The Georgia Embayment continental shelf: Stratigraphy of a submergence

Abstract

Research Article| January 01, 1981 The Georgia Embayment continental shelf: Stratigraphy of a submergence ORRIN H. PILKEY; ORRIN H. PILKEY 1U.S. Geological Survey, and Department of Geology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar BLAKE W. BLACKWELDER; BLAKE W. BLACKWELDER 2U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 22092 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar HARLEY J. KNEBEL; HARLEY J. KNEBEL 3U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar MARK W. AYERS MARK W. AYERS 1U.S. Geological Survey, and Department of Geology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information ORRIN H. PILKEY 1U.S. Geological Survey, and Department of Geology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708 BLAKE W. BLACKWELDER 2U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia 22092 HARLEY J. KNEBEL 3U.S. Geological Survey, Woods Hole, Massachusetts 02543 MARK W. AYERS 1U.S. Geological Survey, and Department of Geology, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (1981) 92 (1): 52–63. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1981)92<52:TGECSS>2.0.CO;2 Article history First Online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation ORRIN H. PILKEY, BLAKE W. BLACKWELDER, HARLEY J. KNEBEL, MARK W. AYERS; The Georgia Embayment continental shelf: Stratigraphy of a submergence. GSA Bulletin 1981;; 92 (1): 52–63. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1981)92<52:TGECSS>2.0.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 SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Forty vibracores taken across the continental shelf and in proposed drilling lease areas of the southeast Georgia Embayment are used to document the unconsolidated shelf-sediment cover. The Holocene-Pleistocene sediment veneer is thin, generally less than 4 m thick. Lagoon sediments deposited during the last regression (shelf emergence) or the Holocene transgression (shelf submergence) occur in patches on the inner and central shelf. Because essentially only late Pleistocene and Holocene mollusk shells are present in the shelf-sediment cover, it is believed that most of the carbonate fraction was removed by subaerial leaching during low sea-level stands aided by mechanical abrasion and biological degradation during the regressive-transgressive cycle. During each transgression or submergence, the surficial sand sheet is recharged with a new biogenic carbonate fraction along with the addition of small amounts of clastic sediments derived from "overrun" estuaries and erosion of underlying Tertiary sediments.The stratigraphy based on the vibracores supports the concept of cross-shelf migration of the shore face—barrier island systems in response to rising sea level. Sedimentologic and paleontologic analyses also indicate that extensive in-place mixing of shelf sediments may have occurred, an important factor to consider in evaluation of the fate of particulate pollutants. The establishment of the time frame of such mixing should be given high priority in future studies. 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.