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Copyright by Nysha Chaderton 2009 - The University of Texas at ...

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ancient systems they include <strong>by</strong> channel-rel<strong>at</strong>ed overbank deposits, overbank wedges<br />

lacking sizeable channel fill units but locally containing discrete meter-thick packages <strong>of</strong><br />

thin-bedded and fine-grained sandstone or mudstones <strong>of</strong> Facies 6 th<strong>at</strong> are l<strong>at</strong>erally<br />

persistent. <strong>The</strong>se deposits are not commonly recognized in ancient fans and it has been<br />

suggested th<strong>at</strong> they are <strong>of</strong>ten mistaken for ‘distal’ turbidites (Stow, Reading and<br />

Collinson, 1996) (Figure 2.7).<br />

Where these deposits overlie channel complexes, they record an abandonment<br />

phase in space or time <strong>of</strong> the channel complexes or channel complex set (Schwarz and<br />

Arnott, 2007). Levee deposits are characterized <strong>by</strong> the occurrence <strong>of</strong> thin bedded<br />

turbidites th<strong>at</strong> occur as bundles <strong>of</strong> up to a few meters thick, with even- and parallel-<br />

bedding surfaces and minor lensing and wedging. Levee or inter-channel deposits are<br />

distinguished from basin plain deposits <strong>by</strong> the occurrence <strong>of</strong> broad and shallow channels<br />

th<strong>at</strong> do not occur in basin plain deposits (Mutti, 1977).<br />

Lobes<br />

Lobes occur as roughly tabular, non-channelized bodies, 3 to 25 m thick<br />

composed <strong>of</strong> well-graded to thick-bedded classic turbidites, commonly developed as very<br />

small-scale, thinning- and thickening- upward cycles. This facies associ<strong>at</strong>ion is<br />

comprised <strong>of</strong> Facies 3, 4 and 5 <strong>of</strong> the Scotland Form<strong>at</strong>ion outcrops. Erosive bases are not<br />

common and have less erosional relief when they do occur than in some other elements<br />

<strong>of</strong> a fan system (Reading, 1991) (Figure 2.7).<br />

Deep W<strong>at</strong>er Hierarchy<br />

Channel fill and channel margin/levee facies associ<strong>at</strong>ions are comprised <strong>of</strong> high<br />

and low density turbidite deposits. A channel complex is comprised <strong>of</strong> two or more<br />

vertically or l<strong>at</strong>erally stacked channel elements- <strong>of</strong> similar architectural style (Campion,<br />

2000; Sprague et al., 2002; Abreu et al., 2003) (Figure 2.8).<br />

9

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