Use of Sedimentary simulations for dating sequence boundaries and measuring ...
305
the accommodation was filled to sea level so that the sediment surface on the
shelf can be taken as a proxy of sea level.
For such a case it can be concluded that when the rates of subsidence and carbonate accumulation were constant during several sea-level cycles, a match in
the frequency and amplitude of the onlapping geometries of seismic and simulation suggest that the frequency and amplitude of eustatic events of the Haq et
al. (l9l:!7) input curve is close to reality. This example from Bahamas appears to
prove that this is true for the Neogene.
The encouraging results of this simulation of a carbonate platform suggest
that simulations should be performed for other areas to see if cross sections can
be reproduced. Indeed, having established the dimensions of the events on the
Haq sea-level chart, we plan to make a simulation study of the Neogene clastic
fill of the Baltimore Canyon. So far, the resulting simulation matched the seismic
interpretation of Greenlee et al. (1992), and confirmed the ages of sequence
boundaries and so determined the size of local tectonic events.
The Haq eustatic chart might also be used as an input to simulate interpreted
cross sections of mixed carbonate/clastic fills. We are considering simulating the
early Cretaceous of the Neuquen Basin of Argentina. In this case, with all the
control variables undetermined, a complex mix of varying rates of sedimentation, and tectonics are expected to produce a match between the simulation and
this cross-section.
Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge John Reistroffer and Parvita Siregar for their initial interpretations of the seismic cross section. Dan Gill is acknowledged for his
critical reviews of the manuscript. We sincerely thank Chris Crescini and Kurt
Johnston for their thoughtful criticism and discussion, Charlton Purvis and Jay
Gardner for system maintenance and My Tran for helping in preparation of the
text.
References
Bird, Kenneth J. and Molenaar, M. c., 1992, The North Slope Foreland Basin, Alaska: in R.
W. Macqueen and D. A. Leckie eds., Foreland Basins and Fold Belts, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 55, p.3-363-393.
Brown, L. E, Benson, J. M., Brink, G. J., Doherty, S., Jollands, A., Jungslager, E., H. A., Keenan, J. H. G., Muntingh, A., and Van Wyk, N. J, .S., 1995, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology 41,184 pages.
Burton, R., Kendall, C. G. St. C., and Lerche, 1.,1987, Out of our depth: on the impossibility
of fathoming eustasy from the stratigraphic record: Earth Science Reviews, v. 24, p.237277.
Eberli, G. P. and Ginsburg, R. N., 1987, Segmentation and coalescence of platforms, Tertiary,
NW Great Bahama Bank: Geology, v.15, p. 75-79.
Eberli, G. P. and Ginsburg, R. N., 1989, Cenozoic progradation of NW Great Bahama Bank
- A record of lateral platform growth and sea level fluctuations: SEPM Special Publication 44, p. 339-355.
305
the accommodation was filled to sea level so that the sediment surface on the
shelf can be taken as a proxy of sea level.
For such a case it can be concluded that when the rates of subsidence and carbonate accumulation were constant during several sea-level cycles, a match in
the frequency and amplitude of the onlapping geometries of seismic and simulation suggest that the frequency and amplitude of eustatic events of the Haq et
al. (l9l:!7) input curve is close to reality. This example from Bahamas appears to
prove that this is true for the Neogene.
The encouraging results of this simulation of a carbonate platform suggest
that simulations should be performed for other areas to see if cross sections can
be reproduced. Indeed, having established the dimensions of the events on the
Haq sea-level chart, we plan to make a simulation study of the Neogene clastic
fill of the Baltimore Canyon. So far, the resulting simulation matched the seismic
interpretation of Greenlee et al. (1992), and confirmed the ages of sequence
boundaries and so determined the size of local tectonic events.
The Haq eustatic chart might also be used as an input to simulate interpreted
cross sections of mixed carbonate/clastic fills. We are considering simulating the
early Cretaceous of the Neuquen Basin of Argentina. In this case, with all the
control variables undetermined, a complex mix of varying rates of sedimentation, and tectonics are expected to produce a match between the simulation and
this cross-section.
Acknowledgments
We would like to acknowledge John Reistroffer and Parvita Siregar for their initial interpretations of the seismic cross section. Dan Gill is acknowledged for his
critical reviews of the manuscript. We sincerely thank Chris Crescini and Kurt
Johnston for their thoughtful criticism and discussion, Charlton Purvis and Jay
Gardner for system maintenance and My Tran for helping in preparation of the
text.
References
Bird, Kenneth J. and Molenaar, M. c., 1992, The North Slope Foreland Basin, Alaska: in R.
W. Macqueen and D. A. Leckie eds., Foreland Basins and Fold Belts, American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 55, p.3-363-393.
Brown, L. E, Benson, J. M., Brink, G. J., Doherty, S., Jollands, A., Jungslager, E., H. A., Keenan, J. H. G., Muntingh, A., and Van Wyk, N. J, .S., 1995, American Association of Petroleum Geologists Studies in Geology 41,184 pages.
Burton, R., Kendall, C. G. St. C., and Lerche, 1.,1987, Out of our depth: on the impossibility
of fathoming eustasy from the stratigraphic record: Earth Science Reviews, v. 24, p.237277.
Eberli, G. P. and Ginsburg, R. N., 1987, Segmentation and coalescence of platforms, Tertiary,
NW Great Bahama Bank: Geology, v.15, p. 75-79.
Eberli, G. P. and Ginsburg, R. N., 1989, Cenozoic progradation of NW Great Bahama Bank
- A record of lateral platform growth and sea level fluctuations: SEPM Special Publication 44, p. 339-355.