Aviston Anticline (Discarded)

Location

Northwestern Clinton County

References

Bell 1941

Description

Bell's (1941) structure map of the Herrin Coal Member (Pennsylvanian) showed an east-trending nose with a small area of closure in Sections 23 and 24, T2N, R5W. From the crest of the fold southward, the coal was mapped as dropping 100 feet (30 m) in less than 1 mile (1.6 km); relief is much gentler on the north limb. No more recent structure maps of the coal in this area are available, and the Aviston Anticline is not present on deeper horizons. The structure map of the Beech Creek ("Barlow") Limestone (ISGS open files) shows an east-southeast dipping homocline with a dip of approximately 30 feet per mile in this area. A uniform east-southeast dip also is portrayed on a structure map of the Karnak Limestone Member (R. Howard, ISGS, unpublished mapping). The Aviston Anticline, if it exists, is confined to Pennsylvanian strata. The existence of this structure is insufficiently demonstrated to warrant retention of the name and it should be discarded.