Geological Features of the Connecticut Central Basin

Mesozoic Era (235 million years ago) plate tectonic process reversedPangaea began to break apartAtlantic Ocean Began to formAvalonia was firmly attached to North AmericaRift Basins began to form on each side of the

breakupThe Newark terrain in central Connecticut is the

eroded remains of one of these basinsContains 200 million year old sedimentary rocks and

intrusion basalt from lava flows

Formation

Formation cont.

Formation cont.

As Pangaea broke apart rift basins began to form

Sediments form the local western and eastern eroded into the basin

Formation cont.

Sedimentary rock- Is formed by the deposition and consolidation of sediments and organic material that settle out of solution and is laid in layers

Formation cont.

Rt. 9 Middletown

Layers of sediment

Layers of sediment

Layers of sediment

Intrusive Basaltic rock - molten rock magma that moves from inside the earth to the surface into present rock

Formation cont.

Sleeping Giant State Park

Sleeping Giant is located just north of New Haven in Hamden Connecticut

Location

Sleeping Giant State Park

Named by Native Americans of the Quinnipiac Tribe

Mt. resembles a sleeping giant 2.75 miles longHighest point 739 ft (225m)Over 30 miles of hiking trailsObservation tower built at the

peak in 1936 by WPA ( Works Progress Administration) (CT D.E.P. 2009)

Sleeping Giant Information

Map

Fault Block Mt. that formed over 200 million years ago

Composed of trap rock (Basalt)

Why Sleeping Giant State Park?

Evidence of Tectonic ActivityCliff at Giant’s Head 400ft

Bottom of Cliff

Close up view of Basaltic rock at bottom cliff

Evidence of Tectonic Activity cont.

Larger Basaltic Rock

View from the Giant’s Chin

http://www.ct.gov/Dep/cwp/view.asp?A=2716&Q=325264 (2009)

Work Cited

Write a paragraph and explain the three steps of how the Connecticut river was formed

Assessment