粤西-琼东北近海沉积物的运移和沉积

为了深入认识珠江现代入海物质在粤西陆架随海流迁移扩散的路径和沉积中心,利用Gao-Collins方法分析了粤西-琼东北近海1 515个站位的粒径趋势,并用²¹⁰Pb法测定了8支柱样的现代沉积速率。结果表明,在粤西沿岸流和南海暖流这两个相向海流的共同作用下,珠江口外珠江来源的泥质沉积物的主体被限制在-50 m等深线以浅的内陆架。现代珠江入海物质能维持粤西陆架泥质沉积区0.1 cm/a左右的现代沉积速率。在川山群岛至海陵岛一带和琼州海峡东侧泥质区,分别受岛屿阻挡和逆时针中尺度涡旋的影响,形成了现代沉积中心。在沉积物不同粒级的来源和搬运方式存在差异的地方,粒径趋势分析结果可能主要反映的是粗颗粒沉积物的运移趋势,而非细颗粒沉积物的运移方向。     

浙闽沿岸泥质潮滩沉积磁性特征及其物源判别

潮滩沉积的物源一直是沉积学领域重要的研究内容。近30年长江入海泥沙量持续减少,致使长江入海泥沙对浙闽潮滩沉积的物质贡献降低。在此背景下,探究浙闽沿岸潮滩沉积的物源具有重要的现实意义。对杭州湾至福州湾沿岸的泥质潮滩表层沉积开展了详细地磁学研究,结果显示,研究区沉积物的磁性主要受磁铁矿主导,但磁性矿物含量、磁畴和矫顽力等磁性特征存在一定差异,这可能意味着沉积物受到多物源影响。皮尔森相关性分析进一步表明,沉积物磁性特征受粒度效应影响有限,主要与物源差异有关。物源判别结果指示,浙闽泥质潮滩沉积的物源包括长江、海岸基岩和浙闽河流。杭州湾至福宁湾,沉积物普遍受到长江和浙江诸河混合物质的影响,且浙江诸河的物质贡献较大;隘顽湾和象山港沉积物还受到其附近海岸基岩的影响;福宁湾沉积物可能还受到闽江源物质和其附近海岸基岩的影响;罗源湾和福州湾沉积物的潜在物源是闽江和其附近海岸基岩,长江和浙江诸河的物质贡献相当有限。     

东海陆架泥质区沉积地球化学比较研究

利用东海陆架泥质沉积区和周围砂质沉积区的表层沉积物元素含量和海水悬浮沉积物总量分析资料,对泥质区的沉积地球化学进行了比较研究。结果表明东海不同泥质区的沉积地球化学过程很不相同。浙江近岸泥质区沉积物元素以Fe、Mn、Zn的含量高,Na、Sr、Al、Ca的含量低为特征,其地球化学特征与长江沉积物非常一致。近岸泥质区的沉积物基本来源于长江输入海的沉积物,在台湾暖流的作用下沉积在浙江沿岸。远岸济州岛西南泥质区沉积物以Na、Sr的高含量,较高的Al、Ca含量和低的Fe、Mn、Zn含量为特征,其地球化学特征与黄河源沉积物有好的相关性,但有一定的混合源性质,该泥质区的沉积物主要来源于黄河源的细颗粒沉积物,由黄海沿岸流搬运到该区并沉积下来。沉积物在搬运沉积过程中,元素粒度分异作用明显。东海陆架泥质区沉积地球化学过程的控制性影响因子是东海环流系统和物源,其中台湾暖流对东海陆架远岸和近岸泥质区的沉积地球化学分区具有关键作用。     

长江远端三角洲多源沉积分异作用及其动力机制

长江是亚洲第一大河，具有丰沛的水沙通量，其形成的长江三角洲和陆架沉积中心一直是学者的研究重点，但对受到多种物质来源供给的长江远端三角洲涉及较少。针对长江远端三角洲南部的海底表层沉积物和河流沉积物，对该地区的表层沉积物性质和分布特征等进行了分析。研究表明，该地区表层沉积物类型主要为泥、粉砂、砂质粉砂和粉砂质砂等类型，零星分布含砾沉积物，沉积物粒度自西北向东南方向逐渐变粗，与海岸带呈平行分布；该地区沉积物主体为长江源物质，近岸南北两区域主要受到闽江和瓯江河流物质混合作用，东南区域主要为台湾河流物质影响；该区沉积分异模式主要受到东海环流体系的控制影响，浙闽沿岸流与台湾暖流形成的切变锋起到"水障"作用，使长江物质主要存在于中西部地区，同时西部近岸由于受到浙闽沿岸流的季节变化，带来了近岸闽江和瓯江等中小河流物质的混合影响，而东南部则主要受到台湾暖流带来的台湾物质混合作用。该研究对研究区沉积物的物质来源和动力因素等现代过程进行了细致划分，对长江远端三角洲地质时期的形成演化具有一定的辅助作用。     

浙闽泥质区全新世物源和古气候演化研究进展

浙闽泥质区是全新世高海平面以来沉积物的汇。受东亚季风影响,浙闽沿岸流和台湾暖流具有季节性变化,长江口"夏储冬输"的沉积物输运模式对东海内陆架泥质区的形成有关键作用。浙闽泥质区的潜在物源主要有长江、浙闽河流以及台湾西部山地河流,以长江物质为主。黏土矿物、稀土元素、Sr-Nd同位素、环境磁学等方法是物源研究的重要手段。长江物质以伊利石为主,蒙脱石含量较少,高岭石和绿泥石含量中等;而台湾物质以伊利石和绿泥石为主,没有蒙脱石。磁黄铁矿是台湾河流沉积物特有的磁性矿物,可作为大陆河流与台湾河流物源识别的指标。泥质区位于东亚季风区,受低纬热带过程和高纬大气环流的影响,气候变化具有波动性。沉积物敏感粒级反演的东亚冬季风（EAWM）只记录了泥质区形成以来的气候变化,不能代表整个全新世。受台湾暖流和浙闽沿岸流的双重影响,敏感粒级作为EAWM演化的指标需进一步深入研究。     

中国东部海域表层沉积物粒度组成及影响因素

基于海洋区域地质调查获取的1 438个粒度数据，利用Folk分类方法将中国东部海域表层沉积物划分为砂质粉砂、粉砂质砂、粉砂、砂、砂质泥、泥质砂、泥7种沉积物类型，阐述了不同沉积物类型的粒度组成和参数特征.其中，砂质粉砂、粉砂质砂和粉砂是3种最主要的沉积物类型，分别占样品总数的34.70%、24.20%和15.51%.粉砂质砂呈条带状分布在研究区的南部且向北延伸.粉砂主要分布在长江口-浙闽沿岸、渤海西部和南黄海中北部.砂主要分布在东海外陆架、扬子浅滩和苏北浅滩、朝鲜湾等海区，其中在东海外陆架海区分布最广.影响沉积物分布的主要因素有物源、水动力环境以及水深、地形、地貌等.晚第四纪冰期旋回中海平面变化和海洋环流控制陆源沉积物的入海通量和陆架沉积体系的发育过程.综合沉积物物源供给、海洋环流、冰后期海平面变化过程，基于Folk分类的动力学属性和表层沉积物类型分布，将中国东部海域表层沉积物分布划分为河口沉积、陆架泥质沉积、潮流沉积以及残留沉积等分区.不同沉积分区的形成机制和影响因素差异显著，反映出在中国东部陆架的特殊地形影响下，不同海平面时期陆源碎屑物质的运移过程.      

浙闽沿岸南部泥质沉积中心表层沉积物粒度特征及其季节性差异

通过对浙闽沿岸南部泥质沉积中心15个站位夏季和冬季表层沉积物的粒度分析和对比,探讨了表层沉积物粒度的分布特征、季节性差异及其影响因素。研究结果表明,各站样品以黏土质粉砂为主,各粒度参数差别较小,平均粒径和标准偏差呈显著的负相关,偏态和尖态呈弱负相关。粒级—标准偏差曲线上,在4.92～6.46和25.32～33.27 μm之间存在高峰值,在11.16～13.39 μm之间为低谷值。粒度分布具有季节性差异,冬季样品各粒度参数分布范围均高于夏季,平均粒径（值）总体上比夏季的要小,偏态和尖态等值线的梯度明显大于夏季的。在粒级—标准偏差曲线上,冬季样品的变化程度要显著高于夏季的。粒度分布的差异主要受物质来源和海洋动力环境的季节性变化影响。     

末次冰消期以来东海内陆架古环境演化

通过对位于浙—闽沿岸泥质带的EC2005孔岩性、粒度以及AMS14C年代分析,探讨了研究区自末次冰消期以来的古沉积环境演化,认为是湖水或海水深度、气候变化等综合影响的结果。岩芯底部60.20～41.00 m（17.3～13.1 ka BP）为湖泊三角洲沉积序列,可划分为前三角洲—三角洲前缘—三角洲平原三个沉积亚相,物质来源主要是湖盆流域物质的输入。随着海平面的逐渐上升,海水自13.1 ka BP开始侵入研究区,形成了41.00 m的海相沉积地层,可划分为前滨—近滨—浅海三个沉积亚相,与海平面变化曲线具有良好的对应。自12.3 ka BP开始,研究区受到沿岸流影响,长江物质开始影响研究区,7.3 ka BP以来主要是来自长江的悬浮体在沿岸流作用下输送沉积而形成,稳定的泥质沉积物开始形成。全球性重要气候事件如新仙女木事件、8.2 ka冷事件在东海内陆架沉积物中也得到了良好揭示。     

近期长江口-杭州湾邻近海域沉积物粒径的时空变化及其影响因素

为了研究长江口-杭州湾外近海沉积物粒径的现状和近期变化,于2008年4月在该区域用箱式取样器取得了33个表层样,用震动活塞采样器取得7个柱状样;在室内用激光粒度仪对沉积物样品进行了粒度分析并与历史时期的研究成果进行对比。结果表明,1）表层沉积物总体上呈东粗（砂）西细（泥）的特点,粒径总体上的空间格局与历史时期相似;但砂-泥区界线在研究区北部（长江口和杭州湾外）有向西迁移（蚀退）迹象（西移10~30 km）,而在南部（舟山群岛以南）则出现明显向东迁移（淤进）现象（最大超过50 km）。2）当前的表层沉积物形成一条南北连续的泥质带（粒径向南逐渐变细）,反映过去存在于舟山群岛以东的最细组分（“黏土”）带不连续现象在表层现已趋于消失。3）表层沉积物粒径趋势分析揭示长江入海泥沙的运移方向主要是向南-东南。4）泥质区柱状沉积物具有粉砂和黏土为主但在垂向上（反映在时间上）有粗细多变的特点（侵蚀区表层沉积物有粗化迹象）。研究认为,长江口-杭州湾邻近海域现代沉积物对流域和沿海重大人类活动有较敏感的响应。     

山东半岛全新世近岸泥质区沉积过程与沉积记录*

中国东部陆架边缘海发育多个全新世泥质区,是研究古海洋和古气候的理想区域。本研究从现代沉积过程和全新世沉积记录的视角,对山东半岛近岸泥质区的前人研究结果进行总结梳理,为后续相关研究提供参考。山东半岛近岸泥质区位于山东半岛沿岸,主要是来自黄河的沉积物在沿岸流、上升流、潮汐等相互作用下沉积而成,呈现独特的“Ω”形沉积模式。山东半岛近岸泥质区形成于全新世,物质来源主要是黄河,近岸侵蚀和当地小河流也贡献一定的物质来源。山东半岛近岸泥质区的形成和演化与古海洋条件、海平面升降、内陆古气候演变等多种因素有关,蕴藏着丰富的环境演化信息。山东半岛近岸泥质区沉积能够快速记录东亚季风的演变,其较高的沉积速率为研究黄河流域的古气候和古生态演化提供高分辨率的材料,可为预测未来全球变化背景下黄河流域的发展趋势提供参考。虽然前人对现代沉积过程进行了大量工作,但仍需加强现代观测和数值模拟等方面的工作,为更好地重建研究区的沉积动力过程提供数据和理论支撑。此外,该区在长时间尺度上的沉积物和有机质的沉积过程对古海洋和古气候的响应机制也亟待开展研究。     

The rate of sedimentation from turbulent suspension: An experimental model with application to pyroclastic density currents and discussion on the grain‐size dependence of flow runout

Large‐scale experiments generating ground‐hugging multiphase flows were carried out with the aim of modelling the rate of sedimentation, of pyroclastic density currents. The current was initiated by the impact on the ground of a dense gas‐particle fountain issuing from a vertical conduit. On impact, a thick massive deposit was formed. The grain size of the massive deposit was almost identical to that of the mixture feeding the fountain, suggesting that similar layers formed at the impact of a natural volcanic fountain should be representative of the parent grain‐size distribution of the eruption. The flow evolved laterally into a turbulent suspension current that sedimented a thin, tractive layer. A good correlation was found between the ratio of transported/sedimented load and the normalized Rouse number of the turbulent current. A model of the sedimentation rate was developed, which shows a relationship between grain size and flow runout. A current fed with coarser particles has a higher sedimentation rate, a larger grain‐size selectivity and runs shorter than a current fed with finer particles. Application of the model to pyroclastic deposits of Vesuvius and Campi Flegrei of Southern Italy resulted in sedimentation rates falling inside the range of experiments and allowed definition of the duration of pyroclastic density currents which add important information on the hazard of such dangerous flows. The model could possibly be extended, in the future, to other geological density currents as, for example, turbidity currents.     

苏北海岸带潮成辐射砂脊群的形成及其古地理意义

南黄海潮成辐射砂脊群的面积约为20000km2，以160° 的角度从弓京港向海展开。它与以弓京港为顶点的辐聚辐散潮流场相伴而生。60余个钻孔揭示，毗邻海区辐射砂脊体系的江苏沿岸平原上存在一个面积约3000 km2潮成砂区，其顶点位于东台，同样呈扇形以130°的角度向东展开。在潮成砂区内潮成砂质沉积单元位于冰后期海侵型砂坝-湖沉积层之上，二者之间具明显的冲刷面。砂坝-湖沉积层位于晚更新世基底硬粘土层之上，二者之间有较长的沉积间断。潮成砂沉积层上覆潮坪沉积层，二者呈渐变关系。以潮成砂层底部的侵蚀面为界，其下为海侵序列，其上为海退序列。古潮流的研究揭示，潮成砂区内同样存在辐聚辐散的古潮流场，其顶点位于东台附近。由此推断，沿海平原的潮成砂区内也是辐射状潮成砂脊体系，它形成于全新世海退时期。由于长江和黄河三角洲的前展，以东台为顶点的潮成砂脊体系逐渐暴露成陆。陆上和海域潮成辐射砂脊群形成于相同的潮汐动力环境，但处在不同的发育阶段，前者形成于全新世中期，后者发育于全新世晚期。矿物分析揭示，陆上和海区的潮成辐射砂脊体系主要由长江和黄河沉积物组成，其中长江沉积物由南向北运移，且时间较早；黄河沉积物由北向南运移，时间较迟，这种泥沙的运移趋势一直延续至今。随着海平面上升趋于减缓，长江三角洲增长，江苏海岸线向外推进，苏北潮成砂区逐渐出露成陆。1128年黄河由苏北入海，大量的黄河沉积物的加入，加快了本区海岸线的推进速度。潮成辐射砂脊体系与辐聚辐散的潮流场相伴而生，全新世最大海侵以来，辐聚辐散的潮流场的位置曾经历三次变化，第一次以长江古河口湾为顶点，第二次位于现今陆上潮成砂区，第三次位于以弓京港为顶点的现代海域，代表了潮成辐射砂脊体系发育的三个阶段。只是长江古河口湾的潮成辐射砂脊体系由于河流的巨大改造作用，可能未很好保存，至今未发现典型的辐射砂脊体系。     

基于风暴潮记录研究红树林淤积速率时间变化

以广西北海市的金海湾红树林作为研究对象,研究了红树林沉积物的粒度和过剩210Pb比活度特征,并结合当地风暴潮历史记录,识别红树林沉积中风暴沉积层并判定了其形成时间。结果表明:自1965年以来广西沿岸的5次强风暴潮在该红树林中留下了沉积记录;以这些风暴沉积层作为时间标志,可知1986—2008年,红树林前缘区的沉积速率为5.7 mm/a,内侧为7.3 mm/a;2008年以后,前缘区沉积速率降至2 mm/a,而内测沉积速率则增加至14~20 mm/a。2008年之后当地风暴潮频率增加可能是造成这一现象的主要原因。红树林前缘区风暴沉积粒度特征的分析表明,在强风暴潮期间,植株高大、树冠封闭度高的红树林对于波流能量的耗散程度要显著高于年龄较小、植株低矮的红树林。     

抚松县三道砬子河地区金矿成矿地质特征浅析

三道砬子河地区位于夹皮沟成矿带南西侧,处在桦甸-长白山断裂带上。区内以太古宙花岗岩为主,局部残留表壳岩系。伴随滨太平洋构造域演化,区内发育了众多的中酸性脉岩,并伴有Au、Ag等矿化,局部形成金(银)矿体。矿床类型属于岩浆热液型矿床。     

Laser vs. settling velocity differences in silt grainsize measurements: estimation of palaeocurrent vigour

The use of grain‐size distribution of muds for the reconstruction of past deep ocean currents is becoming established and applied in the palaeoceanographic community. The methods are also applicable to shallow marine and tidal flat muds with similar inferences concerning the energy of wave and current sorting being drawn. Fine sediment grain‐size distributions can be obtained using a variety of instruments based on fundamentally different theoretical principles. These machines may give varying, sometimes misleading, results giving divergent interpretations of flow speed history. The new evidence presented here, combined with earlier work, suggests that of the three most commonly used analytical methods for fine silts with clays, settling velocity (Sedigraph) should be the method and instrument of choice, with electrical resistance pulse counters (e.g. Coulter Counter) as a suitable alternative. The data also show that laser particle sizers should be avoided for palaeocurrent reconstructions because the measured size of platey minerals can be dominated by their large projected area. This causes them to be recorded as the same size as larger equant grains although they have much smaller settling velocity and were deposited in aggregates. This produces results with a weaker relationship to the dynamics of deposition. The central problem is thus that some coarse clay/fine silt is recorded as medium to coarse silt, the key size in the ‘sortable silt’ mean size method of inferring changes in flow speed. For coarse silts (e.g. loess) the laser gives more satisfactory results.     

Edge tectonics (trench rollback,terrane export) of Gondwanaland-Pangea synchronized by supercontinental heat

From 650–500 Ma assembly, 320 Ma merger in Pangea, to 185 Ma breakup, Gondwanaland developed by the accretion of lithosphere along the convergent edge on the south and by the export of terranes from the divergent edges on the west and northeast. The interior underwent epeirogenic movement except in areas affected during the merger by farfield shortening. Synchronous or near-synchronous events on the edges and interior are linked hypothetically by convection currents in the asthenosphere driven by supercontinent-induced heat. On the convergent edge, currents countered the sinking slab to roll back the trench and generate a backarc basin. On the divergent edge, currents initiated an ocean that prised off continental rims in the form of terranes. In the interior, currents extended the lithosphere in basins and rifts.     

海相泥页岩沉积过程研究进展

随着全球页岩油气勘探开发的不断深入,海相泥页岩作为非常规油气沉积学的重要研究对象之一,其沉积特征及沉积过程日益引起学者们的关注,并在岩相分类、沉积过程解释及层序地层划分方面取得了显著进展。海相泥页岩的岩相划分已达到厘米—毫米尺度,其命名原则主要考虑结构（粒度）、层理及矿物成分等特征,结构方面着重参考砂级、粗泥级和细泥级的占比,层理描述注重纹层的连续性、形态和几何关系,矿物成分则比较黏土矿物、石英和碳酸盐岩矿物的相对含量。海相泥页岩的沉积过程多样,浅海陆棚环境下细粒沉积物（岩）的主要搬运与沉积过程包括风成输入、异轻流、重力流（前三角洲浊流、异重流和浪控沉积物重力流）及风暴流,而在平坦而广泛的陆表海则以季风或潮汐驱动下的远岸底流搬运沉积为主。重力流及风暴流沉积一般会形成特征相似但各具特色的粒序层理,而在远岸底流作用下则会形成纹层状泥页岩。沉积特征的精细描述推动了泥页岩层序地层格架的建立,三级层序界面的识别在于寻找可对比的主要侵蚀面,而层序内准层序的划分除了要寻找次要侵蚀面外,还需依靠对精细描述的沉积特征进行定量化统计与分析。上述研究表明,沉积特征的精细化描述与定量分析,并结合水槽模拟实验,是今后海相泥页岩沉积过程研究的主体发展方向。     

Edge tectonics (trench rollback, terrane export) of Gondwanaland-Pangea synchronized by supercontinental heat

From 650–500 Ma assembly, 320 Ma merger in Pangea, to 185 Ma breakup, Gondwanaland developed by the accretion of lithosphere along the convergent edge on the south and by the export of terranes from the divergent edges on the west and northeast. The interior underwent epeirogenic movement except in areas affected during the merger by farfield shortening. Synchronous or near-synchronous events on the edges and interior are linked hypothetically by convection currents in the asthenosphere driven by supercontinent-induced heat. On the convergent edge, currents countered the sinking slab to roll back the trench and generate a backarc basin. On the divergent edge, currents initiated an ocean that prised off continental rims in the form of terranes. In the interior, currents extended the lithosphere in basins and rifts.     

Current Status and Advance of Tidal-Bore Deposit Study

Tidal bore is hydraulic jump during the process of tide flooding with the tide wave moving upstream. They are widely distributed in the estuary zone with high tidal range and funnel-shaped planeform. Tidal bore deposit study is important for further understanding about paleogeomorphology, paleoenvironment, paleoclimate of areas near the estuaries, and sandbody formed by tidal bore deposit could be potential oil and gas reservoir. Researches about tidal bore have been always concentrated on hydraulic characteristics of tidal bore and its influences on estuary environment and engineering, while the study on tidal bore deposit is rarely reported. One of the most important causes is the complex hydrodynamic conditions in the estuary zone. Deposits characteristics is complicated in this zone due to comprehensive effects of river flow, waves and tides. It is hard to affirm the preservation probability of tidal bore deposits, especially in the ancient rock record. In view of this, current status and forecast about tidal-bore deposit study were expounded in this study based on comprehensive summary and discussion about typical tidal bore deposit data and reports. Criteria for recognition of tidal-bore deposits were described in detail on the aspects of sedimentary structures, grain size distribution, and facies model. One of the most critical diagnostic marks of tidal bore was a special undulating erosion surface with a series of irregular and stepped excavations on it. This surface was formed by cyclic pressure loading induced by the passage of a tidal bore. In addition, the cross-bedding inclined upstream, soft sediment deformation structures and massive sandstone on the erosion surface were also important marks of a tidal bore deposit. Problems existing in current research were discussed and some suggestions were proposed. Various methods and technology should be used to perfect tidal bore facies model, and research on diagenesis and reservoir features of sandbody formed by tidal bore should be strengthened in the future. Sandbody formed by tidal bore of different types (breaking tidal bore and undular tidal bore) should be distinguished to deepen the understanding of their various hydrodynamic conditions and reservoir scale. Tidal bore is significant geological process in estuary zone, and deposits formed by it makes great influence on the geomorphology of this area, which should be paid more attention.     

Patterns of deposition from experimental turbidity currents with reversing buoyancy

Turbidity currents are turbulent, sediment‐laden gravity currents which can be generated in relatively shallow shelf settings and travel downslope before spreading out across deep‐water abyssal plains. Because of the natural stratification of the oceans and/or fresh water river inputs to the source area, the interstitial fluid within which the particles are suspended will often be less dense than the deep‐water ambient fluid. Consequently, a turbidity current may initially be denser than the ambient sea water and propagate as a ground‐hugging flow, but later reverse in buoyancy as its bulk density decreases through sedimentation to become lower than that of the ambient sea water. When this occurs, all or part of the turbidity current lofts to form a buoyant sediment‐laden cloud from which further deposition occurs. Deposition from such lofting turbidity currents, containing a mixture of fine and coarse sediment suspended in light interstitial fluid, is explored through analogue laboratory experiments complemented by theoretical analysis using a ‘box and cloud’ model. Particular attention is paid to the overall deposit geometry and to the distributions of fine and coarse material within the deposit. A range of beds can be deposited by bimodal lofting turbidity currents. Lofting may encourage the formation of tabular beds with a rapid pinch‐out rather than the gradually tapering beds more typical of waning turbidity currents. Lofting may also decouple the fates of the finer and coarser sediment: depending on the initial flow composition, the coarse fraction can be deposited prior to or during buoyancy reversal, while the fine fraction can be swept upwards and away by the lofting cloud. An important feature of the results is the non‐uniqueness of the deposit architecture: different initial current compositions can generate deposits with very similar bed profiles and grading characteristics, highlighting the difficulty of reconstructing the nature of the parent flow from field data. It is proposed that deposit emplacement by lofting turbidity currents is common in the geological record and may explain a range of features observed in deep‐water massive sands, thinly bedded turbidite sequences and linked debrites, depending on the parent flow and its subsequent development. For example, a lofting flow may lead to a well sorted, largely ungraded or weakly graded bed if the fines are transported away by the cloud. However, a poorly sorted, largely ungraded region may form if, during buoyancy reversal, high local concentrations and associated hindered settling effects develop at the base of the cloud.