The study will focus on petrographic and geochemical properties of thick Carboniferous sandstones in Illinois and their burial/cementation history. The study will examine and sample sedimentary cores for petrographic and geochemical analysis. The results of this petrographic study will be used to build up a regional database and create isocontour maps of data detailing different diagenetic trends within these sandstones. Experience in sedimentology and completion of GEOL440 would be an advantage. Project to begin Fall 2015, but with possibilities of summer 2015 work.

Advisors: Nathan Webb and Jared Freiberg (ISGS) and Jim Best