SEISMIC EXPRESSION OF QUATERNARY CLIMATIC CYCLES IN THE PERI-PLATFORM CARBONATE OOZE OF THE NORTHERN BAHAMAS Academic Article uri icon

abstract

  • Stratigraphic, physical and acoustic properties of peri-platform carbonate sediments in an 18-m long piston core (core 2218, 655 m) from Northwest Providence Channel, Bahamas, have been investigated. The sediments range in age from recent to about 1 My old. There is a close correlation between changes of compressional wave velocity and Quaternary climate as indicated by 18 O. Velocity correlated negatively to aragonite content, water content, and porosity, whereas it correlates positively to grain size, saturated bulk density, and observed degree of cementation, Changes in the degree of cementation exert a particularly strong influence on velocity variations. All parameters correlate to Quaternary climate/sea-level fluctuations. During glacial/low-sea-level stages, the aragonite content, water content, water content, and porosity decrease, but grain size, saturated bulk density, and the degree of cementation increase; all of these increase velocity. Major changes in velocity are associated with transitions from glacial to interglacial stages. Acoustic reflectors correlate one-to-one with the velocity changes occurring at isotopic stage boundaries 7-8, 9-10, and 11-12. The reflectors that correlate with isotopic stage boundaries can be used to study the detailed history of Quaternary peri-platform carbonate deposition and place it into the context of global climate/sea-level cycles. -from Authors

published proceedings

  • GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA BULLETIN

author list (cited authors)

  • SLOWEY, N. C., NEUMANN, A. C., & BALDWIN, K. C.

citation count

  • 10

complete list of authors

  • SLOWEY, NC||NEUMANN, AC||BALDWIN, KC

publication date

  • December 1989