3.5 Marine Delta Complexes
INTERDISTRIBUTARY
BAY MUDS
MARSH (SIlT AND ClAY)
lEVEE (SUBAERIAl)
MOUTH BAR SANDS:'-1~~~
-- .-.»,---..,.
± SOll HORIZONS
LARGE -AND
~
ill~ SMALL -SCALE
TROUGH CROSSBEDDING WITH
PLANT FRAGMENTS,MUD
PE88LES, SOME
''::'''''',,-·'-U_' CONTORTIONS
~~~~ . .
DELTA
PlATFORM
SANDS AND SIlTS
CHANNEl Fill
PRODELTA ClAYEY SIlTS
PRODELTA MUDS
SUBAQUEOUS
lEVEE
SUBAERIAL lEVEE
DISTRIBUTARY
CE
CHANNEl
157
SPIllOVER
SAND
DELTA FRONT
DELTA PlATFORM
PRODELTA SlOPE
D.C .,
FlOCCUlATION AND SETTUNG OF CLAY MINERALS
L ARGE CLAY MINERALS (KAOLINITE AND SILT)
DENSIT Y CURRENTS
MEDIUM-SIZE CLAY MIN_ (ILUTE)
DURINGFL7
VERY SMALL CLAY MIN. (MONTMORILLONITE)
e
SHELF MUDS,
RELICS OF SOME
SAND AND SILT L.,
STRONGLY
BIOTURBATED
CLAYEY SIlT
WITH THIN SAND
AND SILT LAYERS,
PLANT FRAGMENTS, LlTTLE
BIOTURBATION
PLANAR LAMINATION 1
RIPPLE AND
CLiMBING RIPPLE
LAMINATION,
PLANT FRAGMENTS
Fig. 3.32. Model of a distributary channel (bird-foot cent sediments. b-e Characteristic sedimentary strucor lobate delta type) and depositional processes at its tures of some subenvironments
mouth. a Cross section through channel with adjaA frequently cited example is the Niger delta (Doust and
and Coleman 1984; Martinsen 1989; Pulham 1989; cf.
Omatsola 1990; Cohen and McClay 1996; Rouby and
Sects. 5.4.1 and 13.2)_
Cobbold 1996). Here, growth faults and depobelts are of
great importance in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons. Such structures, including mud diapirs, also
occur in the Mississippi delta, and they are known from
ancient examples (e.g., Galloway and Hobday 1983; Prior
INTERDISTRIBUTARY
BAY MUDS
MARSH (SIlT AND ClAY)
lEVEE (SUBAERIAl)
MOUTH BAR SANDS:'-1~~~
-- .-.»,---..,.
± SOll HORIZONS
LARGE -AND
~
ill~ SMALL -SCALE
TROUGH CROSSBEDDING WITH
PLANT FRAGMENTS,MUD
PE88LES, SOME
''::'''''',,-·'-U_' CONTORTIONS
~~~~ . .
DELTA
PlATFORM
SANDS AND SIlTS
CHANNEl Fill
PRODELTA ClAYEY SIlTS
PRODELTA MUDS
SUBAQUEOUS
lEVEE
SUBAERIAL lEVEE
DISTRIBUTARY
CE
CHANNEl
157
SPIllOVER
SAND
DELTA FRONT
DELTA PlATFORM
PRODELTA SlOPE
D.C .,
FlOCCUlATION AND SETTUNG OF CLAY MINERALS
L ARGE CLAY MINERALS (KAOLINITE AND SILT)
DENSIT Y CURRENTS
MEDIUM-SIZE CLAY MIN_ (ILUTE)
DURINGFL7
VERY SMALL CLAY MIN. (MONTMORILLONITE)
e
SHELF MUDS,
RELICS OF SOME
SAND AND SILT L.,
STRONGLY
BIOTURBATED
CLAYEY SIlT
WITH THIN SAND
AND SILT LAYERS,
PLANT FRAGMENTS, LlTTLE
BIOTURBATION
PLANAR LAMINATION 1
RIPPLE AND
CLiMBING RIPPLE
LAMINATION,
PLANT FRAGMENTS
Fig. 3.32. Model of a distributary channel (bird-foot cent sediments. b-e Characteristic sedimentary strucor lobate delta type) and depositional processes at its tures of some subenvironments
mouth. a Cross section through channel with adjaA frequently cited example is the Niger delta (Doust and
and Coleman 1984; Martinsen 1989; Pulham 1989; cf.
Omatsola 1990; Cohen and McClay 1996; Rouby and
Sects. 5.4.1 and 13.2)_
Cobbold 1996). Here, growth faults and depobelts are of
great importance in the exploration and production of hydrocarbons. Such structures, including mud diapirs, also
occur in the Mississippi delta, and they are known from
ancient examples (e.g., Galloway and Hobday 1983; Prior