Geology of Central Park, Manhattan, New York City, USA: New geochemical insights

Abstract

ABSTRACT Here we present an overview of the geology of the Manhattan Prong and a specific guide for field stops in northern Central Park. This guide is intended to provide a brief introduction to these complex rocks for researchers, undergraduate students, and teachers. Given the easy access to Central Park and numerous schools and institutions nearby, these outcrops provide ideal teaching outcrops for students of all levels. We also present new geochemical and isotopic results for the Manhattan and Hartland Schists. Previous work has focused primarily on field mapping, structural relationships, or infrastructure-related mapping, whereas our new geochemistry data allow for more detailed discussions of provenance and overall tectonic history of these rocks. Our results suggest that all of the rocks in northern Central Park (regardless of mapped unit) are derived from Laurentia.