Long-distance turbidite correlations in the Horseshoe Abyssal Plain

183 Pages·2012·6.32 MB·English

distance Turkidite Coxrelations

in the

hors

10% Abyssal Plain

A thesis presented to the Faculty

the state University of New York
at Ribany

in partial fulfillment of the reculrcnents

for the degree of

Master of soience

William H. Foyt

Vovenber, 1976
aasreacr

Few studies on rodecn ahyssal plain turbidites have

erpted 0 auscee the Late:

extant of indiv.dual units

ahd few have therefore heen able to provide any infornation

on the evclution of turbidity éeposits across lorg abyesal
Plain distances. Tn the 4755 m-deep Horesshoe Physsal Plain,
ten distinct lithologic waits (six of these Iherian Penin-

sule-¢orived turbidites) were delincated in nine plcten cores

on the basis of stratigr

nig position, thickness (range

ef 20 om to greater than 500 cn), color, sediment type,

sedimentary structures, -ray minevalogy, and 4

abigaitous
preserce of units in ¢11 abyszal plain end supplying canyon

piston cores. In order to make this corcelation sore hy!

cus, detailed erain size analyses, 1

ght and heavy nineralosy

of ssids, “Il treatuuut, and volatile solids éeve:

were performe’ on three of the siz turbhidite unite, which

huve volunes of 5.7, 8.0, and 12.1 kn3, These analyses

ferther confirm correlation over the entire 15,090 kn?

avea of the Yorsestpe Abyssal Plain and certainly provide leng—
istance correlations Zor siz individual turbidites of over

R00 "m for each #2ew. In addition, shallow subbottom ro-

Electors and transparonk zones soon en 3.5 kH2-P.D.R. pre~

files cen be tied into tho in situ etratigraphy of the piston
The resulte of previous studies on modern abyssal glain

subi:

08, anciont turbidite depozite, and experimental

dab studi

A results fon the Horseshoe

are compared wi
Abyssal Plain deposits and it is concluded that mini

phy-
siographic Aisturkoaces oa the cthereise fiat abyssal plain

Eloor have cesulted in marked sp4‘mantotogical variation.

it was found that regular grain size decrease and thickness

decrease

ith inereasing distance from the supplying canyon
were vot observed for individual bedding units. The relizg
actions abeut lateral variations within turbicites are

questioned.

Department of veciogicel Sefonees
State University of New York af Albany
1400 Washington Avenue

Albany, N.Y. 12222

a
The thesis Zor the nadter's degree aubritted

wiltiam 1. Noyt

under the title

hong-Distanse Tarbidite Correlations

jn the Horseshoe Abyesal Plain

kas teen tead by the undersigned. It is hereby recormanded

axcunl of

in stsester hours. (signed) cay “Pep
coated

(nate)

(sigrea)

(nate)

Recennendation accepted by the Pean of Graduate Stidies for

the & council.
ENDS

The author wishes to gratafally ackaowledes Ais adviser,

Or. Boul. Fox, for this work. ke, along with D=s. D.

Needhan (CENEXO, Brest, France) and W. B. F. Ryan {Lanont-

Doherty Geological observatory), originally fozmulatcd this

project and collected the data. without the enceuragenent

and dixcotion of Dr. Tex, this study would have been much

iteul,

toss

The

Llowing faculty frox the University at Atbany are

acknowledged fox Lneir adyica and assistance: tre. K. Burke,

8. B. DeLong, J. 7. Dewey, W, S$. F. Eid, R. H. Mouaren,

W.'D. Means, and G. W, Putman. A. Hajeck, ml E. Rertiett,
R. 8. daupt (Wt, Hiwy. Dept}, bre. ¥. Shida, J. Olson ttniv.
of ved, A, Bromlow {R. .), and T. Shiketa are thanked for
their professional assistance during various pheses of the
work. De. &. M. Purdy (W.H.0.1.) is thanked for nis eid.

Aa in dragea

vas supplied by P, Medic, B. Grossman,

Ross, M. May:

hy and M. Peecock. Aid in typing the original

araft was supplied by M. Ayers, Proofreading end typing
of the final draft was undertaken by Denise $. Hoyt, who aleo
provided abendans cnoouragement: and support.

Dre, Fox, Barke, Widd,and Ryan read the xanuseript and
provided detailed suggestions for improvenents, most of which
have been incorporated into the final thesis.

The Office of Raval Research Grant #N90024-57-R-0108-004

29460 are

an the National Science Founéation craat #8

acknowlsaned [or collection of data.
ABSTRACT

‘ACKMOWLE:

CHAP:

CHAPTER

CHAPTER

cUAPTER

TABLE OF CONTENTS

DGEMENTS esse evee

I. INSRODNELSON ....
Review of Studies on the Sedinenioiosy’ of
Tarbidity Currents ye.s-+-+
Modern Abyssal Plain Turbidita,
ancient Terbidite Models App:
‘Study of Modern Abyssal Pil
usperinental Studies
Tao Ruling Paredicn
Purpose af Study ..

able’ 12" the”
mn Turbidites .

II. SETTING ..,
The Morpho~ectaaie §
Gec"ogic Setting

III. METHODS OF STUDY

Duta Collection at Sea

Laboratory arene
Preliminaries to the Sragant Study 122,271
betailed Lab analyses of Sedinents

IV. DATA AND DISCUSSION ....

introduction

Bathynetry, Ship track, Core Locations -

Acoustic Data + are

Piston Core Scratigraphic Correlaticns

Grain Size analysis statistics and their

ficance :

Grain size and Taickasss Data’.

Discussion of Grain Size and Thicknzss
ResulLs .

Sorting Indien bata!

Shewness Index Data’.

Zurtosis (Peakedces) bata]

Pots of One Grain Size Parauwter Ayainsi

hydrochloric acid Treatment.
Volatile Solids ‘Treatment ..
A-Ray Diffraction Miners iogy
ography of Turbidite Sandy Bases
Ay Minerals .

CHAPTER Y, CONCLUSIONS ..

BIGLIOGRAPAY

APPENDIX I. REVIEW OF GIUDIES ON YAR SFDINENTOLOGY
‘OF TURBIDITY CORRINTS
Modern Abyssal Plain Turbiditea’_
Flysch Hodels Applicable to the Sindy
‘Of Modern Abyssal Plain Torbidites.
Experimental studies

ADPENDTA 2). WIG SAGTERN HMO OF THE AZORES-CIDRALTAR
PLATE BOUNDARY :

RPPENDEX TIT, DETATLED ZAZORATORY PROCEDURES
Grain Size Analysis :
108 HCl-Solubility Determination’
Procedure ..+
Grain-counting
Mineralogy Deterrination «
pazaneters for Sanple X-Ray
Diffraction s+.

196
16
FETS
120
qi
124

19
Le

133
433

yaa
LIS OF TABRNS

TABLE

VENA 27, Leg 8 Core Data

index for Five Turbi

lites From che

sa

terial and Volatile

7

TABLE Iv. X-ray Diffraction Minoralegy of

Clay Turbidite Tops .... al
LIST OF FICH

FIGURE 1, Satkynetry of the Worseshee abysdal Plain
and Surrounding Area v.eeceees : veeeee 3

FIGURE 2. Detailed Bathymetry of the Horseshoe
Nbyssal Plain -

FIGURE 3, Acoustic Profile Refercace Map . we?
FIGURE ¢. Regional Acoustic Profiles of the

Horseshoe Abyssal Plain Are? veessess . 22
FIGURE 5, Four 3.5 kiz-p.D.R. Records from the

Horseshoe Abyssal Plain at the Coze Sites -..... 31

FIGUW 6. 3.5 Kiiz-P.D.R. Records 07 the Channet~

Cat Fasterh Areas of the Abyssal Plain .. 32
FIGUE 7. Simplified, Full-core Sketches of the

Six abyssal Flain Cores +---2s-.eeee--eerec eee t 34

SURE 8, Percents of Coxe Lengths which are

Surbidita and Non-turbidite Material .... 38
FIGURE 9. Detaiied Coxe Sketches of al! Nine

Corse lyesrissetteereecees . 39
FIGURE 10. Moen Grain Sizes of Various Sarizons

in thd Firet Three Tarbidites ..y,-essegeesee sees a
FIGURE 11. Classification Scheme for Send, Silt.

and CLO srrevisecterstesceserstereneesce 43
FIGURE 12, Gzain Size Dietributions of Four

Horizons From the Top Thzee Turbidites y.-..-+-5 45
FIGURE, 12. Paxcent, Gand, Silt, and clay for the

‘Top Thrae Turbidites ...-+ . vee a
FIGURE 14. Grain Size vs. Distance Above the

Turlidite Base for Top Three Turbidites veresesses 48

FIGURE 1

. Grain Size vs. Thickness for the Bases

so
FIGURE 16. Grouped Cunalative Frequency Curves ..

FIGs 17. Chicknese of Turbidity Current Head
ve, Distance From the Gate of mmtry +-

FIGURE 18. Sorting
Turbidites -

dex for the Firet three

FIGURE 12. Skevness Index for the first Ibres
Durbidites ....e+ cesneeees

FIGURE 20. Furtosie Index for the
Terbidites -.css+

FIGURE 21. Mean Grain Sino vs, etandard feviation
for the First threo Turaidite Bases ...

FIGURE 22. Mean Grain cize vs. Kurtosis Zor the
Basea of the First Three Turbidites y-+.-.-

FIGUAE 23. Standrd Deviation vs. xurtosis for
the Eases of the First Three Turbidites ...

FIGURE 24, Y-vay Mineyalogy Scan Representing the
Mineralogy of the First, Second, Third, Fifth,
and Sixth Turbidile Tops :

FIGURE 25. Xeray Minerelogy Scan Representing the
Mineralogy of the Fourth Turbidite Tops ...-...

ProlWR 26. X-ray Vinerslogy Sean Represanting the
Mineralogy Of Palagic Clay vee.e+e e+

FIGURE 27. X-ray Minerslogy Scan Representing the
Mineraldgy of Sorringe Bank Local mvent Clay ..

FIGURE 28, Xezay Mineralogy Scan Representing the
‘tep of the Fourth Tarbidite ....--

FIGURE 29. Locations of Pyrite Rods (ranboi ds)
Found in the Horeeshoe Abyssal Plain Turbidites ..

FIGURE 30, Cac, Tests ve. Non~CaCdy Teste in
the Bases of furbidites ..-+

FIGUPE 31. Mineralogy of the Non-CaCO3 fraction ....

FIGURE 32. Bathynet-y Showing Recext Harthguake
Activity im the Raatern Horseshoe Abyssal Plain ..

FIGURE 33. Yods1 for Normal consumstion of Oceanic
crust. teste :

ar

Be

20

Bt

93

oa

96
98

125

126