Deep Marine Turbidites During the Early Eocene Hothouse Highstand
Abstract
According to a widely accepted paradigm, deposition of deep-water turbidites in the form of submarine fans primarily occurs during periods of sea-level fall. Due to tropical conditions and minimal polar ice, the early Eocene (Ypresian stage) - ca. 8 Myr long, including the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum - was a time of sea-level highstand. Here, we compile a global inventory to document occurrences of deep-water deposition during the early Eocene. If sea-level fall is indeed a prerequisite for major deep-water siliciclastic deposition, early Eocene strata should be characterized by a paucity of accumulated turbidite sediment (except in tectonically active margins where shelves are narrow). We record 63 instances of early Eocene deep-water siliciclastic turbidite deposition across 115 sites surveyed. Instances of early Eocene turbidite deposition are widespread and common along tectonically active margins (43 instances), consistent with theory, but are also present in passive margin settings (16 instances). The occurrences of turbidite systems on passive margins during sea-level highstand perhaps suggests the presence of integrated drainage systems that supplied large sediment volumes, overwhelming shelf accommodation.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMEP43E2422B
- Keywords:
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- 1630 Impacts of global change;
- GLOBAL CHANGE;
- 1807 Climate impacts;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 1824 Geomorphology: general;
- HYDROLOGY;
- 1861 Sedimentation;
- HYDROLOGY