Low-energy Beach ridge sedimentation in the Mississippi River delta plain
Regressive beach ridge plains, such as Cheniere Caminada, Cheniere Caillou, and Cheniere Ronquille, are common depositional features within the Mississippi River delta plain in southeastern Louisiana. Vibracored sequences indicate beach ridge formation is a 3 stage process: Stage 1: Distributary Progradation, followed by Stage 2: Longshore Transport Interception, and completed by Stage 3: Beach Ridge Progradation. Cheniere Caminada is the largest beach ridge plain and is associated with the Late Lafourche delta. Radiocarbon dates indicate beach ridge building began approximately 720 years BP, when the Bayou Lafourche distributaries built seaward of the older, retreating Bayou Blue shoreline and intercepted westward longshore sediment transport, resulting in the progradation of Cheniere Caminada. Near the fan apex, beach ridges are 7-8 m thick and thin westward 2-3 m thick against the levees of Bayou Moreau. A typical beach ridge vertical sequence coarsens upward, with shoreface silty sands overlain by a thin cap of beach, washover, and aeolian sands. Beach ridge progradation in this area ceased approximately 300 years BP with the abandonment of Bayou Lafourche. The documentation of multiple regressive beach ridge plains suggest these deposits are stratigraphically more significant in the Mississippi River delta plain than recognized previously. The regressive beach ridge sequence documented in this study both stratigraphically and genetically contrasts with the classic transgressive chenier ridges of southwestern Louisiana.
- Research Organization:
- Louisiana Geological Survey, Baton Rouge (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6598443
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-8510489-
- Journal Information:
- Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States), Journal Name: Geol. Soc. Am., Abstr. Programs; (United States) Vol. 17; ISSN GAAPB
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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