ABSTRACT

The geologic history, or paleoceanography, of a marine basin such as the Gulf of Mexico is interpreted primarily from the sedimentary record. Many basic research problems in sedimentology can be profitably studied in the Gulf because much descriptive work already has been done, and it is a relatively small marine basin which is easily accessible.

Some problems in transport of detrital sediment are 1) possible by-passing of coastal lagoons and 2) the lack of modern cycle detrital sediment on much of the outer continental shelf. Is the modern sediment which reaches the open ocean being trapped in many places on the inner continental shelf? If so, how can the post-glacial deposits in the Sigsbee Deep be explained? Is this deep basin sediment by-passing the outer shelf, and if so, what is the mechanism of transport?

The rate of supply of organic debris to the Gulf sediments depends on the rate of organic production. High organic production near river effluents and in hypersaline lagoons deserves further investigation. The rate of supply of organogenic calcium carbonate from planktonic organisms and the rate of solution of calcium carbonate are of especial interest. An understanding of shelf-edge calcareous reefs may have far-reaching implications.

An understanding of marine processes which affect the characteristics and distribution of sediments will require observations and analyses by new techniques.