ORIGIN OF THE TRIASSIC TROUGH OF 

 CONNECTICUT 



WILBUR G. FOYE 



Wesleyan University, Middletown, Connecticut 



The paper by Professor W. M. Davis on "The Triassic Forma- 

 tion of Connecticut "^ has long been regarded as a masterpiece in 

 geologic literature. So well was the work done that Kttle has been 

 added to the knowledge of the Newark formation in Connecticut 

 since its publication. Professor Davis did not, however, reach a 

 definite conclusion concerning the origin of the trough within which 

 the Newark sediments collected. Two hj^otheses have been most 

 widely held to explain the origin of the depression. It is the pur- 

 pose of this paper to state briefly the field facts which bear upon 

 these hypotheses and to suggest a method of research which may 

 aid in the solution of the problem. 



The two hypotheses referred to are: (i) the depression was 

 formed by a gradual bending downward of a canoe-shaped trough 

 without faulting movements (Fig. i), and (2) the depression was 

 developed by faulting movements on each side of the depression 

 sedimentation (Fig. 2). Both of these hypotheses were suggested 

 by Professor Davis in his report.^ The fundamental h3q)othesis 

 may be modified by certain limiting conditions. Professor Davis 

 was inclined to believe that the formation of the trough was not 

 accompanied by faulting. He also held that the original area 

 covered by the Newark deposit was not much greater than that over 

 which the series outcrops today.^ Professor Grabau, while agreeing 

 with Professor Davis in part, believes that a vast geosynclinal 

 wedge extended from the eastern folds of the Old Appalachian 

 Mountains, and that the present areas "are mere erosion remnants 



' Eighteenth Annual Report, U.S. Geol. Stirv. (1897), Part II, pp. 1-192. 

 ^ Ibid., pp. 37-38. ilbid., p. 191. 



690 



