Pre-transgression morphology and Holocene stratigraphy of the Delaware estuarine and Atlantic coasts
The Holocene stratigraphic sequences of the ocean and estuarine coasts of Delaware record the marine transgression and sedimentary infill of deeply incised valleys of the ancestral Delaware River and its tributaries. Suspended sediment of the Delaware estuary has played an important role in the antecedent valley infill. Fine-grained deposition marginal to the ocean coast occurs in lagoonal, tidal stream and marsh environments. The stratigraphy of the lagoonal and estuarine shore areas show that a 1-2 m depth ravinement process is operative in these low energy coastal environments producing an eroded surface which precedes and is stratigraphically separate from the deeper (10 m depth) Atlantic shoreface ravinement. As the transgression continues, preservation of the Holocene sedimentary sequences is dependent on rate of sea-level rise and depth of ravinement. Relief on the antecedent topography is equally important, with maximum preservation occurring in antecedent valleys. At interglacial peak sea levels, lithosomes of all the paralic environments (including barriers and spits) may be preserved in lateral and vertical relationships unmodified by the ravinement process.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Delaware, Newark (USA)
- OSTI ID:
- 6877554
- 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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Related Subjects
580100* -- Geology & Hydrology-- (-1989)
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CENOZOIC ERA
COASTAL REGIONS
DELAWARE
DEPOSITION
ESTUARIES
FEDERAL REGION III
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
GEOLOGY
GEOMORPHOLOGY
LITHOLOGY
NORTH AMERICA
QUATERNARY PERIOD
ROCKS
SEAS
SEDIMENTARY ROCKS
STRATIGRAPHY
SURFACE WATERS
USA