Bedrock geologic map of the west half of the Cove Creek Gap 7.5-minute quadrangle, western North Carolina

New bedrock mapping by a UK graduate student is proposed in western North Carolina that will provide geologic constraints on two long standing problems in eastern Great Smoky Mountains geology: (1) the nature of the Snowbird-Great Smoky Group contact (pre-metamorphic thrust fault or faulted stratigraphic contact?); (2) what mechanism (folding, faulting, both?) accounts for compression of regional metamorphic isograds from west to east in the vicinity of the study area. The proposed mapping will cover the west half of the Cove Creek Gap 7.5 min. quadrangle.