• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.163-172
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• 2019

A long core (RS15-LC48) was collected at a site in the continental rise between the Southern Ocean and the Ross Sea (Antarctica) during the 2015 Ross Sea Expedition. The mineralogical characteristics and the origin of clay minerals in marine sediments deposited during the Quaternary in the Ross Sea were determined by analyzing sedimentary facies, variations in grain size, sand fraction, mineralogy, clay mineral composition, illite crystallinity, and illite chemical index. Core sediments consisted mostly of sandy clay, silty clay, or ice rafted debris (IRD) and were divided into four sedimentary facies (units 1-4). The variations in grain size distribution and sand content with depth were very similar to the variations in magnetic susceptibility. Various minerals such as smectite, chlorite, illite, kaolinite, quartz, and plagioclase were detected throughout the core. The average clay mineral composition was dominated by illite (52.7 %) and smectite (27.7 %), with less abundant clay minerals of chlorite (11.0 %) and kaolinite (8.6 %). The IC and illite chemical index showed strong correlation trends with depth. The increase in illite and chlorite content during the glacial period, together with the IC and chemical index values, suggest that sediments were transported from the bedrocks of the Transantarctic Mountains. During the interglacial period, smectite may have been supplied by the surface current from Victoria Land, in the western Ross Sea. High values for IC and the illite chemical index also indicate relatively warm climate conditions during that period.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.21 no.5
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• pp.563-582
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• 2000

Two Cretaceous(80-90 Ma) non-marine sedimentary basins, Namyang and Tando Basins, are distributed in the Namyang area, Hwaseonggun and in the Tando area, Ansanshi, Kyungki Province, Korea. The Namyang and Tando Basins are composed of 10 facies, which are pooped into 5 facies associations(FA). FA I consists of massive conglomerate facies, normally graded conglomerate facies and reversely graded conglomerate facies, which is interpreted to have been formed by laminated sandstone facies, massive conglomerate facies(channelized), which is thought to have been formed by sheet flow, stream flow and suspension sedimentation in an alluvial/braided plain environment. FA III consists of massive mudstone(pebbly) facies, laminated mudstone facies, massive sandstone facies and is interbedded by channel-fill conglomerate. It is interpreted to have been deposited by suspension settling during flooding and channel-fill deposition in a floodplain environment. FA IV consists of massive conglomerate facies, normally graded conglomerate facies, massive sandstone facies, normally graded sandstone facies, and laminated sandstone facies and is interbedded with mudstone facies. It is thought to have been deposited by debris flow and turbidity current in a fan-delta environment. FA V consists of massive mudstone facies, laminated mudstone facies, laminated sandstone facies and is interbedded by massive conglomerate bed. It is thought to have been formed by suspension sedimentation and low-density turbidity current in a lake. In the Namyang Basin FA I is distributed in the eastern and southern margin of the basin, FA II in the middle part of the basin as north-south tending band. and FA III in the western part. In the Tando Basin FA II is distributed in the middle part of eastern margin and in the northwestern margin, FA IV in the southwestern part, and FA V in the central part. Correlation of the facies associations shows that FA I and II in the Namyang Basin are distributed in the lower to middle part of stratigraphic sequence and FA III in the upper part of the sequence whereas FA II and IV in the Tando Basin are in the lower to middle part and FA V in the upper part of the sequence. These patterns of facies associations distribution suggest that the Namyang Basin was developed as an alluvial fan and alluvial/braided plain at first and then evolved into a floodplain whereas the Tando Basin was developed as a fan-delta and alluvial/braided plain at first and then evolved into a lake environment.

• Ocean and Polar Research
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.385-400
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• 2004

The Lago Sofia Conglomerate encased in the 2km thick hemipelagic mudstones and thinbedded turbidites of the Cretaceous Cerro Toro Formation, southern Chile, is a deposit of a gigantic submarine channel developed along a foredeep trough. It is hundreds of meters thick kilometers wide, and extends for more than 120km from north to south, representing one of the largest ancient submarine channels in the world. The channel deposits consist of four major facies, including stratified conglomerates (Facies A), massive or graded conglomerates (Facies B), normally graded conglomerates with intraformational megaclasts (Facies C), and thick-bedded massive sandstones (Facies D). Conglomerates of Facies A and B show laterally inclined stratification, foreset stratification, and hollow-fill structures, reminiscent of terrestrial fluvial deposits and are suggestive of highly competent gravelly turbidity currents. Facies C conglomerates are interpreted as deposits of composite or multiphase debris flows associated with preceding hyperconcentrated flows. Facies D sandstones indicate rapidly dissipating, sand-rich turbidity currents. The Lago Sofia Conglomerate occurs as isolated channel-fill bodies in the northern part of the study area, generally less than 100m thick, composed mainly of Facies C conglomerates and intercalated between much thicker fine-grained deposits. Paleocurrent data indicate sediment transport to the east and southeast. They are interpreted to represent tributaries of a larger submarine channel system, which joined to form a trunk channel to the south. The conglomerate in the southern part is more than 300 m thick, composed of subequal proportions of Facies A, B, and C conglomerates, and overlain by hundreds of m-thick turbidite sandstones (Facies D) with scarce intervening fine-grained deposits. It is interpreted as vertically stacked and interconnected channel bodies formed by a trunk channel confined along the axis of the foredeep trough. The channel bodies in the southern part are classified into 5 architectural elements on the basis of large-scale bed geometry and sedimentary facies: (1) stacked sheets, indicative of bedload deposition by turbidity currents and typical of broad gravel bars in terrestrial gravelly braided rivers, (2) laterally-inclined strata, suggestive of lateral accretion with respect to paleocurrent direction and related to spiral flows in curved channel segments around bars, (3) foreset strata, interpreted as the deposits of targe gravel dunes that have migrated downstream under quasi-steady turbidity currents, (4) hollow fills, which are filling thalwegs, minor channels, and local scours, and (5) mass-flow deposits of Facies C. The stacked sheets, laterally inclined strata, and hollow fills are laterally transitional to one another, reflecting juxtaposed geomorphic units of deep-sea channel systems. It is noticeable that the channel bodies in the southern part are of feet stacked toward the east, indicating eastward migration of the channel thalwegs. The laterally inclined strata also dip dominantly to the east. These features suggest that the trunk channel of the Lago Sofia submarine channel system gradually migrated eastward. The eastward channel migration is Interpreted to be due to tectonic forcing imposed by the subduction of an oceanic plate beneath the Andean Cordillera just to the west of the Lago Sofia submarine channel.