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1. Dinosaur Track Study
The Sedimentology and Palynology of Dinosaur Track-Bearing Siliciclastics in the Ross River Area, Yukon
Grant Lowey
Yukon Geological Survey
Darrel Long
Laurentian University
Art Sweet
Geological Survey of Canada-Calgary
Museum-quality dinosaur tracks and track-ways were discovered near Ross River, Yukon, in 1999 by Roland Gangloff and Kevin May of the University of Alaska (Fairbanks, Alaska). The tracks occur in siliciclastic sedimentary rocks located north of Tintina fault that were mapped as Eocene in age, but are now thought to be Cretaceous in age.
The main purpose of this project is to describe and document the sedimentology of dinosaur track-bearing rocks in the Ross River area, and to determine the age of the sediments based on paleopalynology. The project is in collaboration with Darrel Long of Laurentian University (Sudbury, Ontario) and Art Sweet of the Geological Survey of Canada (Calgary, Alberta). In addition, the project will provide constraints on the timing and amount of offset on Tintina fault by comparing the Ross River sediments to lithologically similar deposits in the Indian River area (located south of Dawson City and south of Tintina Fault). The objectives of the project are to determine the geologic setting (i.e., depositional environment, age and flora) of the dinosaur tracks, which will aid a detailed study of the size, shape and number of dinosaur tracks by Roland Gangloff and Kevin May, and John Storer of the Department of Tourism, Government of Yukon.
The final product from this project will be a report that describes and interprets the sedimentology and palynology of the dinosaur track-bearing rocks. The Department of Tourism is also planning an interpretative display of the dinosaur track site.
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