Lithologies of Ball and Pillow Structures in the Middle to Late Ordovician Fairview Formation, Northern Kentucky

Ball and pillow structures, sediment masses that form as isolated pillows or balls , are found in the Middle to Late Ordovician Fairview Formation that outcrops near Maysville, Kentucky. The literature suggests these structures are the result of the shaking of sediment by earthquakes. Although most ball and pillow structures are found at the base of sandstones interbedded with mudstone, these structures consist of limestone wackestones and packstones associated with shale. Thin sections from the ball and pillow structures are noticeably different from thin sections of nearby undeformed areas. For example, the ball and pillow structures contain significantly more fossils, including mollusks and corals, than the undeformed areas. Thin sections will be used to visually estimate relative grain packing density and mean grain size. Point counts will be used to quantify the rocks\u27 compositions. This data will help us determine how lithology impacts this type of deformation