Stratigraphic response of a carbonate platform to relative sea level changes: Broken Ridge, southeast Indian Ocean

Journal Article · Mon Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1991 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States)

OSTI ID:5696053

Driscoll, N W; Weissel, J K; Karner, G D; Mountain, G S ^[1]

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1. Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY (United States)

In contrast to terrigenous margins, the stratigraphic response of carbonate platforms to relative sea level changes is influenced by carbonate productivity, dissolution, and diagenesis. Using seismic reflection and Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) drilling data from Broken Ridge, the authors assess the importance of these processes in controlling the stratigraphic response of a carbonate platform to relative sea level changes. Prior to middle Eocene rifting, Broken Ridge and Kerguelen-Heard Plateau constituted a large carbonate platform. ODP drilling data from the Kerguelen-Heard Plateau and Broken Ridge reveal that the carbonate platform had two major episodes of tectonic uplift. The early Maastrichtian uplift was confined to the southern section of the Kerguelen-Heard Plateau and gently tilted the platform toward the north. The middle Eocene rift-induced uplift affected both Broken Ridge and the northern section of the Kerguelen-Heard Plateau. Watergun seismic reflection and drilling data indicate the following stratigraphic response of the platform to relative sea level changes. (1) prograding clinoforms consisting of carbonate sediments were deposited during a long-term relative sea level rise. (2) Onlapping sequences consisting of carbonate detritus were deposited in the basin during the middle Eocene relative sea level fall. The authors propose that the stratigraphic response of Broken Ridge to the middle Eocene relative sea level fall is consistent with stratigraphic predictions based on terrigenous margins. Stratigraphic models based on terrigenous margins do not account for the increase in sediment supply along carbonate margins during a relative sea level rise, and thus require minor modification in order to predict the development of the prograding clinoforms.

• OSTI ID: 5696053
• Journal Information: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (United States), Vol. 75:4; ISSN 0149-1423
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
CONTINENTAL SHELF
SEISMIC SURVEYS
STRATIGRAPHY
INDIAN OCEAN
SEDIMENTARY BASINS
GEOLOGIC MODELS
CARBONATE ROCKS
DEPOSITION
EOCENE EPOCH
EXPLORATORY WELLS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
SEA LEVEL
VARIATIONS
WELL DRILLING
CENOZOIC ERA
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
DRILLING
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
GEOLOGY
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
LEVELS
ROCKS
SEAS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
TERTIARY PERIOD
WELLS
580000* - Geosciences