Jean M. Self-Trail
Jean joined the USGS in 1986 and has spent the last four years perfecting
her knowledge of Mesozoic and Cenozoic calcareous nannofossils. She specializes
in biostratigraphic and paleoceanographic studies of the Gulf and Atlantic
Coastal Plains of the United States, using her findings to help determine the
applicability of using Mesozoic calcareous nannofossils as biostratigraphic
marker species on a worldwide basis. Jean has been involved in cooperative
studies with various universities and State Geological Surveys in NJ, DE, MD,
VA, NC, SC, GA, FL, MO, AL, TX, and NE, and has been involved in studies with
research institutions in Pakistan, India, and Europe. She is currently
participating in research activities with the Ocean Drilling Program in the
North Atlantic Ocean and is, in cooperation with the USGS
Climate History Program, studying
Pleistocene calcareous nannofossil production in the Arctic Ocean. She uses
calcareous nannofossils to give extremely accurate and detailed data useful in
interpreting the stratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy, geochronology,
paleoceanography, and regional geology of an area. This data often results in
the production of both subsurface and surface geologic maps.
Current Projects
Previous Projects
- 1990-1995. Early Cenozoic Biostratigraphy and Basin
Analysis, Atlantic and Eastern Gulf Coastal Plains. Project Chief: T. Gibson.
- 1992-1995. Savannah River Project. Project Chief: L.
Edwards.
- 1989-1993. Paleocene-Eocene Biostratigraphy of Pakistan
and Paleontological Development of the Geological Survey of Pakistan. Project
Chief: B. Wardlaw.
- 1986-1990. New Jersey COGEOMAP. Project Chiefs: J. Owens
and N. Sohl.
- 1986-1990. Paleocene-Eocene Boundary Project. Project
Chief: T. Gibson.
Significant Products
Work in Progress
- Bybell, L.M., and Self-Trail, J.M., in
press
- Calcareous nannofossils from Paleogene deposits in the Salt Range,
Pakistan.
- Christopher, R.A., Self-Trail, J.M., Prowell, D.C., and
Gohn, G.S., in preparation
- Sohlipollis gen. nov. (Palynomorph): a guide fossil for the Middle
Turonian through Santonian stages (Upper Cretaceous) in the Coastal Plain
Province: South Carolina Geology.
- Gohn, G. S., and Self-Trail, J.M., in
press
- Biostratigraphy and regional correlation of the Cretaceous marine section
in the U.S. Geological Survey Millhaven No. 1 core, Screven County, Georgia,
U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper.
- Norris, R., Huber, B., and Self-Trail, J. M., in
preparation
- Survivorship of planktonic foraminifera through the K-T mass extinction:
ODP Leg 171B, Western North Atlantic: Geology.
- Self-Trail, J.M., in preparation
- Some new and rarely documented Late Cretaceous calcareous nannofossils from
subsurface sediments in South Carolina: Journal of Paleontology.
- Self-Trail, J.M., in preparation
- Using holococcolith abundances and sequence biostratigraphy to determine
nearshore calcareous nannofossil affinities: Paleoceanography.
- Self-Trail, J.M., and Gohn, G.S., in preparation
- Biostratigraphic and sequence stratigraphic framework of Upper
Maastrichtian sediments from the South Carolina Coastal Plain: Geological
Society of America Bulletin.
To Contact
U.S. Geological Survey
926A National Center
Reston, VA 20192
FAX: (703) 648-6953
E-mail: jselftr@usgs.gov