Marine Environment

• Beaches:

  High energy - coarser sediment due to erosion of the cliffs in storms

  Pebbles near the cliff are only often affected by waves in storms - Less, well-sorted, conglomerates

  • Symmetrical Ripple Marks
  • Well-Sorted
  • Sub-Rounded, Rounded
  • Quartz
  • Orthroquartzite
• Continental Shelf:

  Sediment from rivers - mainly suspended load so fine grained (low energy env.) Shakes and mudstone

  Asymmetrical Ripple Marks
• Shallow Carbonate Seas:

  • Lagoon - Microte (lime mud) - low energy
  • Reef Cove - Coral limestone - High Energy
  • Fore Reef - Bioclastic limestone - High energy
  • Open Ocean - Shale - Low energy
  • Oolitic Limestone in water less than 2m deep where constant wave action takes place
• Deep Carbonate Sea:

  Chalk (if no Sediment)

  Ooze (shells of microscopic Organisms)
• Turbidites:

  Produced due to landslides on continental Shelf that rush down into deep ocean.

  They spread out over <100km
• A: Contains large pebbles of the original sea bed that has been ripped up by the turbidity current

  B: Flute Clasts/ Tool Marks at base coarser material getting finer

  C: Graded bedding, May find ripple marks/cross bedding from the turbidity current

  D: Fine sand/silts, low energy

  E: Shale - settling from suspension
• Shallow siliclastic marine

  Sand and finer grained sediment mostly transported there by rivers

  Shallow seas extend out along the continental shelf up to depths of 200m before drop ocean