ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS OF THE SEDIMENTS OF SOUTHERN MONTEREY BAY, CALIFORNIA.
Abstract
Thirty-eight bottom sediment samples were collected in southern Monterey Bay; these were analyzed for their textural and constituent mineral compositions using coarse fraction analyses. Nine constituents were recognized and their percentage concentrations in the various size fractions of each sample were estimated. Charts of the bay showing the sediment texture and the percentage of each constituent in the sediments were prepared. The distribution of the constituents and the relationship of each given constituent concentration to the sediment texture and to the concentration of other constituents were examined, and yielded the following results: the constituent concentrations were found to lie in belts roughly paralleling the shoreline. In general, terrigenous constituents (quartz, feldspar, and mafics) occurred in highest concentrations along the coast in areas of medium to fine sand, whereas pelagic constituents (foraminifera and other organics) and authigenic minerals (glauconite and phosphorite) were most highly concentrated in silts and clays occupying the outer continental shelf. The area of authigenic mineral occurrence is considered to be essentially a nondepositional environment. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1965
- Accession Number
- AD0616989
Entities
People
- Gordon M. Monteath Jr.
Organizations
- Naval Postgraduate School