2016/05/25 by Elisabeth Steel, Alexander R. Simms, Jonathan A. Warrick +1 · 2 citations
Earth and Planetary Sciences · Environmental Science · #Geological formations and processes #Methane Hydrates and Related Phenomena #Geology and Paleoclimatology Research
paper · doi:10.1130/b31438.1
openalex publication_date 2016/05/25 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
Research Article| November 01, 2016 Highstand shelf fans: The role of buoyancy reversal in the deposition of a new type of shelf sand body Elisabeth Steel; Elisabeth Steel † 1Department of Earth Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA †[email protected] Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Alexander R. Simms; Alexander R. Simms 1Department of Earth Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Jonathan Warrick; Jonathan Warrick 2U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal & Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Yusuke Yokoyama Yusuke Yokoyama 3Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan4Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan5Department of Biogeosciences, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Elisabeth Steel † 1Department of Earth Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA Alexander R. Simms 1Department of Earth Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, California 93106, USA Jonathan Warrick 2U.S. Geological Survey Pacific Coastal & Marine Science Center, Santa Cruz, California 95060, USA Yusuke Yokoyama 3Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, The University of Tokyo, 5-1-5 Kashiwanoha, Kashiwa, Chiba 277-8564, Japan4Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo, 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyoku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan5Department of Biogeosciences, Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, 2-15 Natsushima-cho, Yokosuka 237-0061, Japan †[email protected] Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 05 Oct 2015 Revision Received: 31 Mar 2016 Accepted: 10 May 2016 First Online: 23 Jun 2017 Online Issn: 1943-2674 Print Issn: 0016-7606 © 2016 Geological Society of America GSA Bulletin (2016) 128 (11-12): 1717–1724. https://doi.org/10.1130/B31438.1 Article history Received: 05 Oct 2015 Revision Received: 31 Mar 2016 Accepted: 10 May 2016 First Online: 23 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Elisabeth Steel, Alexander R. Simms, Jonathan Warrick, Yusuke Yokoyama; Highstand shelf fans: The role of buoyancy reversal in the deposition of a new type of shelf sand body. GSA Bulletin 2016;; 128 (11-12): 1717–1724. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B31438.1 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 Although sea-level highstands are typically associated with sediment-starved continental shelves, high sea level does not hinder major river floods. Turbidity currents generated by plunging of sediment-laden rivers at the fluvial-marine interface, known as hyperpycnal flows, allow for cross-shelf transport of suspended sand beyond the coastline. Hyperpycnal flows in southern California have deposited six subaqueous fans on the shelf of the northern Santa Barbara Channel in the Holocene. Using eight cores and nine grab samples, we describe the deposits, age, and stratigraphic architecture of two fans in the Santa Barbara Channel. Fan lobes have up to 3 m of relief and are composed of multiple hyperpycnite beds ∼5 cm to 40 cm thick. Deposit architecture and geometry suggest the hyperpycnal flows became positively buoyant and lifted off the seabed, resulting in well-sorted, structureless, elongate sand lobes. Contrary to conventional sequence stratigraphic models, the presence of these features on the continental shelf suggests that active-margin shelves may locally develop high-quality reservoir sand bodies during sea-level highstands, and that such shelves need not be solely the site of sediment bypass. These deposits may provide a Quaternary analogue to many well-sorted sand bodies in the rock record that are interpreted as turbidites but lack typical Bouma-type features. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.