A Lower Permian sandwave-containing shelf sequence exposed at Zungwini Mountain, Republic of South Africa

Smith, Alan

doi:10.1016/0037-0738(89)90088-2

Cited by 6 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 26 publications

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“…The preservation potential of the lee slopes of subaqueous dunes is much higher than the corresponding stoss slopes (Smith, 1989), therefore mostly lee slope sections are represented in the model. The lower coset represents the medium 2-D dunes over which the sand ridge is migrating.…”

Section: Bedform Internal Structurementioning

confidence: 99%

Geostrophic sand ridge, dune fields and associated bedforms from the Northern KwaZulu‐Natal shelf, south‐east Africa

Ramsay

Smith²,

Mason

1996

Sedimentology

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Subaqueous dunes are formed on the KwaZulu‐Natal outer‐shelf due to sediment transport by the Agulhas Current (geostrophic current). These dunes occur within two dune fields at depths of − 35 to − 70 m. The net sediment transport direction is south, but short‐period reversals form northward‐migrating bedforms. The dune fields are physically bounded by late Pleistocene beachrock and aeolianite ledges. A bedform hierarchy has been recognized in the dune fields comprising a system of three generations of climbing bedforms. The outer dunefield has given rise to a sand ridge (H=12 m; L=4 km; W=1.1 km; and an 8° lee slope) whereas the inner dune fields have achieved large‐scale dune status. Bedload parting zones within the dune fields occur where the sediment transport direction switches from north to south due to reversals in the geostrophic flow; these zones occur at depths of − 60, − 47 and − 45 m. An interpretative stratigraphic model is presented on what such geostrophite deposits would look like in the ancient sedimentary record.

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Section: Bedform Internal Structurementioning

confidence: 99%