Misuse of Fischer plots as sea-level curves

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 1995 Misuse of Fischer plots as sea-level curves Stephen K. Boss; Stephen K. Boss 1Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, P.O. Box 8208, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Kenneth A. Rasmussen Kenneth A. Rasmussen 2Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia 22003 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Stephen K. Boss 1Department of Marine, Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, P.O. Box 8208, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina 27695 Kenneth A. Rasmussen 2Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, Virginia 22003 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1995) 23 (3): 221–224. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1995)023<0221:MOFPAS>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Stephen K. Boss, Kenneth A. Rasmussen; Misuse of Fischer plots as sea-level curves. Geology 1995;; 23 (3): 221–224. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1995)023<0221:MOFPAS>2.3.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Fischer plots are graphic representations of cyclic carbonate deposits showing cumulative departure from average cycle thickness plotted against cycle number and corrected for assumed subsidence during each cycle. Observed cycle thicknesses in excess of subsidence have been interpreted to represent depositional accommodation space formed by eustatic sea-level rise. However, implicit in this interpretation is the assumption that preserved cycle thickness is a proxy for accommodation. To test this assumption, a survey of carbonate-sediment accumulation patterns (i.e., cycle thicknesses) developing during a single transgressive event (the Holocene postglacial sea-level rise) was conducted on a shallow carbonate platform (Great Bahama Bank) where accommodation was created primarily by sea-level rise over the platform margin (i.e., subsidence was minimal). This survey demonstrates that Holocene sediment (cycle) thickness and accommodation are uncorrelated (r2 = 0.03). Consequently, Fischer plots constructed by using Holocene cycle thicknesses are poor representations of the Holocene transgression. In extreme examples, Holocene Fischer plots would be interpreted to show relative sea-level fall during the Holocene on Great Bahama Bank because Holocene subsidence currently exceeds sediment thickness. In addition, a simple sensitivity test shows that eustatic sea-level interpretations based on interbasinal correlation of Fischer plots are equivocal. The gross form of Fischer plots appears so overly robust as to be insensitive to broad variations in stratigraphic completeness, cycle duration, or subsidence. Because cycle thickness apparently is uncorrelated with accommodation and the gross form of Fischer plots is relatively invariant, it seems prudent to reevaluate the practice of interpreting Fischer plots as sea-level curves per se in the analysis of ancient carbonate cycles. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.