Name ROSS PISTORIUS Date 02/06/2024

Chapter 5 SEDIMENTS
5.1 Ocean Sediments Vary Greatly in Appearance
What is sediment? Sediments is particles of organic or inorganic matter that accumulates in a loose
unconsolidated form & vary in color and size. EX: Sand Silt clays Biological oozes nodules

What produces sediments? Weathering and erosion of rocks, volcanic eruptions,

activity of living organism, Chemical processes within water, even outer space

Why are few areas of the seabed completely free of sediments? Only in areas where there are
strong currents to move sediments away, or the seafloor is too young for sediments to accumulate

1.2 Sediments are Classified by particle size

What type of particles compose most marine sediments? Most are the size of clay, silt and sand.
Which particles are most easily transported by water? Smaller The smaller the size of the particle the
more easily it can be transported
How do well sorted sediments differ from poorly sorted sediments?
The particles can be mostly one size and thus well sorted sediments
The particles can be a mixture of sizes thus poorly sorted sediments

1.3 Marine Sediments may be classified by source:

Terrigenous Biogenous Hydrogenous Cosmogenous
1. Terrigenous from land
2. Biogenous from living organisms
3. Hydrogenous from water directly through precipitation
4. Cosmogenous from space
Marine sediments are usually combinations of terrigenous and biogenous deposits
Most marine sediments accumulate on slopes and rises.

Terrigenous Biogenous Hydrogenous Cosmogenous

from land From living From water From space

organisms (extraterrestrial )

most abundant Next most Not very abundant Least abundant (rare)
abundant marine
sediment
granite of the siliceous ( silicon Manganese nodules
continent is source of dioxide)
quartz and clay calcareous(calcium
carbonate)
Weathering and Algae and tiny Minerals precipitated Interplanetary dust,
erosion of rock animals build directly from sea asteroids comets
Volcanic eruptions protective shells water
Blown dust
What type of sediment is most abundant? Terrigenous
Which type of sediment is rarest? Cosmogenous
Where does this rarest sediment originate? From space
Do most sediments consist of a single type? no
How do neritic sediments differ from pelagic ones? Neritic sediments consist mainly of terrigenous
material that comes from the continents. Pelagic sediments include more biogenous sediments than
near the continent.

5.4 Neritic Sediments Overlie Continental Margins

Are neritic sediments generally terrigenous or biogenous? terrigenous
What is lithification? The conversion of sediments into sedimentary rock
How is sedimentary rock formed? Sediments converted into sedimentary rock by pressure-induced
compaction. When such sedimentary rock is uplifted at a later date, people can study past history of
life . Grand Canyon reveals this as the Colorado River meanders through exposing the uplifted beds

1.4 Pelagic Sediments Vary in Composition and Thickness

Why are Atlantic sediments generally thicker than Pacific sediments
Atlantic O. has MORE sediment laden rivers emptying into it and has a SMALLER area. Sediments 1 km
thick Much of sediment laden rivers that empty into Pacific find sediments trapped by trench
subduction and Pacific O has a much LARGER area sediments .5 km thick

How do turbidity currents distribute sediments? The turbidity current is powered by gravity as the mix
of water and particles is denser than the seawater.
What do those sediments (turbidites) look like? Layers of Coarse sediment than fine sediment formed
over time
What is the origin of oozes? Form from the rigid remains of living organisms. Deep ocean sediment
containing 30% or more biogenous material is an ooze.

Ooze type Siliceous Calcareous

What chemical? Silicon dioxide glassy Calcium carbonate chalky
What organisms? Radiolarians Foraminiferans
Diatoms Coccolithophores
Where do they predominate? Above CCD upper Below CCD deeper
At polar regions
Uplift white cliffs of dover

What are the 2 types of oozes? Siliceous ooze & Calcareous ooze

What is the main chemical in siliceous that makes this ooze glassy? Silicon dioxide
What is the main chemical in calcareous that makes this ooze chalky? Calcium carbonate
What organisms contribute to siliceous oozes? Radiolarians and Diatoms
What organisms contribute to calcareous oozes? Foraminiferans and coccolithophores
What is the CCD? calcium carbonate compensation depth –rate at which calcareous sediments are
supplied to seabed and rate at which they dissolve due to increased carbon dioxide levels which
increases acidity.

How does the CCD (calcium carbonate compensation depth) affect ooze deposition at great depths?
Transition from calcareous to siliceous

How do hydrogenous materials form? From chemical reactions that occur on particles of the dominant
sediment Give an example of hydrogenous sediment. Manganese nodule. Manganese nodules
form around shark teeth or bit of bones or other forms

How do evaporites form? Salts precipitate by eveporation of water to form carbonates ( limestone)
calcium sulfate ( gypsum) sodium chloride ( table salt)

5.6 Researchers Have Mapped the distribution of Deep-Ocean Sediments.

See figure 5.9 and 5.10 p 146-147

5.7 Geologists Use Specialized Tools to study ocean sediments

How are sediments studied? Clamshell sampler Sieve screens Piston corer

5.8 Sediments are historical records of ocean processes

Stratigraphy analysis of layers sedimentary deposits
Paleooceanography study of oceans past

5.9 Marine sediments are economically important

Crude oil and natural gas Sand and gravel Manganese nodules

Study of sediments can tell us about past climate and catastrophes like asteroid landing in Gulf of
Mexico 65 milion years ago and dinosaurs went extinct