Keywords:
Marine sediments.
;
Sedimentation and deposition.
;
Electronic books.
Description / Table of Contents:
Contourites are sediments deposited or substantially reworked by bottom currents. The study of contourites is crucial for several fields of fundamental and applied research: paleoclimatology and paleo-oceanography, since these fairly continuous and relatively high-resolution sediments hold the key for priceless information on the variability in circulation patter, current velocity, oceanographic history and basin interconnectivity; hydrocarbon exploration, since accumulation of source rocks may be favored by weak bottom currents, whereas "clean" deep-sea sands may be formed by robust flows; and slope stability, since low-permeability fine-grained contourites facilitate the formation of overpressurized gliding planes when fresh contourites with a high pore-water content becomes rapidly loaded, or when their rigid biosiliceous microfabric collapses due to diagenetic conditions. Despite its significance, this group of sediments is poorly known by the majority of non-specialists. Notwithstanding the growing interest and the intensified research in contourites, a textbook that might also serve as a reference book on contourites was missing until now. This book addresses all aspects of the knowledge in the field of contourites and provides an authoritative and comprehensive coverage of the subject. It also can serve as a standard reference work for non-specialists, and in particular postgraduate students, university teachers and lecturers, researchers and professionals who are seeking an authoritative source of information about contourites. * reviews both theoretical topics and case histories * provides practical advice on multidisciplinary research techniques * provides also nonspecialist users with an intuitively-accessible, cross-referenced, and comprehensive coverage of the knowledge in the field. * provides a helpful tool for research in the
Type of Medium:
Online Resource
Pages:
1 online resource (793 pages)
Edition:
1st ed.
ISBN:
9780080931869
Series Statement:
Issn Series ; v.Volume 60
URL:
https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/geomar/detail.action?docID=405930
DDC:
551.3
Language:
English
Note:
Front Cover -- Developments in Sedimentology, 60: Contourites -- Copyright Page -- Table of Contents -- Preface -- List of Contributors -- Part 1 Contourite Research -- Chapter 1 Contourite Research: A Field in Full Development -- 1.1 Bottom Currents -- 1.2 Contourites -- 1.3 Drifts -- 1.4 Sedimentary Structures -- 1.5 Prospects -- Chapter 2 Personal Reminiscences on the History of Contourites -- 2.1 Introduction -- 2.2 Not All Deep-Sea Sands are Turbidites -- 2.3 Turbidophiles and Turbidophobes -- 2.4 Erosional Unconformity Misinterpreted -- Chapter 3 Methods for Contourite Research -- 3.1 Introduction -- 3.2 Oceanographic Measurements -- 3.3 Geophysical Methods -- 3.4 Sampling Strategies -- 3.5 Analytical Methods -- 3.6 Onshore Studies of Ancient Sequences -- 3.7 Summary of Multidisciplinary Techniques -- Acknowledgements -- Part 2 Bottom Currents -- Chapter 4 Abyssal and Contour Currents -- 4.1 Introduction -- 4.2 Abyssal Currents in the Global Thermohaline Circulation -- 4.3 Contour Currents -- 4.4 Conclusion and Summary -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter 5 Deep-water Bottom Currents and Their Deposits -- 5.1 Introduction -- 5.2 Thermohaline-Induced Geostrophic Bottom Currents -- 5.3 Wind-Driven Bottom Currents: The Loop Current -- 5.4 Deep-Water Tidal Bottom Currents -- 5.5 Internal Waves and Tides (Baroclinic Currents) -- 5.6 Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter 6 Dynamics of the Bottom Boundary Layer -- 6.1 Introduction -- 6.2 Spectral Windows -- 6.3 Characteristics of the Bottom Boundary Layer -- 6.4 Analytical Approach of the BBL -- 6.5 Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- Part 3 Processes -- Chapter 7 Sediment Entrainment -- 7.1 Introduction -- 7.2 Benthic Storms (Transportation and Resuspension of Particles) -- 7.3 Gravity Flows -- 7.4 Bioclastics-Forming Processes in Contourites -- 7.5 Volcaniclastics -- 7.6 Glacial Activity.
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7.7 Resuspension of Particles by Burrowing Activity of Benthic Organisms -- 7.8 Concluding Remarks -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 8 Size Sorting During Transport and Deposition of Fine Sediments: Sortable Silt and Flow Speed -- 8.1 Introduction -- 8.2 Size Analysis of Fine Sediments -- 8.3 Unsorted Delivery to Deep Current Systems: Pelagic Flux and Down-Slope Transport -- 8.4 Controlling Factors for Input and Transport -- 8.5 Sorting in Suspension Transport -- 8.6 Processes of Deposition from Turbulent Boundary Layers -- 8.7 Deposits from Currents -- 8.8 Some Examples of Palaeoflow Inferred from Sortable-Silt records -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 9 The Nature of Contourite Deposition -- 9.1 Introduction -- 9.2 Bottom-Current Characteristics -- 9.3 Sedimentation rates and budget -- 9.4 Drift Deposition and Erosion -- 9.5 Bottom-Current Bedforms -- 9.6 Contourite Facies and Features -- 9.7 Contourite Cyclicity -- 9.8 Summary -- Acknowledgements -- Part 4 Sediments -- Chapter 10 Traction Structures in Contourites -- 10.1 Introduction -- 10.2 The Traction-Structures Controversy -- 10.3 Setting the Stage for Sedimentary Structures in Contourites -- 10.4 Sedimentary Structures -- 10.5 Sedimentary Structures in Facies Models -- 10.6 Conclusions -- Acknowledgments -- Chapter 11 Bioturbation and Biogenic Sedimentary Structures in Contourites -- 11.1 Introduction -- 11.2 Effects of Contour Currents on Benthic Habitats -- 11.3 Examples of Bioturbation in Contourites -- 11.4 Discussion and Conclusions -- 11.5 Perspective -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 12 Some Aspects of Diagenesis in Contourites -- 12.1 Introduction -- 12.2 Some Examples of Sedimentary Rhythms Associated with Changes in Colour -- 12.3 Diagenesis of Fine-Grained Contourites -- 12.4 Diagenesis of Coarse-Grained Contourites -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 13 Contourite Facies and the Facies Model.
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13.1 Introduction -- 13.2 Historical Context -- 13.3 The Range of Contourite Facies -- 13.4 Contourite Facies Model and the Contourite Sequence -- 13.5 Lamination Versus Bioturbation in Contourites -- 13.6 Contourite-Related Facies -- Acknowledgements -- Appendix 1 Details of Contourite Facies Recovered from Modern Drift Systems Using Conventional Coring Techniques as Published Over the Past 15 Years -- 13A1.1 NW UK Continental Margin -- 13A1.2 Norwegian Continental Margin -- 13A1.3 Greenland Continental Margin -- 13A1.4 Gulf of Cadiz, Iberian Margin -- 13A1.5 Mediterranean Sea -- 13A1.6 East North American Continental Margin -- 13A1.7 East South American Continental Margin -- 13A1.8 East New Zealand Continental Margin, SW Pacific -- 13A1.9 Antarctic Continental Margin and Weddell Sea -- Part 5 Morphology, Geometry and Palaeoceanographic Reconstructions -- Chapter 14 Contourite Drifts: Nature, Evolution and Controls -- 14.1 Introduction -- 14.2 Drift Distribution and Characteristics -- 14.3 Growth History of the Blake Outer Ridge Drift System -- 14.4 Factors Controlling Drift Location, Morphology and Depositional Pattern -- 14.5 Contourite-Drift Types -- 14.6 Discussion -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 15 Sediment Waves and Bedforms -- 15.1 Introduction -- 15.2 Location, Morphology and Genesis of Fine-Grained Sediment Waves -- 15.3 Location, Morphology and Genesis of Coarse-Grained Sediment Waves -- 15.4 Related Large-Scale Features Generated by Bottom Currents -- 15.5 Applications to Bottom-Current Reconstruction: A Case Study From the NW UK -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 16 Seismic Expression of Contourite Depositional Systems -- 16.1 Introduction -- 16.2 Seismic Identification and Characteristics of Contourites -- 16.3 Seismic Methods and Interpretation Concepts in Contourite Studies -- 16.4 Summary -- Acknowledgements.
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Chapter 17 Identification of Ancient Contourites: Problems and Palaeoceanographic Significance -- 17.1 Introduction -- 17.2 Examples of Fossil Contourites -- 17.3 Discussion -- Acknowledgements -- Part 6 Domains -- Chapter 18 Abyssal Plain Contourites -- 18.1 Introduction -- 18.2 Terminology -- 18.3 Case Studies of Abyssal Contourites -- 18.4 Oceanic Gateways -- 18.5 Principal Oceanographic and Sedimentary Processes -- 18.6 Main Characteristics of Abyssal Plain Contourites -- 18.7 Final Considerations -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 19 Continental Slope Contourites -- 19.1 Introduction -- 19.2 Key Examples of Along-Slope Processes -- 19.3 Lower Slope to Continental Rise Transition and Other Kinds of Slopes -- 19.4 Principal Characteristics of Continental-Slope Contourites -- 19.5 Final Considerations -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 20 Shallow-Water Contourites -- 20.1 Introduction -- 20.2 Bottom Currents Shaping Shallow-Water Contourite Deposits -- 20.3 Examples of Shallow-Water Contourites -- 20.4 Discussion -- 20.5 Summary -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 21 Mixed Turbidite-Contourite Systems -- 21.1 Introduction -- 21.2 Contourite and Turbidite Alternation -- 21.3 Redistribution of Gravity Deposits by Contour Currents -- 21.4 Interaction of Synchronous Contour and Turbidity Currents -- 21.5 Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 22 High-Latitude Contourites -- 22.1 Introduction -- 22.2 Neogene and Quaternary Changes in Deep-Water Circulation of the Northern North Atlantic and in the Southern Ocean -- 22.3 Northeast Atlantic Margin Contourites -- 22.4 Antarctic Margin Contourites -- 22.5 Conclusions -- Acknowledgements -- Part 7 Importance -- Chapter 23 Economic Relevance of Contourites -- 23.1 Introduction -- 23.2 Major Implications of Contourite Studies -- 23.3 Contourites and Petroleum Exploration -- 23.4 Discussion -- Acknowledgements.
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Chapter 24 Palaeoceanographic Significance of Contourite Drifts -- 24.1 Introduction -- 24.2 Oceanographic Settings of Contourites -- 24.3 Methods and Approaches -- 24.4 Palaeoceanographic Themes Addressed by Contourite Research -- 24.5 Summary -- Acknowledgements -- Chapter 25 The Significance of Contourites for Submarine Slope Stability -- 25.1 Introduction and Objective -- 25.2 Background -- 25.3 Case Studies of Contourites and Submarine Slope Stability -- 25.4 Discussion -- 25.5 Summary -- Acknowledgements -- References -- Index -- Color Plates.
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