Great Bahama bank aragonitic muds: Ubiquitously precipitated, mostly exported

Conference · Tue May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA)

OSTI ID:6699412

Milliman, J D ^[1]; Freile, D ^[2]; Steinen, R P ^[3]; Wilber, R J ^[4]; Halley, R B ^[5]

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1. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute, MA (USA)
2. Boston Univ., MA (USA)
3. Univ. of Connecticut, Storrs (USA)
4. SEA, Woods Hole, MA (USA)
5. Geological Survey, St. Petersburg, FL (USA)

Strontium contents of aragonitic sediments from the bank to, bank edge, and leeward slope of Great Bahama Bank (GBB) have considerably higher Sr contents (0.90-0.98%) than those produced by codiacean green algae (0.79-0.89%). A simple two-part mixing model indicates that precipitated aragonite (Sr contents of 0.95-100%) must contribute at least 60-70% of the aragonitic muds, codiacean algae producing the remainder. As other aragonite producers on the bank (mollusks and, to a lesser extent, corals) have much lower Sr contents, this computation is conservative. Such aragonitic muds are produced ubiquitously throughout GBB< but they accumulate only in the relatively quiescent environment leeward of Andros Island. Most muds are exported via normal currents and storms to the leeward slope of GBB (water depths 150-300 m), where Holocene accumulations can reach 90 m in thickness. In fact, more than 90% of the mud produced on GBB is exported from the bank top, a point that has dramatic consequences on the aragonitic lysocline and compensation depths of surrounding waters.

• OSTI ID: 6699412
• Report Number(s): CONF-900605--
• Conference Information: Journal Name: AAPG Bulletin (American Association of Petroleum Geologists); (USA) Journal Volume: 74:5
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
580000* -- Geosciences
ALGAE
ALKALINE EARTH METAL COMPOUNDS
ALKALINE EARTH METALS
BAHAMA ISLANDS
CALCITE
CALCIUM CARBONATES
CALCIUM COMPOUNDS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBONATE MINERALS
CARBONATE ROCKS
CARBONATES
CENOZOIC ERA
DEPOSITION
DEVELOPING COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
GEOLOGIC AGES
ISLANDS
METALS
MINERALS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
QUATERNARY PERIOD
ROCKS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STRONTIUM
WEST INDIES