The Texas mud blanket: Understanding fine-grained sediment flux in the NW Gulf of Mexico during the previous transgression |
Posted on:2011-01-02 | Degree:M.S | Type:Thesis |
University:Rice University | Candidate:Weight, Robert William Reed | Full Text:PDF |
GTID:2442390002461821 | Subject:Geology |
Abstract/Summary: | |
The evolution and source of the Texas Mud Blanket (300 km3) was determined from 26 new radiocarbon dates and from &sim3000 km of 2D seismic data. Sediment flux (km3/ka) was calculated from this combined dataset. XRD reveals its origins are mostly from the Colorado and Brazos Rivers.Between LGM and 17 ka, sediments filled the deepest accommodation behind a productive reef trend. 17-9 ka was a time of rapid eustatic rise (&sim7 mm/year) and low sedimentation (flux=0.4 km3/ka). At &sim9 ka, sediment flux to the mud blanket increased to 41 km3/ka because of ravinement of Brazos and Colorado deltas. By &sim5.5 ka, Texas was experiencing a climatic optimum, which reduced sediment supply from local rivers. During the last 3.5 ka the mud blanket received 172 km3 of fine-grained Colorado and Brazos sediments. The most pronounced trend is the anti-correlation of mud blanket growth and rates of eustatic rise. |
Keywords/Search Tags: | Mud blanket, Sediment, Texas |
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