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Produced by the NASA Center for Aerospace Information (CASI)
Post-Carboniferous Tectonics in the Anadarko Basin,

Oklahoma: Evidence from Side-Looking Radar Imagery

K. C. Nielsen

and

R. J. Stern

(NASA-CH-1754 5 8) FOST•-CARECIIIFERCUS NE5-1fi498

TECTONICS IN 4Nn ANADARKO EASIN, CKLABCNA:

EVIDENCE FROM SIDE — LOCKING SAIAR IMAGERY

(Texas Univ.) 18 p NC A02/MF A01 CSCL 17I Unclas

G3/43 14305

UTD Contribution No. 471

Programs in Geosciences

The University of Texas at Dallas

P. 0. Box 830688

Richardson, Texas 75083-0688

This report was prepared for the Jet Pro ,)ulsion Laboratory,

California Institute of Technology, sponsored by the National

Aeronautics and Space Administration.

SM
ABSTRACT

The Anadarko Basin is a WNW-ESE elongated trough filled with 10+ km of

Paleozoic sediments. Most models call for tectonic activity to end in

Pennsylvanian times. NASA Shuttle Imaging Radar (SIR-A) has revealed a

distinctive and very straight lineament set extending virtually the entire

length of the Anadarko Basin. The lineaments cut across the relatively

flat-lying Permian units exposed at the surface. The character of these

lineaments is seen most obviously as a tonal variation. Between the lineaments

there is a more poorly reflecting "gray" zone with better reflectors located

south and particularly north of the lineaments. Analysis of stream drainage and

topography suggests that the area between the lineaments is low in the west and

high in the east. Major streams, including the Washita and Little Washita

rivers, appear to be controlled by the location of the lineaments. Subsurface

data indicate the lineaments may be the updip expression of a buried major fault

system, the Mountain View Fault. This fault is characterized by Harlton (1963)

as southerly dipping; recent COCORP data suggest a shallow dip (30-40°). Two

principal conclusions arise from this analysis: (1) The complex Mountain View

Fault system appears to extend southeast to join the Reagan, Sulphur, and/or

Mill Creek Faults of the Arbuckle Mountains, and (2) This fault system has been

reactivated in Permian or younger tines. We infer that minor ,activation of

the Pennsylvanian faults has resulted in a subdued surficial expression of

buried structures which largely control the location of several oil fields in

the Anadarko Basin.
1. Introduction

The Anadarko Basin of western Oklahoma and the Texas Panhandle records a

complex tectonic history that spans the Late Precambrian and the Paleozoic era.

This basin is the deepest known in the continental United States, containing at

least 11.2 km of Phanerozoic sediments in its deepest parts (Rowland, 1974). It

continues to be a productive petroliferous province. Consequently, almost 3,000

papers and abstracts have been published dealing with some aspect of the geology

of the Anadarko Basin (McLaughlin, 1984). In spite of this very high level of

interest among geologists for reconstructing the sedimentological and structural

evolution of the Anadarko Basin, any number of unresolved problems persist.

With the development of shuttle-born side looking radar there is a new

perspective and scale at which to examine this important province. We report

here the principal results of our efforts to use side-looking radar images

acquired on the Space Shuttle "Columbia" (the SIR-A experiment) to help unravel

the latest stages in the tectonic evolution of the Anadarko Basin.

2. Geologic Setting

The Anadarko Basin is the northwestern part of the deformed Southern

Oklahoma Aulacogen (Hoffman, et al., 1974). It is strongly asymmetric, with

sediments dipping south at a relatively low angle off the northern shelf area

while the deepest part of the basin lies adjacent to or beneath the buried

Mountain View Fault on the north side of the Wichita Mountains (Figure 1). The

tectonic evolution of this region can be grossly subdivided into four

developmental stages. The first was a major episode of rifting accompanied by

extensive bimodal igneous activity, including gabbro, granite, and rhyolite.

These rocks give radiometric ages in the range 500-600 Ma and are flanked to the

north by 1370-1400 Ma gneiss and granite (Ham et al., 1964; Bickford and Lewis,

1979) and to the south by rocks of a 7-10 km deep Proterozoic Basin '(1200-1400

Ma?; Brewer et al., 1981). This stage represents the development of a rift
possibly the failed third arm of a triple junction associated with the opening

of a Cambrian ocean to the southeast (Burke and Dewey, 1973).

The second stage manifested broad subsidence over the rift as a result of

elastic flexure of the cooling lithosphere accompanied by differential

subsidence along reactivated faults of the rift (Feinstein, 1981). This

interval of subsidence lasted from late Cambrian through the Devonian. Quiet

water sedimentation is manifested by up to 3 km of shallow water carbonates,

quartz arenites, and shales.

The third stage reflects the severe orogenic disturbances affecting much of

the southern mid-continent, possibly resulting from the collision of North

America with Gondwanaland (Kluth and Coney, 1981). A series of south-dipping

reverse faults on the south side of the Anadarko Basin were developed at this

time; these record a cumulative vertical offset of over 10 km (Brewer et al.,

1983). Up to 5 km of Pennsylvanian flysch and related sediments were deposited

in the Anadarko Basin which persisted as a depocenter through the Pennsylvanian.

The fourth and final stage in the evolution of the Anadarko Basin is

represented by post-orogenic sediments, principally of Permian age. These can

be over 1 km thick and include evaporites, shale, and minor • conglomerate (Jordan

and Vosburg, 1963). Scattered outcrops of Cretaceous and Tertiary sediments are

found in the far western parts of the basin and Quaternary alluvium occupies

flood plains. Until recently, orogenic activity was believed to have stopped at

the beginning of the Permian. Observations from SIR-A data and the work of

Gilbert (1983) and others suggest more recent activity.

3. SIR-A and Airborne Radar Imagery

In November 1981, side-looking radar coverage of the Anadarko Basin was

obtained by the Space Shuttle Columbia (Cimino and Elachi, 1982). Briefly, the

system employed the L-band (23 cm wavelength) with HH polarization. The look 

direction of 47.2 0 off nadir was to the north enabling a swath of about 50 km

RtP — "r TM—Yrg.'..ark Wx`^^`°""'_Yww'*Re." 'w_ --•.w... ...^,^.^._^.v.uu^—+•--^--`_
width to be continuously imaged (Figure 2). Data take 24 B imaged the Anadarko

Basin and the Arbuckles along a N60W-S6OE axis. Data take 22 imaged the

westernmost part of the basin along a N65E-S65W axis (Figures 1 & 2).

Subsequently, the region covered by data take 24 8 between 99°30' and 96°W was

the subject of . 3 September 1983 airborne radar study, using the JPL/NASA L-band

synthetic aperture radar (SAR) system aboard the Galileo II, a CV-990 aircraft.

Four swaths, each about 14 km wide, were imaged from approximately 35,000 feet

with a south-directed look-angle of 15 to 70° (off nadir). Data was correlated

optically for the entire study area and a small portion was correlated digitally

(Figure 3). The results of these experiments provide the basis for the

following discussion.

4. Principal Radar Lineaments of the Anadarko Basin

The principal result of this study is the recognition of three N60W

trending lineaments in the Anadarko Basin on the SIR-A images. These

lineaments, L 1 , L 2 , and L 3 (Figure 2) extend from the northwest flank of the

Arbuckle Mountains at least as far west as Elk City, Oklahoma, a distance of

about 175 km; they may extend into the Texas Panhandle. The lineaments are

defined by relative differences in radar backscatter' across them. More

specifically L 3 is most clearly visible northeast of the Slick Hills (Figure 2).

Here L 3 is the boundary between a bright area (strong radar return) to the south

and a darker band to the north. L 2 is the most continuous of the three

lineaments and is characterized by a brighter return to the north. The dark

band between L 3 and L. is very distinctive northeast of the Slick Hills (Figure

2). L 1 , like L 3 , has the darker radar albedo to the north.

In.data take 22 the look direction is towards the northwest (Figure 2).

i

Where this crosses data take 24 B the appearance of the three lineaments is less

well defined, suggesting that local surface roughness is not a likely

explanation. Rather, local slope variations related to northwest trending
divides may account for these albedo variations. This proposed slope variation

is not a simple relationship. In the west, near Elk City, the drainage patterns

indicate that L 1 corresponds to a local high which has a strong reflection from

the south dipping slope. This high area gives way to a low area towards the

southeast (Figure 2). The Washita River cuts across this lineament and then

follows it from Carnegie to east of Fort Cobb (Figure 2). In this area L. loses

definition such that L. southeast of Anadarko corresponds to an alignment of

tributaries of the Washita River and a gradual change in albedo. L. appears to

be a drainage low in the west near Mountain View (Figure 2). To the southeast

L 2 becomes a drainage divide; southeast of Anadarko the south facing slope has

a dark radar albedo. L 3 principally follows a drainage low.

The lineaments are also apparent on the airborne SAR data. Digital

correlation of radar coverage for a small area southwest of the city of Anadarko

is shown in Figure 3. Lineament L 2 is apparent by the backscatter contrast from

north to south. The terrain south of L. has a higher radar albedo than to the

north opposite of the SIR-A. Since the SAR imagery was taken with a south look

direction and the SIR-A with a north look direction, this tends to confirm the

hypothesis that the lineaments are the result of changes iA slope across them.

Two areas were examined to evaluate the relationship between the lineaments

and 'local geology, including available subsurface information. In the east the

three lineaments pass through an important oil field near Cement (Figure 4). In

this area, some of the youngest Permian units of the Anadarko Basin are exposed.

The lineaments appear to cut across the formation boundaries. There is a

suggestion that the shales and gypsum of the Cloud Chief Formation may be

localized between L 2 and L 3 . Topographically, the lineaments correspond to

local drainages (Cross Section A-A', Figure 4). From L 3 to L2 the elevation

increases from approximately 1300 feet (433 m) to greater than 1400 feet (467 m)

over a horizontal distance of 4.5 miles (8 km). From L 2 to L1 the elevation
drops slightly, but remains near 1400 feet (467 m). In the subsurface there is

approximately 3000 feet (1000 m) of Permian strata covering a folded and faulted

Pennsylvanian section (Figure 3). The topographic high associated with L.

corresponds to a significant fault block (Harlton, 1960). This subsurface

structure is a faulted dome which extends for at least two townships in a

northwest direction. L 2 follows the axis of this subsurface dome.

In the west near Mountain View, the geological picture is more complex

(Figure 5). In the northern portion of the map, flat-lying Permian units are

near the axis of the Anadarko Basin. L 1 follows this trend to Elk City where

the youngest Permian unit, the Elk 'City Sandstone, crops out forming a

topographic high (Figure 2). In the southern portion of the map, the outcrop

pattern suggests inclined units. The Marlow Formation, the Dog Creek Shale, and

others form narrow outcrop stripes trending east-west with "V's" indicating a

northerly dip. These units vary from the usual 1 0 dip to as steep as 15-300

(K. Johnson, pers. comm., 1984). Quaternary terrace deposits rest unconformably

on these northerly dipping units. The change in orientation of the strata

occurs between L 2 and L 3 . More significantly, however, is the existence of

Permian or younger faults such as the southeast-trending faults on the west side

of the map (Figure 5). These faults cut rocks of the Guadalupe Series (Kazarian

Age, Late Permian). The topographic profile along B-B' reveals a nearly

constant elevation between L 3 and L 2 (slightly less than 1500 feet, 500 m).

Between L 2 and L 1 the elevation increases to greater than 1550 feet (510 m)

associated with the flat-lying Rush Springs and Cloud Chief Formation. In the

subsurface, L 3 corresponds to the southern limit of the complex fault zone

associated with the Mountain View Fault (Figure 5). L 2 is just to the north of

this subsurface fault. The cross section also illustrates the fact that the

early Permian unconformity is cut by one of the faults, although the subsurface

location does not correspond well with the mapped surface faults.
5. Discussion

We interpret these lineaments to be the surface expression of minor

reactivations of buried major faults in the Anadarko'Basin as manifested in

minor faults or changes in bedding in the Pennian cover. The existence of the

buried major fault is well documented from drilling results (Harlton 1960, 1963,

1972) and COCORP seismic profiles (Brewer et al., 1983); structural relief of

up to 7 km occurs across these faults (Harlton, 1972). This fault system is

complex in plan, but is generally characterized by a series of subparallel high

angle reverse faults which trend N70W to N40W across the southern margin of the

Anadarko Basin. The Permian cover over'these faults is on the order of 0.5 to 1

km thick.

There is some evidence for rejuvenation of these Pennsylvanian faults. The

Meers Fault to the south is parallel with the lineaments and has clearly had

very recent movement, possibly in the Quaternary (Donovan et al., 1983). West

of Mountain View, a system of N70W faults affects the Lower Permian El Reno

Group (Carr and Bergman, 1976; Figure 5). Units southwest and southeast of

Mountain View are locally faulted and show a steepening of dip to the north,

interpreted as flexure or drape folding over units that failed at depth

(K. Johnson, pers. comm., 1984). These faults and associated monoclines

correspond to the zone between L 3 and L 2 (Figure 5). The connection of these

with faults and monoclines to a long lineament trend has escaped notice,

possibly because of low relief, relatively incompetent beds, and dense

vegetation cover.

We also note that the lineaments L 1 , L 2 , and L 3 are the on-strike

continuation of WNW-ESE trending faults in the Arbuckle Mountains; respectively

the Reagan, Mill Creek, and Sulphur Faults. On this basis, we suggest that the

lineaments observed on the SIR-A image manifest a fault system extending from

the Arbuckles to the Texas Panhandle. This interpretation differs from those of
o;

previous investigators, such as Harlton (1963) and Ham et al. (1964), who show

no connection between the faults of the Arbuckles and those on the south side of

the Anadarko Basin. Intriguingly, Harlton (1972) shows the extension of the

Mountain View and Cordell Faults east of 98 0 E, to within 80 km of the Arbuckle

Faults. The subsurface trace of the Cordell Fault corresponds closely.with the

lineament L l and the Mountain View Fault corresponds to L 2 . The on strike

extension of the Mountain View Fault passes through the Cement Oil Field. The

area between L 1 and L 2 is referred to as the Cordell Fold Belt by Harlton

(1972). In light of Harlton's (1972) revised interpretation of the subsurface

data and our interpretation of the SIR-A imagery, we suggest that Arbuckle and

Anadarko Basin faults are colinear and coterminous members of a single, albeit

complex, fault system.

The COCORP results suggest that the Mountain View Fault system can be

traced to depths as great as 24 km (Brewer, et al., 1983). The proposed length

and depth of these faults makes these significant on the continental scale (-U24

km x ? 175 km). Adjustments in plate motion during the Mesozoic or Tertiary

may well be reflected by local adjustments along these preexisting planes of

weakness. The length, the relative straightness, and the pattern of local

uplift and down dropped sections suggest strike-slip motion. Interpretation of

recent movement on the Meers Fault south of the Slick Hills (Figure 2) includes

normal (down to the south) and some left lateral separation (Donovan, et al.,

1983). The relative importance of strike-slip vs. compressional overthrusting

in this region has been explored by others (e.g., Brewer et al., 1983; Tanner,

1967; Walper, 1970; Kluth and Coney, 1981); we will only note that our

results. support models calling for some late component of fault motion to be

strike-slip.'

Finally, we note that the SIR-A images may be a valuable tool in petroleum

exploration. This region has long been one of the most active and prolific oil
producing regions in North America (Evans. 1979). Much of the production comes

from structural traps associated with the buried Pennsylvanian faults. The

delineation of these traps has been exs4„nsive and time consuming. We note that

the slight surface expression of these faults observed on the radar images

indicates this technique may be of value to the detection of buried faults and

thus to the recognition of regional structural features and petroleum structural

traps.
References

Bickford, M. E. and Lewis, R. D., 1979, U-Pb geochronology of exposed basement

rocks in Oklahoma: Geological Society of America Bulletin, Y. 900

p. 540-544.

Brewer, J. A., Brown, L. D., Steiner, D., Oliver, J. E., Kaufman, S., and

Denison, R. E., 1981, A Proterozoic basin in the southern midcootinent of

the United States revealed by COCORP deep seismic reflection

profiling: Geology, Y. 9, p. 569-575.

Brewer, J. A., Good, R., Oliver, J. E., Brown, L. D., and Kaufman, S., 1983,

COCORP profiling across the Southern Oklahoma aulacogen: Overthrusting of

the Wichita Mountains and compression within the Anadarko Basin: Geology,

v. 11, p. 109-114.

Burke, K. and Dewey, J. F., 1973 0 Pl-ume generated triple junctions: Key

indicators in applying plat y tectonics to old rocks: Journal of Geology,

v. 81, p. 406-433.

Carr, J. E. and Bergman, D. L., 1976, Reconnaissance of the water resources of

the Clinton Quadrangle, west-central Oklahoma: Oklahoma Geological Survey

Hydrographic Atlas 05, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

Cimino, J. B. and Elachi, C., 1982, Shuttle Imaging Radar - A (SIR-A)

experiment, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Jet Propulsion

Laboratory, Pasadena, California, Publication 82-77, 174 p.

Donovan, R. N., Gilbert, M. C., Luza, K. V., Marcini, D., and Sanderson, D. J.,

1983, Possible Quaternary Movement on the Meers Fault, Southwestern

Oklahoma, Oklahoma Geology Notes, v. 43, no. 5, p. 124-133.

Evans, J. L., 1979, Major structural and stratigraphic features of the Anadarko

Basin, in Hyne, N. D., ed., Pennsylvannian sandstones of the

mid-continent: Tulsa Geological Society Special Publication, no. 1,

p. 97-113.

Feinstein, S., 1981, Subsidence and thermal history of Southern Oklahoma

aulacogen: Implications for petroleum exploration: American Association of

Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 65, p. 2521-2533.

Gilbert, M. C., 1983, The Meers Fault: Unusual aspects and possible tectonic

consequences, Geological Society of America, Abst. and Progs., v. 15,

no. 1, P. 1.

Ham, W. E., Denison, R. E., and Merritt, C. A., 1964, Basement rocks and

structural evolution of southern Oklahoma: Oklahoma Geological Survey

Bulletin 95, 302 p.
He-Iton, B. H., 1960, Stratigraphy of Cement pool and adjacent area, Caddo and

Grady Counties, Oklahoma: American Association of Petroleum Geologists

Bulletin, v. 44, p. 210-226.

Harlton, B. A., 1963, Frontal Wichita fault system of southwestern Oklahoma:

American Association of Petroleum Geologists Bulletin, v. 47, p. 1552-1580.

Harlton, B. A., 1972, Faulted fold belts of southern Anadarko Basin adjacent to

Frontal Wichitas: American Association of Petroleum Geologists.Bulletin,

v. 56, p. 1544-1551.

Havens, J. S., 1977, Reconnaissance of the water resources of the Lawton

Quadrangle, Southwestern Oklahoma, Oklahoma Geological Survey, Hydrologic

Atlas N6, The University of Oklahoma, Norman, Oklahoma.

Hoffman, P. F., Dewey, J. F., and Burke, K., 1974, Aulacogens and their genetic

relationship to geosynclines with a Proterozoic example from the Great

Slave Lake, Canada, in Dott, R. H.; ane Shaver, R. H., eds., Modern and

ancient geosynclinal sedimentation: Society of Economic Paleontologists

and Mineralogists Special Publication 19, p. 38-55.

Jordan L. and Vosburg, D. L.: 1963, Permian salt and associated evaporites in

the Anadarko Basin of the western Oklahoma-Texas panhandle region:

Oklahoma Geological Survey Bulletin 102, p. 76.

Kluth, C. F. and Coney, P. J., 1981, Plate tectonics of the Ancestral Rocky

Mountains: Geology, v. 9, p. 10-15.

McLaughlin, J. E., 1984, Annotated bibliography of the Anadarko Basin area,

Kansas - Oklahoma - Texas: Geological Information Library of Dallas

Publication 7, p. 334.

Rowland, T. L., 1974, Lone Star I Rogers Unit captures world depth record:

Oklahoma Geology Notes, v. 34, p. 185-189.

Tanner, J. H., 1965, Wrench fault movements along the Washita Valley Fault,

Arbuckle Mountain area, Oklahoma: American Association of Petroleum

Geologists Bulletin, v. 51, p. 126-134.

Walper, J. L., 1970, Wrench faulting in the midcontinent: Shale Shaker, v. 21,

p. 32-40.
FIGURE CAPTIONS

Figure 1. Tectonic elements of Oklahoma and the two flight lines of SIR-A.

Figure 2. SIR-A Data Takes 22 and 24 B with sketch showing principal

drainages, the three lineaments observed in Data Take 24 B, towns and mountains.

The shaded areas indicate positive drainage areas. The diagonal lines mark

the overlap between data takes.

Figure 3. Digitally correlated SAR data for an area southwest of Anadarko (V-V

polarization).

Figure 4. The Cement Area of Oklahoma. Geologic map is 'after Havens, 1977.

Topographic profile A-A' from existing topographic maps. Subsurface structure

along a portion of A-A' after Harlton (1960).

Figure 5. The Mountain View Area of Oklahoma. Geologic map is after Carr, and

r

Bergman, 1976. Topographic profile B-B' from existing topographic maps.

Subsurface structure along a portion of B-B' after Harlton (1963).

12
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