Accumulation of bank-top sediment on the western slope of Great Bahama Bank: Rapid progradation of a carbonate megabank

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1990)018<0970:AOBTSO>2.3.CO;2· OSTI ID:6314128

Wilber, R J ^[1]; Milliman, J D ^[2]; Halley, R B ^[3]

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1. Sea Education Association, Woods Hole, MA (USA)
2. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, MA (USA)
3. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL (USA)

High-resolution seismic profiles and submersible observations along the leeward slope of western Great Bahama Bank show large-scale export of bank-top sediment and rapid progradation of the slope during the Holocene. A wedge-shaped sequence, up to 90 m thick, is present along most of the slope and consists of predominantly aragonite mud derived from the bank since flooding of the platform 6-8 ka. Total sediment volume of the slope sequence is 40%-80% that of Holocene sediment currently retained on the bank. Maximum rates of vertical accumulation and lateral progradation are 11-15 m/ka and 80-110 m/ka, respectively: 10 to 100 times greater than previously known for periplatform muds. Slope deposition of exported mud during sea-level highs appears to have been a major mechanism for the westward progradation of Great Bahama Bank throughout the Quaternary; this may provide a critical modern analogue for ancient progradational margins.

• OSTI ID: 6314128
• Journal Information: Geology; (USA), Journal Name: Geology; (USA) Vol. 18:10; ISSN GLGYB; ISSN 0091-7613
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
BAHAMA ISLANDS
CENOZOIC ERA
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
CONTINENTAL SLOPE
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
DIMENSIONS
EROSION
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGIC MODELS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
ISLANDS
LEVELS
QUATERNARY PERIOD
ROCKS
SEA LEVEL
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
SEDIMENTATION
SEDIMENTS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
SILTSTONES
SURVEYS
THICKNESS
WEST INDIES