Identifier
etd-06282013-173518
Degree
Master of Science (MS)
Department
Geology and Geophysics
Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
X-ray diffraction mineralogy of western-, central-, and eastern-derived fluvial sediments within the Gulf of Papua exhibits distinct and mixed clay mineral assemblages. These mineral assemblages allow for a better understanding of how a thick muddy continental margin shelf-edge depocenter in the eastern Gulf of Papua of latest Pleistocene/early Holocene age formed, as well as connections between terrestrial sediment delivery and evolution of deep-sea deposits in this region. Modern clay mineralogy reveals a high to low gradation of illite/smectite values from the western to eastern Gulf of Papua (Slingerland et al., 2008a), which is applied to the recent past for provenance indications within this study. The shelf-edge depocenter, at the MV-41 core location, analyzed in this study formed during the Bølling-Allerød/Younger Dryas when the shoreline was located < 10 km landward of the modern shelf-edge and mass accumulation rates were high, thus allowing for minimal illite/smectite-dominated sediment input from the western and central GoP. However, modern X-ray diffraction data show a higher kaolinite/chlorite input, indicative of a more local, volcanic source, potentially within the Lakekamu River catchment. This mineral assemblage is distinct from the higher illite/smectite and lower kaolinite/chlorite signatures within the upper/middle slope cores, MV-46 and MV-49, and is consistent with modern central Gulf of Papua surficial clay mineralogy being Purari River-derived. This analysis of clay-rich mud provenances, in conjunction with other analyses, provides an improvement of understanding modern mudflow, and potentially the paleogeographical extent of clay-rich muds in unconventional shale plays.
Date
2013
Document Availability at the Time of Submission
Release the entire work immediately for access worldwide.
Recommended Citation
Howell, Ashley Len, "A clay mineral provenance study of the northern Pandora Trough continental margin, Gulf of Papua" (2013). LSU Master's Theses. 958.
https://repository.lsu.edu/gradschool_theses/958
Committee Chair
Bentley, Samuel J.
DOI
10.31390/gradschool_theses.958