Differentiating reefal ridges from relict coastal ridges: Lessons from the seismic geomorphologic study of buried Miocene buildups (North West Shelf, Australia)

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Abstract

Linear buildups formed in tropical carbonate environments are often interpreted as bioconstructed reefs. Nevertheless, coastal processes can also form extensive sedimentary ridges exhibiting buildup morphologies. This study investigates two Miocene ridges developed along the Australian North West Shelf using 3D seis-mic and well data. Ridge 1 is ca. 30 m thick and >60 km long, and it is made of foraminiferal pack- grainstones. It protects a lagoon with pinnacle morphologies. Ridge 2 is ca. 150 m thick and >80 km long. It is composed of quartz sand forming lobes. Both ridges have a continuous curvilinear front and are in a mid- shelf set-ting. They mimic the modern Australian coastline. It is then proposed that Ridge 1 is either: (1) a barrier reef developed on a drowned shoreline, or (2) stacked carbonate aeolianites and beachrocks acting as a barrier. Ridge 2 is interpreted as stacked deltaic sands. This study demonstrates that lithified and buried coastal features of carbonate and siliciclastic nature can form extensive ridges exhibiting buildup morphologies. It is proposed that ridges formed by stacked coastal fea-tures are overall continuous with a curvilinear front, while reefal ridges are more discontinuous and exhibit deeper and more stable passes.
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)1793-1814
Number of pages22
JournalBasin Research
Volume35
Issue number5
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2023

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