The significance of large-scale sedimentary structures in the Silurian succession of western Ireland

1987 ◽  
Vol 124 (4) ◽  
pp. 361-366 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Michael Williams ◽  
T. Nealon

AbstractLarge-scale sedimentary structures are described from the Lough Muck Formation (Wenlock) of north Galway, Ireland. They consist of bed packages separated by truncation surfaces of varying orientations. They had previously been interpreted as rotational slumps generated on a shelf–slope interface. It is shown that the structures formed in a tidally influenced environment far removed from a slope. They bear strong similarities to structures described from other tidal channel environments and it is proposed that they represent deposition on aggradational margins of such channels. The supposed slope–shelf transition is therefore not present at this level in the Silurian succession and much of the Lough Muck Formation may be of a dominantly shallow-marine origin.

2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-40
Author(s):  
Sreejita Chatterjee ◽  
Dhiren Kumar Ruidas

A significant event of marine transgression took place in Central India during Late Turonian-Coniacian. Fossiliferous marine succession of Bagh Group is one of the few carbonate successions exposed in peninsular India which was in focus of the current study for understanding this event. The signatures of this event were identified in the carbonate succession. The carbonates of Bagh Group are composed of two formations: the lower part is represented by Nodular limestone Formation which is overlain by Bryozoan limestone Formation at the top. On the basis of grain size variation and sedimentary structures, the Nodular limestone is divisible into three facies: facies ‘A’, facies ‘B’ and facies ‘C’. A hardground exists between facies B and facies C. Lack of sedimentary structures and high mud content indicates low energy depositional setting for the Nodular limestone Formation. Similarly, Bryozoan limestone Formation is divisible into five facies: facies ‘D’, facies ‘E’, facies ‘F’, facies ‘G’ and facies ‘H’ based on grain size variation and sedimentary structures. All of these five facies are fossiliferous. Glauconites are present within facies ‘G’ and have two modes of occurrence - as infilling within Bryozoan limestone and as altered feldspar. Presence of both small- and large-scale cross-stratification in Bryozoan limestone with lesser mud content are indicative of high energy shallow marine conditions. Large-scale cross-stratifications are possibly representing tidal bars while the small scale cross stratifications are formed in inter bar setting. Presence of reactivation surfaces within facies ‘E’ also supports their tidal origin. Increase in depositional energy condition is also evident from dominated by packstone facies.


2020 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 17-37 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sebastian H. R. Rosier ◽  
G. Hilmar Gudmundsson

Abstract. An extensive network of GPS sites on the Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf and adjoining ice streams shows strong tidal modulation of horizontal ice flow at a range of frequencies. A particularly strong (horizontal) response is found at the fortnightly (Msf) frequency. Since this tidal constituent is absent in the (vertical) tidal forcing, this observation implies the action of some non-linear mechanism. Another striking aspect is the strong amplitude of the flow perturbation, causing a periodic reversal in the direction of ice shelf flow in some areas and a 10 %–20 % change in speed at grounding lines. No model has yet been able to reproduce the quantitative aspects of the observed tidal modulation across the entire Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf. The cause of the tidal ice flow response has, therefore, remained an enigma, indicating a serious limitation in our current understanding of the mechanics of large-scale ice flow. A further limitation of previous studies is that they have all focused on isolated regions and interactions between different areas have, therefore, not been fully accounted for. Here, we conduct the first large-scale ice flow modelling study to explore these processes using a viscoelastic rheology and realistic geometry of the entire Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf, where the best observations of tidal response are available. We evaluate all relevant mechanisms that have hitherto been put forward to explain how tides might affect ice shelf flow and compare our results with observational data. We conclude that, while some are able to generate the correct general qualitative aspects of the tidally induced perturbations in ice flow, most of these mechanisms must be ruled out as being the primary cause of the observed long-period response. We find that only tidally induced lateral migration of grounding lines can generate a sufficiently strong long-period Msf response on the ice shelf to match observations. Furthermore, we show that the observed horizontal short-period semidiurnal tidal motion, causing twice-daily flow reversals at the ice front, can be generated through a purely elastic response to basin-wide tidal perturbations in the ice shelf slope. This model also allows us to quantify the effect of tides on mean ice flow and we find that the Filchner–Ronne Ice Shelf flows, on average, ∼ 21 % faster than it would in the absence of large ocean tides.


2016 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-409 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Wysocka ◽  
Andrzej Radwański ◽  
Marcin Górka ◽  
Maciej Bąbel ◽  
Urszula Radwańska ◽  
...  

Abstract Studies of Miocene sediments in the Fore-Carpathian Basin, conducted by geologists from the University of Warsaw have provided new insights on the distribution of the facies infilling the basin, particularly in the forebulge and back-bulge zones. The origin of the large-scale sand bodies, evaporitic deposits and large-scale organic buildups is discussed, described and verified. These deposits originated in variable, shallow marine settings, differing in their water chemistry and the dynamics of sedimentary processes, and are unique with regard to the fossil assemblages they yield. Many years of taxonomic, biostratigraphic, palaeoecologic and ecotaphonomic investigations have resulted in the identification of the fossil assemblages of these sediments, their age, sedimentary settings and post-mortem conditions. Detailed studies were focused on corals, polychaetes, most classes of molluscs, crustaceans, echinoderms, and fishes.


Ocean Science ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 173-181 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Jordi ◽  
G. Basterretxea ◽  
A. Orfila ◽  
J. Tintoré

Abstract. In this paper, we present the results from a high horizontal resolution numerical simulation of the northwestern Mediterranean using a z-level, non-hydrostatic, primitive equation ocean model (DieCAST). The high resolution allows an accurate representation of the submarine canyons that presides in the region. The model is one-way coupled to a large scale model of the Mediterranean Sea through open boundaries and uses the atmospheric forcing fields provided in terms of HIRLAM outputs by the Spanish National Institute of Meteorology. Results show that the model can successfully reproduce the complex general circulation characteristics of the area, including the modifications induced by canyons in their vicinity and other phenomena observed such as instabilities and coastal trapped waves. The sea surface temperature is similar to satellite observations except that simulated temperatures are slightly warmer near the coast than observations and colder near the open boundaries. An important topic of this work is the computation of the shelf-slope exchanges, which are able to renew shelf waters in a few months.


2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (7) ◽  
pp. 1391-1402 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jarrod A. Santora ◽  
Stephen Ralston ◽  
William J. Sydeman

AbstractSantora, J. A., Ralston, S., and Sydeman, W. J. 2011. Spatial organization of krill and seabirds in the central California Current. – ICES Journal of Marine Science, 68: 1391–1402. The hypothesis that krill and krill–predator spatial organization and abundance co-vary interannually was tested by investigating the spatial organization of krill and planktivorous seabirds in the central California Current ecosystem over 5 years of varying oceanographic conditions, 2002–2006. To measure the abundance and distribution of krill, data were integrated from large-scale hydroacoustic surveys and station-based net samples, and these data linked to concurrent shipboard visual surveys of seabirds. Acoustically based estimates of the relative abundance of krill were correlated with net samples of Euphausia pacifica, suggesting that acoustic signals mainly reflected the distribution of this numerically dominant species. The distribution and abundance of krill displayed marked changes over years, but the characteristic spatial scale of krill and seabirds remained similar (1–4 nautical miles), confirming the hypothesis of covariance in spatial structure. Krill and the seabird species investigated showed similar habitat associations, i.e. the outer shelf and shelf–slope region, showing that the at-sea distributions of seabirds can provide information on the presence/absence of krill patches. The results also underscore the importance of measuring spatial organization as well as relative abundance in promoting better understanding of predator–prey and marine ecosystem dynamics.


1975 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 1934-1952 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keith Skipper ◽  
Gerard V. Middleton

Turbidites, belonging to the β1, member, Cloridorme Formation, are exposed on the north shore of the Gaspé Peninsula, Quebec. Their structural attitude is such that vertical sections through turbidite beds are exposed on the wave-cut platform and their strike is approximately parallel to the paleocurrent direction, as shown by sole marks on the bases of beds.Certain thick turbidite beds, in a distal position, display a sequence of sedimentary structures which differs from the sequence defined by Bouma. Three broad divisions are recognized: a basal division consists of either limestone or quartz granule to pebble conglomerate (0–4 cm thick) or coarse sand graywacke or calcareous wacke (0–15 cm thick). Basal divisions of calcareous wacke frequently display ripple-lamination, parallel lamination, or upstream-inclined laminae. Where the upstream inclined laminae form a single set, they occur below a sinuous profile (wavelength 40–80 cm, and amplitude 2–5 cm).A second division (0–330 cm thick) consists in most places of spindle- or globular-shaped calcareous nodules scattered in an argillaceous host. In some beds, streaking and lobing of light colored, carbonate bearing material is associated with these nodules. Internal hemi-ellipsoid structures, arranged en echelon and convex towards the base of the bed, are displayed from the second division. The upper division consists of fine grained siltstone and shale.The upstream-inclined laminae in the basal division of calcareous wacke beds are interpreted as being the result of the upstream migration of antidunes. The nodules within the second division developed as 'pseudo-nodules'. The hemi-ellipsoid structures resemble damped, large scale (macroturbulent) eddies associated with the flow of dense grain dispersions.Correlation of these beds has been achieved over a distance of 12 km. Basal divisions of granule and pebble conglomerate persist over this distance and show that coarse particles may be transported by turbidity currents over long distances. The sedimentary structures of the basal divisions of several calcareous wacke beds might be interpreted as the result of either an increase in flow regime downcurrent, or of nonpreservation of structures at up-current localities.The beds were probably deposited from turbidity currents composed largely of mud and fine sand, but containing a zone of coarse grains concentrated near the bed. The basal division was deposited from this lower zone and a period of traction formed rippled, flat, or antidune bed forms. Stratification in the basal division was preserved by the rapid deposition on top of sediment that settled en masse from the subsequent high concentration body of the current. The formation of a succession of 'quick' beds led to the sedimentation of the second division. The flows responsible for the sequence of structures observed and the downcurrent persistence of the beds probably approached closely a state of 'autosuspension'.


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