Paleozoic-aged rocks dip toward the west and are located in the subsurface over much of the state. Luckily, in the southeastern corner of Nebraska, Pennsylvanian and Early Permian rocks crop out to the surface, largely due to the Humboldt Fault and Missouri River which allowed for the uplift and subsequent eroding away of younger sediment. The geologic map below indicates where we can see Pennsylvanian and Permian rocks in Nebraska, followed by descriptions of the various rock units.
Click the image above to see a closer view of the southeast corner of Nebraska.
During the Pennsylvanian and Permian (late Paleozoic Era), the earth was glaciated at the South Pole. As glaciers waxed and waned, global sea level oscillated. Repeated rising and falling of sea level has created a series of cyclical deposits that geologists call cyclothems. To learn more about cyclothems CLICK HERE.
PALEOZOIC ROCKS EXPOSED IN NEBRASKA
** For more information on the Paleozoic rocks exposed in Nebraska, see:
Maher, H.D., Engelmann, G.F., and Shuster, R.D., 2003, Roadside Geology of Nebraska, Mountain Press Publishing Company, 264p.
Burchett, R.R., 1983, Surface to Subsurface Correlation of Pennsylvanian and Lower Permian Rocks Across Southern Nebraska, Report of Investigations No.8, University of Nebraska-Conservation and Survey Division, 99p.