Title:

Contourite or turbidite?: magnetic fabric of fine-grained Quaternary sediments, Nova Scotia continental rise

Author(s):

Shor, Alexander N.
Kent, Dennis V.
Flood, Roger D.

Date:

1984

Type:

Articles

Department:

Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory

Permanent URL:

http://hdl.handle.net/10022/AC:P:12329

Part Number:

15

Book/Journal Title:

Fine-Grained Sediments: Deep Water Processes and Facies

Book Author:

Stow, D. A. V.

Publisher:

Blackwell

Publisher Location:

Oxford

Abstract:

Samples of three piston cores and one gravity core from the Nova Scotia continental rise (depths 4210–4925 m) have been examined to differentiate parallel-to-slope and downslope depositional processes in Quaternary deposits from a region presently influenced by a strong contour current. Measurement of anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility of samples of a red-brown, silt-laminated lutite 'contourite' facies shows grain alignments which are consistent with both parallel-to-slope (contour current) flow and downslope (turbidity current) flow. We believe that these results provide support for the hypothesis that 'geologically significant' contour currents have influenced continental rise deposition during the Pleistocene. However, our observation that both alongslope and downslope alignments are present in lithologically similar units clearly demonstrates the need for studies on the relationship between lithofacies and process in this geological setting.

Subject(s):

Sedimentary geology

DOI:

10.1144/​GSL.SP.1984.015.01.17

Item views:

102

Metadata:

description

View | Download