Sediment transport on the shelf margin of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland

Authors

  • J. V. Barrie C-CORE and Department of Earth Sciences, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland A1B 3X5, Canada; Prescnt address: Geological Survey of Canada, Pacific Gcoscience Centre, P.O. Box 6000, Sidney, British Columbia V8L 4B2, Canada
  • M. B. Collins Department of Oceanography, The University, Southampton S095NH, United Kingdom

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4138/1681

Abstract

A thin cover of sand and gravel, formed during the early Holocene transgression, covers the northeastern Grand Banks of Newfoundland in water depths of between 70 and 130 m. The sediments are presently being reworked but only during the winter months of higher wave activity. Sediment threshold under waves in 70 m water depth is exceeded over 30% of the time during the months of November to March. Net sediment transport is towards the south-southeast, parallel to the bathymctric contours. Currents required to generate the larger bedforms are known to occur only infrequently. Hence, combined wave and steady flow, often in the same direction, are the probable generating mechanism for the bedforms. RÉSUMÉ Une pellicule de sable et de gravier, formée lors de la transgression du début de 1'Holocene, recouvre le nord-est du Grand Banc de Terre-Nruve à une bathymétric de 70 à 130 m. Les sédiments sont actuellement remaniés quoique seulement durant les mois d'hiver alors que l’action des vagues est plus intense. Le seuil de prise en charge du sédiment par les vagues à une profondeur de 70 m, est dépassé pendant plus de 30% du temps durant les mois allant de novembre à mars. Le transit sédimentaire net s'effectue vers le sud-sud-est, parallèlement aux tignes d'isobathymétrie. Les courants requis pour éngendrer les formés de litage plus imposantes ne surviennent qu'infréquemment. Par conséquent, la combinaison des vagues et d'un courant soutenu constitue probablement le mécanisme engendrant ces formes de litage. [Traduit par le journal]

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Published

1989-12-01

How to Cite

Barrie, J. V., & Collins, M. B. (1989). Sediment transport on the shelf margin of the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Atlantic Geoscience, 25(3). https://doi.org/10.4138/1681

Issue

Vol. 25 No. 3 (1989)

Section

Articles

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