Stratigraphic framework of sediment-starved sand ridges on a mixed siliciclastic/carbonate inner shelf; west-central Florida

Seismic reflection profiles and vibracores have revealed that an inner shelf, sand-ridge field has developed over the past few thousand years situated on an elevated, broad bedrock terrace. This terrace extends seaward of a major headland associated with the modern barrier-island coastline of west-central Florida. The overall geologic setting is a low-energy, sediment-starved, mixed siliciclastic/carbonate inner continental shelf supporting a thin sedimentary veneer. This veneer is arranged in a series of subparallel, shore-oblique, and to a minor extent, shore-parallel sand ridges. Seven major facies are present beneath the ridges, including a basal Neogene limestone gravel facies and a blue-green clay facies indicative of dominantly authigenic sedimentation. A major sequence boundary separates these older units from Holocene age, organic-rich mud facies (marsh), which grades upward into a muddy sand facies (lagoon or shallow open shelf/seagrass meadows). Cores reveal that the muddy shelf facies is either in sharp contact or grades upward into a shelly sand facies (ravinement or sudden termination of seagrass meadows). The shelly sand facies grades upward to a mixed siliciclastic/carbonate facies, which forms the sand ridges themselves. This mixed siliciclastic/carbonate facies differs from the sediment on the beach and shoreface, suggesting insignificant sediment exchange between the offshore ridges and the modern coastline. Additionally, the lack of early Holocene, pre-ridge facies in the troughs between the ridges suggests that the ridges themselves do not migrate laterally extensively. Radiocarbon dating has indicated that these sand ridges can form relatively quickly (1.3 ka) on relatively low-energy inner shelves once open-marine conditions are available, and that frequent, high-energy, storm-dominated conditions are not necessarily required. We suggest that the two inner shelf depositional models presented (open-shelf vs. migrating barrier-island) may have co-existed spatially and/or temporally to explain the distribution of facies and vertical facies contacts.     

Notes on a sediment map for the South Otago continental shelf

Modern sand and silty sand cover the inner shelf, with silty sand accumulating off the mouth of the Clutha River. Palimpsest sediment dominated by shell debris and polymodal detrital gravel and sand covers the outer shelf. The detrital sediment is largely or wholly of Clutha River origin.     

Late Holocene estuarine–inner shelf interactions; is there evidence of an estuarine retreat path for Tampa Bay, Florida?

The purpose of this study was to determine if and how a large, modern estuarine system, situated in the middle of an ancient carbonate platform, has affected its adjacent inner shelf both in the past during the last, post-glacial sea-level rise and during the present. An additional purpose was to determine if and how this inner shelf seaward of a major estuary differed from the inner shelves located just to the north and south but seaward of barrier-island shorelines. Through side-scan sonar mosaicking, bathymetric studies, and ground-truthing using surface grab samples as well as diver observations, two large submarine sand plains were mapped – one being the modern ebb-tidal delta and the other interpreted to be a relict ebb-tidal delta formed earlier in the Holocene. The most seaward portion of the inner shelf studied consists of a field of lobate, bathymetrically elevated, fine-sand accumulations, which were interpreted to be sediment-starved 3D dunes surrounded by small 2D dunes composed of coarse molluscan shell gravel. Additionally, exposed limestone hardbottoms supporting living benthic communities were found as well. This modern shelf sedimentary environment is situated on a large, buried shelf valley, which extends eastward beneath the modern Tampa Bay estuary. These observations plus the absence of an incised shelf valley having surficial bathymetric expression, and the absence of sand bodies normally associated with back-tracking estuarine systems indicate that there was no cross-shelf estuarine retreat path formed during the last rise in sea level. Instead, the modern Tampa Bay formed within a mid-platform, low-relief depression, which was flooded by rising marine waters late in the Holocene. With continued sea-level rise in the late Holocene, this early embayment was translated eastward or landward to its present position, whereby a larger ebb-tidal delta prograded out onto the inner shelf. Extensive linear sand ridges, common to the inner shelves to the north and south, did not form in this shelf province because it was a low-energy, open embayment lacking the wave climate and nearshore zone necessary to create such sand bodies. The distribution of bedforms on the inner shelf and the absence of seaward-oriented 2D dunes on the modern ebb-tidal delta indicate that the modern estuarine system has had little effect on its adjacent inner shelf.     

Patterns and controls of surface sediment distribution: west-central Florida inner shelf

The west-central Florida inner shelf represents a transition between the quartz-dominated barrier-island system and the carbonate-dominated mid-outer shelf. Surface sediments exhibit a complex distribution pattern that can be attributed to multiple sediment sources and the ineffectiveness of physical processes for large-scale sediment redistribution. The west Florida shelf is the submerged extension of the Florida carbonate platform, consisting of a limestone karst surface veneered with a thin unconsolidated sediment cover. A total of 498 surface sediment samples were collected on the inner shelf and analyzed for texture and composition. Results show that sediment consists of a combination of fine quartz sand and coarse, biogenic carbonate sand and gravel, with variable but subordinate amounts of black, phosphorite-rich sand. The carbonate component consists primarily of molluskan fragments. The distribution is patchy and discontinuous with no discernible pattern, and the transition between sediment types is generally abrupt. Quartz-rich sediment dominates the inner 15 km north of the entrance into Tampa Bay, but south of the Bay is common only along the inner 3 km. Elsewhere, carbonate-rich sediment is the predominate sediment type, except where there is little sediment cover, in which cases black, phosphorite-rich sand dominates. Sediment sources are likely within, or around the periphery of the basin. Fine quartz sand is likely reworked from coastal units deposited during Pleistocene sea-level high stands. Carbonate sand and gravel is produced by marine organisms within the depositional basin. The black, phosphorite-rich sand likely originates from the bioerosion and reworking of the underlying strata that irregularly crop out within the study area. The distribution pattern contains elements of both storm- and tide-dominated siliciclastic shelves, but it is dictated primarily by the sediment source, similar to some carbonate systems. Other systems with similar sediment attributes include cool-water carbonate, sediment-starved, and mixed carbonate/siliciclastic systems. This study suggests a possible genetic link among the three systems.     

南海北部陆架坡折附近表层沉积物的粒度特征和其输运趋势

对南海北部陆架坡折附近取的50个表层沉积物样品,作粒度测试,计算粒度参数。粒度分析表明研究区的沉积物主要存在4种类型:含砾砂、砾质砂、砂质砾和含砾泥质砂;沉积物组分中砾石和砂占绝对优势,基本上不含黏土。综合因子分析和聚类分析的结果把研究区划分为4类沉积区:Ⅰ类沉积区属于内陆架沉积区,Ⅱ类沉积区属于陆架坡折上部沉积区,Ⅲ类沉积区属于陆架坡折下部沉积区,Ⅳ类沉积区区属于陆架边缘沉积区,每类沉积区都代表着不同的沉积环境。研究区沉积物的粒径趋势分析结果显示,陆架坡折附近的沉积物主要向内陆架和外陆架边缘或上陆坡输运,同时存在着跨陆架输运和沿陆架坡折输运现象,这与研究区实测的底流方向相一致。本研究表明,南海北部陆架坡折附近的沉积环境和沉积物输运模式比较复杂和特殊。本研究对今后陆架和陆坡区其他相关的研究具有十分重要的指导和借鉴意义。     

Seismic evidence for the preservation of several stacked Pleistocene coastal barrier/lagoon systems on the Gulf of Valencia continental shelf (western Mediterranean)

The focus of this study is the analysis of coastal sand barriers and associated coastal lagoons on the inner continental shelf of the Gulf of Valencia (western Mediterranean), based on two W–E seismic profiles recorded seaward of the Albufera de Valencia coastal lagoon. Seismic facies identified include a number of coastal sand barriers with landward lagoons draped by contemporary continental shelf deposits. The barrier systems have been grouped into two sedimentary systems tracts, the older one corresponding to a prograding/aggrading highstand systems tract involving at least four paleo-coastal sand barrier/lagoon systems, followed landward by a transgressive systems tract comprising three such systems. All the systems have been allocated a Tyrrhenian age, the formation of individual barrier systems having been associated with successive sea-level stillstands, and their present-day position being explained by the very high regional subsidence rate. In summary, this study demonstrates that the Quaternary stratigraphic record of the Gulf of Valencia inner continental shelf is composed of littoral sand facies, in particular coastal sand barrier and lagoon deposits. These findings are in agreement with corresponding observations on other continental shelves of the western Mediterranean, showing that the formation of coastal sand barriers was a characteristic feature of this region during the Quaternary.     

莺歌海油气资源开发区工程地质和灾害地质特征

根据单道地震、浅地层剖面、旁扫声纳和海底取样等实测资料,分析和评价了莺歌海油气资源开发区的工程地质和灾害地质环境。研究结果表明,研究区海底地形地貌较为复杂,存在潮流沙脊、侵蚀冲沟、海底沙波、麻坑、埋藏古河道和古湖泊、浅层气、埋藏珊瑚礁和滑塌断层等潜在的灾害地质因素,对海上石油平台和输油管线等工程设施构成直接或潜在的危害。根据地形、地貌和沉积物物理力学特征,将研究区划分为内陆架堆积平原区、陆架潮流沙脊区、内陆架侵蚀平原区、外陆架平原区和大陆坡区5个工程地质区。其中研究区东部的潮流沙脊区和东南部的陆坡区,海底地形复杂,活动性的潮流沙脊和断层发育,是海底工程建设的危险区,应引起高度重视。     

Seismic Reflection and Vibracoring Studies of the Continental Shelf Offshore Central and Western Long Island, New York

The ridge-and-swale topography on the continental shelf south of Fire Island, New York, is characterized by northeast-trending linear shoals that are shore attached and shore oblique on the inner shelf and isolated and shore parallel on the middle shelf. High-resolution seismic reflection profiles show that the ridges and swales occur independent of, and are not controlled by, the presence of internal structures (for example, filled tidal inlet channels, paleobarrier strata) or underlying structure (for example, high-relief Cretaceous unconformity). Grab samples of surficial sediments on the shelf south of Fire Island average 98 % sand. Locally, benthic fauna increase silt and clay content through fecal pellet production or increase the content of gravel-size material by contribution of their fragmented shell remains. Surficial sand on the ridges is unimodal at 0.33 mm (medium sand, about 50 mesh), and surficial sand in troughs is bimodal at 0.33 mm and 0.15 mm (fine sand, about 100 mesh). In addition to seismic studies, 26 vibracores were recovered from the continental shelf in state and federal waters from south of Rockaway and Long Beaches, Long Island, New York. Stratigraphic and sedimentological data gleaned from these cores were used to outline the geologic framework in the study area. A variety of sedimentary features were noted in the cores, including burrow-mottled sections of sand in a finer silty-sand, rhythmic lamination of sand and silty-sand that reflect cyclic changes in sediment transport, layers of shell hash and shells that probably represent tempestites, and changes from dark color to light color in the sediments that probably represent changes in the oxidation reduction conditions in the area with time. The stratigraphic units identified are an upper, generally oxidized,nearshore facies, an underlying fine-to medium-sand and silty-clay unit considered to be an estuarine facies, and a lower, coarse-grained, deeply oxidized, cross-laminated preHolocene unit. Grain-size analysis shows that medium-to fine-grained sand makes up most (68-99 %) of the surficial sediments. Gravel exists in trace amounts up to 19 %. Silt ranges between 3 % and 42 %, and clay ranges from 1 % to 10 %.     

Seismic Reflection and Vibracoring Studies of the Continental Shelf Offshore Central and Western Long Island,New York

The ridge-and-swale topography on the continental shelf south of Fire Island, New York, is characterized by northeast-trending linear shoals that are shore attached and shore oblique on the inner shelf and isolated and shore parallel on the middle shelf. High-resolution seismic reflection profiles show that the ridges and swales occur independent of, and are not controlled by, the presence of internal structures (for example, filled tidal inlet channels, paleobarrier strata) or underlying structure (for example, high-relief Cretaceous unconformity). Grab samples of surficial sediments on the shelf south of Fire Island average 98 % sand. Locally, benthic fauna increase silt and clay content through fecal pellet production or increase the content of gravel-size material by contribution of their fragmented shell remains. Surficial sand on the ridges is unimodal at 0.33 mm (medium sand, about 50 mesh), and surficial sand in troughs is bimodal at 0.33 mm and 0.15 mm (fine sand, about 100 mesh). In addition to seismic studies, 26 vibracores were recovered from the continental shelf in state and federal waters from south of Rockaway and Long Beaches, Long Island, New York. Stratigraphic and sedimentological data gleaned from these cores were used to outline the geologic framework in the study area. A variety of sedimentary features were noted in the cores, including burrow-mottled sections of sand in a finer silty-sand, rhythmic lamination of sand and silty-sand that reflect cyclic changes in sediment transport, layers of shell hash and shells that probably represent tempestites, and changes from dark color to light color in the sediments that probably represent changes in the oxidation reduction conditions in the area with time. The stratigraphic units identified are an upper, generally oxidized,nearshore facies, an underlying fine-to medium-sand and silty-clay unit considered to be an estuarine facies, and a lower, coarse-grained, deeply oxidized, cross-laminated preHolocene unit. Grain-size analysis shows that medium-to fine-grained sand makes up most (68-99 %) of the surficial sediments. Gravel exists in trace amounts up to 19 %. Silt ranges between 3 % and 42 %, and clay ranges from 1 % to 10 %.     

南海北部外陆架表层沉积物粒度参数特征及物源分析

为研究南海北部外陆架沉积物来源及沉积特征, 对南海北部外陆架18 个站位进行了表层沉积物取样和分析, 通过对沉积物的分类和粒度参数的计算, 探讨了沉积物类型和粒度参数的分布特征及其指示意义。研究结果表明, 研究区表层沉积物类型包括砾、砂质砾、砾质砂、砾质泥质砂、含砾砂、含砾泥质砂和含砾泥7 种类型。沉积物输运方式在外陆...     

Sedimentology of the New Hampshire Inner Continental Shelf Based on Subbottom Seismics,Side-Scan Sonar,Bathymetry, and Bottom Samples

Typical of glaciated environments, the inner continental shelf of New Hampshire is composed of bedrock outcrops, remnants of glacial deposits (for example, drumlins), sand and gravel deposits, as well as muddier sediments farther offshore. A number of previous studies have defined the general trends of the New Hampshire inner shelf from the coarser deposits nearer the shore to the muddier outer basins. Most recently, a seismic survey (150 km of side-scan sonar and subbottom seismic profiles), as well as bottom sediment sampling (74 stations), has provided a detailed bottom map of the southern New Hampshire shelf area (landward of the 30-m contour). The surficial sediments within this area range from very fine sand to gravel. Bedrock outcrops are common. The seismic survey indicated several large sand deposits exceeding 6-8 m in thickness that occur relatively close to the coast. These sedimentary units, which are within 3 km of the shoreline, are composed of fine to medium sands. Examination of the general morphology and depositional setting indicates at least some of these features are probably relic ebb tidal delta shoals. However, a large eroding drumlin occurs between two of the sand bodies and may represent the source of these deposits. Additional work is needed to verify the origin of these sediment bodies.     

Sediment-starved sand ridges on a mixed carbonate/siliciclastic inner shelf off west-central Florida

High-resolution side-scan mosaics, sediment analyses, and physical process data have revealed that the mixed carbonate/siliciclastic, inner shelf of west-central Florida supports a highly complex field of active sand ridges mantled by a hierarchy of bedforms. The sand ridges, mostly oriented obliquely to the shoreline trend, extend from 2 km to over 25 km offshore. They show many similarities to their well-known counterparts situated along the US Atlantic margin in that both increase in relief with increasing water depth, both are oriented obliquely to the coast, and both respond to modern shelf dynamics. There are significant differences in that the sand ridges on the west-central Florida shelf are smaller in all dimensions, have a relatively high carbonate content, and are separated by exposed rock surfaces. They are also shoreface-detached and are sediment-starved, thus stunting their development. Morphological details are highly distinctive and apparent in side-scan imagery due to the high acoustic contrast. The seafloor is active and not a relict system as indicated by: (1) relatively young AMS ¹⁴C dates (<1600 yr BP) from forams in the shallow subsurface (1.6 meters below seafloor), (2) apparent shifts in sharply distinctive grayscale boundaries seen in time-series side-scan mosaics, (3) maintenance of these sharp acoustic boundaries and development of small bedforms in an area of constant and extensive bioturbation, (4) sediment textural asymmetry indicative of selective transport across bedform topography, (5) morphological asymmetry of sand ridges and 2D dunes, and (6) current-meter data indicating that the critical threshold velocity for sediment transport is frequently exceeded. Although larger sand ridges are found along other portions of the west-central Florida inner shelf, these smaller sand ridges are best developed seaward of a major coastal headland, suggesting some genetic relationship. The headland may focus and accelerate the N–S reversing currents. An elevated rock terrace extending from the headland supports these ridges in a shallower water environment than the surrounding shelf, allowing them to be more easily influenced by currents and surface gravity waves. Tidal currents, storm-generated flows, and seasonally developed flows are shore-parallel and oriented obliquely to the NW–SE trending ridges, indicating that they have developed as described by the Huthnance model. Although inner shelf sand ridges have been extensively examined elsewhere, this study is the first to describe them in a low-energy, sediment-starved, dominantly mixed siliciclastic/carbonate sedimentary environment situated on a former limestone platform.     

东海西北部陆架表层沉积物重矿物组合及其沉积环境指示

研究了东海陆架360个表层沉积物的碎屑矿物和粒度组成,利用R型聚类方法提取稳定重矿物和重矿物分异指数作为矿物分布规律的指示因子;根据快速聚类结果将重矿物组成分为3个区:东海陆架海侵体系域晚期残留砂体区、高位体系域晚期长江水下前三角洲和浙闽沿岸流泥质沉积区、高位体系域扬子浅滩沉积区。结合粒度参数和特征矿物分布、沉积物14C年龄对各区沉积环境进行讨论,确定陆架残留沉积和改造沉积的成因、长江水下三角洲和浙闽沿岸流泥质区的范围,以及对应不同海侵层序的矿物分异特征和物质"源-汇"关系。聚类分析虽能够指示同一物源碎屑矿物分布与沉积动力关系,但物源不同,聚类结果可能误导沉积环境分析。扬子浅滩表层砂体是在距今6~4和3~2 ka 的两个潮流沉积发育期形成的多期改造沙波沉积。     

Shoreface morphodynamics on wave-dominated coasts

An open ocean shoreface typical of long, wave-dominated sandy coasts has been examined through a combination of extensive field measurements of wave and current patterns with computations of marine bedload transport and sedimentation. Sand transport on the upper shoreface is dominantly controlled by waves with only secondary transport by currents. Sand on the middle and lower shoreface, as well as the inner continental shelf is entrained by storm waves and transported by a complex pattern of bottom boundary layer currents.

Storm events have been studied and modeled for the shoreface off Tiana Beach, Long Island. The dominant effect of coastal frontal storms is to cause significant shore-parallel bedload transport with important shore-normal secondary components. These storms tend to result in net offshore transport of sand removed from the beach and surf zone systems. The bedload transport during a storm is convergent on the shoreface leading to accretion. Most accretion occurs on the upper shoreface with lesser deposits covering the middle and lower shoreface as well as the inner continental shelf. Longer-term equilibrium can be maintained by slow return of sand up the shoreface during non-storm conditions.

Annual and geologic time-scale budgets of shoreface sand transport and sedimentation yield equilibrium, net accretion or net deposition. The annual balance results from an integration of the event-scale bedload transport patterns and morphologic responses. These processes and responses have feedback mechanisms which stabilize the system over longer, but not geologic, time scales. Geologic time scale balances are controlled by relative sea level changes and relative availability of sediment supply with the event-scale shoreface and transporting processes providing the mechanism to produce the changes in long-term morphology and sedimentation patterns. In the area of study, the long-term pattern is one of net shoreface erosion, and the permanent loss of sand to the shelf floor.     

Sand ridges off Sarasota, Florida: A complex facies boundary on a low-energy inner shelf environment

The innermost shelf off Sarasota, Florida was mapped using sidescan-sonar imagery, seismic-reflection profiles, surface sediment samples, and short cores to define the transition between an onshore siliciclastic sand province and an offshore carbonate province and to identify the processes controlling the distribution of these distinctive facies. The transition between these facies is abrupt and closely tied to the morphology of the inner shelf. A series of low-relief nearly shore-normal ridges characterize the inner shelf. Stratigraphically, the ridges are separated from the underlying Pleistocene and Tertiary carbonate strata by the Holocene ravinement surface. While surficial sediment is fine to very-fine siliciclastic sand on the southeastern sides of the ridges and shell hash covers their northwestern sides, the cores of these Holocene deposits are a mixture of both of these facies. Along the southeastern edges of the ridges the facies boundary coincides with the discontinuity that separates the ridge deposits from the underlying strata. The transition from siliciclastic to carbonate sediment on the northwestern sides of the ridges is equally abrupt, but it falls along the crests of the ridges rather than at their edges. Here the facies transition lies within the Holocene deposit, and appears to be the result of sediment reworking by modern processes. This facies distribution primarily appears to result from south-flowing currents generated during winter storms that winnow the fine siliciclastic sediment from the troughs and steeper northwestern sides of the ridges. A coarse shell lag is left armoring the steeper northwestern sides of the ridges, and the fine sediment is deposited on the gentler southeastern sides of the ridges. This pronounced partitioning of the surficial sediment appears to be the result of the siliciclastic sand being winnowed and transported by these currents while the carbonate shell hash falls below the threshold of sediment movement and is left as a lag. The resulting facies boundaries on this low-energy, sediment-starved inner continental shelf are of two origins which both are tied to the remarkably subtle ridge morphology. Along the southeastern sides of the ridges the facies boundary coincides with a stratigraphic discontinuity that separates Holocene from the older deposits while the transition along the northwestern sides of the ridges is within the Holocene deposit and is the result of sediment redistribution by modern processes.     

Sediments on the continental shelf and slope between Napier and castlepoint,New Zealand

Sediments from the seabed off the eastern side of the North Island, New Zealand, are divided into 12 facies on the basis of grain size and mineralogy of the sand fraction. The facies are grouped into three types; modern detrital sediments, relict detrital sediments, and non‐detrital sediments. The sediments are described in terms of a modified Wentworth grain‐size scale and a modified Folk sediment classification.

The modern detrital sediments range from fine sand near the shore to clayey fine silt on the lower slope. At most places they are bimodal, probably because floes and single grains are deposited together. The relict detrital sediments, which include sands and gravels, occur where deposition is slow on the inner continental shelf and near the shelf edge. Those near the shelf edge include Last Glacial sandy muds that have been winnowed and mixed with Holocene volcanic ash and glauconite. The non‐detrital sediments, which contain forarninifera, volcanic ash, and glauconite, but no detrital sand, occur on anticlinal ridges on the continental slope. In places they overlie muddier sediment deposited during the last glaciation when the sources of river‐borne detritus were nearer than at present and when mud was deposited more rapidly on the ridges than at present.     

Atmospheric forcing of fine-sand transport on a low-energy inner shelf: south-central Louisiana,USA

Hydrodynamic and sediment transport measurements from instrumentation deployed during a 54-day winter period at two sites on the Louisiana inner shelf are presented. Strong extratropical storms, with wind speeds of 7.8 to 15.1 m s^-1, were the dominant forcing mechanism during the study. These typically caused mean oscillatory flows and shear velocities about 33% higher than fair weather (averaging 12.3 and 3.2 cm s^-1 at the landward site, and 11.4 and 2.7 cm s^-1 at the seaward site, respectively). These responses were coupled with mean near-bottom currents more than twice as strong as during fair weather (10.3 and 7.5 cm s^-1 at the landward and seaward sites, respectively). These flowed in approximately the same direction as the veering wind, causing a net offshore transport of fine sand. Weak storms were responsible for little sediment transport whereas during fair weather, onshore sand transport of approximately 25-75% of the storm values appears to have occurred. This contradicts previous predictions of negligible fair-weather sediment movement on this inner shelf.     

Submarine Sand Resources, Southeastern Virginia-Contributions from Year 9 and Year 10 of Virginia's Continental Margins Program

Virginia's year 9 and year 10 funds from the Continental Shelf Program were used to supplement other work funded by the Minerals Management Service in an ongoing Cooperative Agreement focused on the area offshore of southeastern Virginia. Year 9 and year 10 funds facilitated interpretation of subbottom profiles and the analysis of sediment samples from cores and grabs. On Virginia's sediment-starved continental shelf, deposits of material potentially suitable for use as beach nourishment or, perhaps, as construction aggregate occur in three stratigraphic settings, each with specific characteristics of morphology, grain-size gradients, likelihood of discovery, and physical ease of exploitation. All must be verified with a careful program of coring. Modern shoals generally are easier to identify, prove, and access than either filled channels or lenticular facies. Shoals usually are identifiable on nautical charts and characteristically have a definite lower boundarythat can be seen in subbottom profiles. In most cases, the base of the shoal coincides with the level of the surrounding sea floor. Filled channels are readily identifiable on subbottom profiles but may have a narrow, sinuous form and steep lateral gradients in sediment properties. Buried lenticular facies of good-quality sand usually are found only fortuitously. As the lateral and often vertical gradients in geotechnical properties usually are low, the lenticular facies can be mined with a lesser concern for the consequences of violating the deposit's limits than with the other two types of deposit. There are three types of filled paleochannels in the study area. (1) Relatively near-surface, generally small, roughly shore normal channels most likely mark the migration of tidal inlets across the shelf during the most recent transgression. (2) Small, relatively wide and relatively shallow generally shore parallel channels may be filled back-barrier or lagoonal channels. (3) Larger channels trending across the shelf probably result from riverine flow. The complexity of the seismostratigraphy of the Quaternary deposits on south eastern Virginia's inner continental shelf is a result of series of high-frequency (fifth-order, 10-20,000 y), low-amplitude (20-30 m) variations in sea level that occurred during the last highstand, roughly 80,000 to 130,000 BP. The evidence of the small oscillations in sea level is best seen in the regions that were between the shoreline and wave base, today's inner shelf; however, the very low rates of deposition on the shelf make it difficult to correlate specific reflectors or beds or, at times, to distinguish between fifth-and fourth-order changes. Results for the continuing studies already have been used in the determination to mine several hundred thousand cubic meters of sand from Sandbridge Shoal for use on a Navy-owned facility and in consideration of mining greater quantities of sand from Sandbridge and other shoals for use in local beach nourishment and hurricane protection efforts.     

Submarine Sand Resources,Southeastern Virginia-Contributions from Year 9 and Year 10 of Virginia's Continental Margins Program

Virginia's year 9 and year 10 funds from the Continental Shelf Program were used to supplement other work funded by the Minerals Management Service in an ongoing Cooperative Agreement focused on the area offshore of southeastern Virginia. Year 9 and year 10 funds facilitated interpretation of subbottom profiles and the analysis of sediment samples from cores and grabs. On Virginia's sediment-starved continental shelf, deposits of material potentially suitable for use as beach nourishment or, perhaps, as construction aggregate occur in three stratigraphic settings, each with specific characteristics of morphology, grain-size gradients, likelihood of discovery, and physical ease of exploitation. All must be verified with a careful program of coring. Modern shoals generally are easier to identify, prove, and access than either filled channels or lenticular facies. Shoals usually are identifiable on nautical charts and characteristically have a definite lower boundarythat can be seen in subbottom profiles. In most cases, the base of the shoal coincides with the level of the surrounding sea floor. Filled channels are readily identifiable on subbottom profiles but may have a narrow, sinuous form and steep lateral gradients in sediment properties. Buried lenticular facies of good-quality sand usually are found only fortuitously. As the lateral and often vertical gradients in geotechnical properties usually are low, the lenticular facies can be mined with a lesser concern for the consequences of violating the deposit's limits than with the other two types of deposit. There are three types of filled paleochannels in the study area. (1) Relatively near-surface, generally small, roughly shore normal channels most likely mark the migration of tidal inlets across the shelf during the most recent transgression. (2) Small, relatively wide and relatively shallow generally shore parallel channels may be filled back-barrier or lagoonal channels. (3) Larger channels trending across the shelf probably result from riverine flow. The complexity of the seismostratigraphy of the Quaternary deposits on south eastern Virginia's inner continental shelf is a result of series of high-frequency (fifth-order, 10-20,000 y), low-amplitude (20-30 m) variations in sea level that occurred during the last highstand, roughly 80,000 to 130,000 BP. The evidence of the small oscillations in sea level is best seen in the regions that were between the shoreline and wave base, today's inner shelf; however, the very low rates of deposition on the shelf make it difficult to correlate specific reflectors or beds or, at times, to distinguish between fifth-and fourth-order changes. Results for the continuing studies already have been used in the determination to mine several hundred thousand cubic meters of sand from Sandbridge Shoal for use on a Navy-owned facility and in consideration of mining greater quantities of sand from Sandbridge and other shoals for use in local beach nourishment and hurricane protection efforts.     

东海中陆架晚第四纪底栖有孔虫定量分析

利用东海中陆架EY02-1孔的柱状样品对底栖有孔虫动物群进行了定量分析研究,结合Q型因子分析及AMS“C测年数据,对东海中陆架古水团演化进行了初步探讨。Q型因子分析得到5个主因子．方差累积贡献为84．9％,这5个有孔虫组合在钻孔相关层位上反映特定的古水团特征。主因子1为Elphidium magellanicum组合,代表低温低盐沿岸水团(5～10m);主因子2为Bolivina robusta组合,代表中陆架水团(50～100m);主因子3为Protelphidium tuberculatum组合,代表外延的古黄海冷水团;主因子4为Florilus decorus组合,代表内陆架水团(0～50m);主因子5为Epistominella naraensis组合,代表水体较凉的水深大于30m的内陆架水团。结果表明,冰后期以古长江冲淡水为主体的低温低盐沿岸水团、中陆架水团及内陆架水团交替影响EY02-1孔附近中陆架。在氧同位素3期以古长江冲淡水为主体的东海沿岸流与外延的古黄海冷水团控制着有孔虫组合。在氧同位素5a-5c期间,EY02-1孔附近中陆架可能已受到古黄海冷水团的影响。该孔顶部11．4m含大量贝壳的细砂沉积可能对应氧同位素1期U2层潮流沙脊脊部沉积,细砂平均沉积速率高达0.877mm／a。