Paleoenvironmental reconstructions and organic matter characterizations of peats and associated sediments from cores in a portion of the Lafourche delta. [Louisiana]

Thesis/Dissertation · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985

OSTI ID:6915060

Beckman, S W

This study had four objectives: (1) to develop methods for reconstructing paleoenvironments of buried peats and their associated sediments from core material: (2) to apply these paleoenvironmental methods to reconstructing the history of sedimentation; (3) determine the relationships between peat formation and deltaic environmental conditions; and (4) to reconstruct the development of an interdistributary basin during the Lafourche deltaic episode. The important conclusions of the study are as follows. (1) Analyses of the three study cores revealed progressive increases in salinity from the bottom of each core to the top. Coincident with these salinity increases were changes in marsh types from fresh marshes towards the base of the cores, to intermediate and brackish marshes in the middle of the cores, and saline marshes at the surface. (2) The duration and magnitude of salinity variations through time were the most important factors controlling the occurrence and organic matter content of the intermediate and brackish marsh deposits. (3) Results of the maceral analyses from the cores revealed mechanisms of organic matter sedimentation, and elucidated environmental conditions during deposition and early diagenesis. (4) The chemical paleosalinity indicators tested were unsatisfactory due to the vertical migration of fluids from the surface sediments. (5) A reconstruction of interdistributary basin formation was developed utilizing results from the paleoenvironmental core data and auger sediment descriptions. (6) A peat classification system, based on the results from this study, was designed to integrate descriptions of peat floral composition with salinity and measurements of organic matter type.

• Research Organization: Louisiana State Univ., Baton Rouge (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6915060
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT
010600 -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Properties & Composition
011000* -- Coal
Lignite
& Peat-- Reserves
Geology
& Exploration
AQUATIC ECOSYSTEMS
CLASSIFICATION
COAL DEPOSITS
DIAGENESIS
DRILL CORES
ECOSYSTEMS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION VI
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
LOUISIANA
MACERALS
MEASURING METHODS
MINERAL RESOURCES
NORTH AMERICA
ORGANIC MATTER
PALEOCLIMATOLOGY
PALEONTOLOGY
PEAT
RESOURCES
SALINITY
SEDIMENTATION
USA
WETLANDS