Title
Sedimentary development of the Louisiana continental shelf related to sea level cycles: Part II-seismic response
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
6-1-1988
Abstract
Cyclic sequences occur worldwide in nearly every stratigraphic sequence; they are particularly well-developed in fluvial and deltaic sediments that have been influenced by high-frequency eustatic sea-level fluctuations. The large data base for this study (including 471 deep foundation borings, thousands of line kilometers of high-resolution seismic, and sedimentological and dating analyses) represents the most complete information on high-resolution chronostratigraphy and lithostratigraphy that is available on any modern continental shelf/upper slope. These data are used to document sedimentological characteristics and high-resolution seismic responses during three complete sea-level cycles over the entire continental shelf/upper slope of offshore Louisiana. Examination of high-resolution seismic records indicates that well-defined, high-amplitude, laterally continuous reflectors correlate with rising and high stand condensed sedimentary sequences and that the deposits laid down during falling and low-stand periods (expanded sections) are characterized by a wide range of acoustic responses. Discontinuous reflectors with high-amplitude variability, continuous parallel reflectors, and chaotic and amorphous zones are common acoustic responses. The association between a particular lithofacies and a specific acoustic response on 3.5-kHz records was found to be very poor. © 1988 Springer-Verlag New York Inc.
Publication Source (Journal or Book title)
Geo-Marine Letters
First Page
109
Last Page
119
Recommended Citation
Coleman, J., & Roberts, H. (1988). Sedimentary development of the Louisiana continental shelf related to sea level cycles: Part II-seismic response. Geo-Marine Letters, 8 (2), 109-119. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02330968