds of Early Jurassic aged dinosaur tracks of various genera including Eubrontes and Grallator. This research utilized differential GPS, total station, digital photography, ground penetrating radar and GIS to create digital maps of dinosaur tracks, ripple marks and log fossils from which accurate data could be collected. In other words, we created maps where each dinosaur track is oriented, sized and shaped accurately to what you would see in the field. This allows for data to be collected from the lab and also allows that maps to be used a vertical outcrops which educators could use in the classroom. It also serves to help preserve the trackways which have worn overtime due to the heavy foot traffic of visitors and vandals. This research also demonstrates a method to map trackways or similar features accurately even in the absence of LIDAR technology. Although hundreds of tracks are present at the site, we focused on the 130 larger, more visible tracks to demonstrate the method. Our data was eventually combined with Dr. Patrick Getty’s data in a recent publication outlining the unique story represented by this site.