Sedimentology of the Early Devonian Walhalla Group at Walhalla, Victoria
Titel:
Sedimentology of the Early Devonian Walhalla Group at Walhalla, Victoria
Auteur:
Weir, J. C. Fenton, M. W. Tomlinson, K. M. Wilson, C. J. L.
Verschenen in:
Australian journal of earth sciences
Paginering:
Jaargang 35 (1988) nr. 4 pagina's 405-419
Jaar:
1988-12
Inhoud:
The Early Devonian Walhalla Group is a turbidite sequence deposited on the eastern margin of the Melbourne Trough. Five lithofacies were identified: (1) massive sandstones; (2) turbidites with a basal Ta division; (3) turbidites with a basal laminated division (Tb or Td); (4) fine grained, rippled sandstones interbedded with shales; and (5) shales and siltstones. Episodic reworking by water currents has produced reworking features such as wave-current and unidirectional current ripples, sharp topped turbidites and interrupted Bouma sequences. The reworking was attributed to storm currents indicating that the sequence was deposited above storm-weather wave-base. Palaeobathymetric calculations, based on wave ripple geometry, are consistent with geological observations, and suggest that deposition took place in 65-90 m of water. The relatively shallow water depths implied, combined with the general areal continuity of lithofacies, suggested that the turbidites are sheet-like deposits originating from a distribution of line sources. It was therefore suggested that the sequence outcropping in the vicinity of Walhalla was deposited in either a wave-cut shelf or shallow marine fan environment.