Paleomagnetic inclination errors in sediments cored from a Gulf of Mexico salt dome - An indicator of ancient sea level

Journal Article · Tue Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 1989 · Geology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1989)017<0739:PIEISC>2.3.CO;2· OSTI ID:6852391

Sager, W W; Singleton, S W ^[1]

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1. Texas A M Univ., College Station (USA)

A paleomagnetic study of piston-cored sediments was done in conjunction with a high-resolution seismic reflection study of a salt dome on the upper continental slope in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Seismic data showed that late Pleistocene sediment layers are exposed around the bank and tilted up to 8{degree} by the diapiric uplift. Cores were taken on the flanks of the bank to test the use of paleomagnetism in measuring the tectonic tilt of the sediments. After structural corrections, results from six cores agreed with the geocentric axial dipole inclination for the site, but four other cores displayed significantly shallowed inclinations. Moreover, several cores showed linear trends of inclination shallowing, increasing downcore. The anomalous results are from the summit of the bank and suggest a relation to subaerial exposure during a sea-level lowstand. The authors think that the shallow inclinations were caused by compaction, but that the linear trends resulted from rehydration of the sediments after exposure by erosion.

• OSTI ID: 6852391
• Journal Information: Geology; (USA), Vol. 17:8; ISSN 0091-7613
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

58 GEOSCIENCES
GULF OF MEXICO
SALT DEPOSITS
PALEOMAGNETISM
SEA LEVEL
GEOLOGIC HISTORY
COMPACTING
CONTINENTAL SLOPE
DRILL CORES
EROSION
ERRORS
GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS
INCLINED STRATA
LITHOLOGY
PLEISTOCENE EPOCH
SEDIMENTS
SEISMIC SURVEYS
TECTONICS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
CARIBBEAN SEA
CENOZOIC ERA
CONTINENTAL MARGIN
GEOLOGIC AGES
GEOLOGIC DEPOSITS
GEOLOGIC STRATA
GEOLOGIC STRUCTURES
LEVELS
MAGNETISM
QUATERNARY PERIOD
SEAS
SURFACE WATERS
SURVEYS
580000* - Geosciences