Marine geology of the continental margin off southern Oregon

Metadata:

• Identification_Information
• Data_Quality_Information
• Spatial_Data_Organization_Information
• Spatial_Reference_Information
• Entity_and_Attribute_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Distribution_Information
• Metadata_Reference_Information

Identification_Information:

Citation:

Citation_Information:

Originator: Joseph John Spigai

Publication_Date: 1971

Title: Marine geology of the continental margin off southern Oregon

Geospatial_Data_Presentation_Form: Paper

Publication_Information:

Publication_Place: Corvallis, OR

Publisher: Oregon State University

Other_Citation_Details: PhD. thesis

Description:

Abstract:

"The continental margin off southern Oregon, which includes the shelf and slope from Cape Blanco to the Oregon-California border, exhibits a distinctive marginal-plateau structural pattern which divides the margin into the continental shelf, the upper continental slope and its associated benches, and the lower continental slope. Lutum transport and deposition have dominated the sedimentary processes on the margin since the start of Holocene time. The structure of the southern Oregon margin is characterized by north-south trending compressional folds, and near-vertical faults which have been down-dropped to the west. Large-scale folds on the upper slope have ponded sediments behind them resulting in the formation of the Klamath Plateau, Cape Blanco Bench, and other bench-like features. Development of the structural pattern is most likely a results of the compressive underthrusting of the oceanic lithospheric plate beneath the southernmost Oregon-northern California margin and the crustal extension which exists throughout the nearby continental and ocean basin. Useful stratigraphic horizons within the late Pleistocene and Holocene margin deposits include Mazama Ash (6600 B.P.) and several recognizable shifts in the abundance of radiolaria and planktonic foraminifera, particularly one dating from 5000-4000 years B.P. Holocene sedimentation rates vary from an average of 10 cm/1000 years on the upper slope to an average of 50 cm/1000 years on the lower slope, indicating that the lower slope is out-building and up-building more rapidly than the upper slope. The paleo-depth range of Pliocene fauna in sedimentary rocks from the margin suggests that subsequent to their deposition both uplift and subsidence occurred on the southern Oregon margin. Sediments from the southern Oregon margin consist primarily of olive gray lutite, gray lutite, and sand-silt layers. Olive gray lutite is Holocene in age and is ubiquitous on the margin, with the thickest accumulation (10m average) found on the lower slope, while the distribution of Holocene lutite on the upper slope is thin and patchy (3-4 m or less). The gray lutite appears to be a late Pleistocene deposit, and the sand-silt layers reflect both ages. The surface sediment distribution pattern on the shelf consists of modern inner shelf sand, modern central shelf mud, and mixed deposits of both types Relict deposits are present at the shelf edge. The lower slope consists entirely of modern mud, but the surface sediment on the upper slope and benches consists of both modern and relict deposits, and mixtures of the two. The mineralogy of the unconsolidated and consolidated sediments from the margin indicates that the Klamath Mountains have been the dominant source for these deposits since early Tertiary time. This is reflected in the abundance of blue-green hornblende and other heavy minerals indicative of the Mesozoic rocks of the Klamath Mountains; the same source is suggested for the abundant chlorite found in the clay fraction of margin sediments and rocks. There are indications in the mineralogy of lower slope sediments which suggest that the Tertiary strata of the southern Oregon Coast Ranges may be a secondary source for the deposits in this environment. When compared to the upper slope sediments, those from the lower slope have a higher feldspar content, a higher pyroxene-to-amphibole ratio, and an apparently higher illite content. As a result of the Holocene rise in sea level, the deposition of coarse clastics on the southern Oregon margin has been restricted to the inner shelf. Consequently, only the fine-grained lutum discharged from rivers is deposited on the outer margin environment. Submarine topography, oceanographic conditions, and gravity are important factors which affect transport and deposition of lutum on the margin. A model of modern lutum transport by bottom turbid layers and fine-particle suspensate is proposed for the southern Oregon margin. Long0period swell is believed to be responsible for much of the formation of bottom turbid layers on the shelf. Once formed, these turbid layers move north and west over the shelf under the influence of shelf currents, alternating tidal action, and gravity; upon reaching the slope they are funneled into submarine valleys and deposited on the lower slope and adjacent deep sea. Lutum deposited on the upper slope is eventually re-suspended and transported by southerly bottom currents into down-slope valleys; very little lutum remains behind on the upper slope. Deposition of fine-particle suspensate as well as slumping and other gravitational processes contribute to the lower slope sediments. The end result of modern lutum transport is the continual up-building and out-building of the lower slope."

Purpose: Not stated.

Supplemental_Information:

U.S.Geological Survey research grants 14-08-0001-10766 - 11941 and -1287. Initial support for research and shiptime provided by the Office of Naval Research contract Nonr 1286 (10). Data digitized in 2005 by the USGS for inclusion into usSEABED (<http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/usseabed>)

Time_Period_of_Content:

Time_Period_Information:

Range_of_Dates/Times:

Beginning_Date: 1967

Ending_Date: 1968

Currentness_Reference: Publication date

Status:

Progress: Complete

Maintenance_and_Update_Frequency: None planned

Spatial_Domain:

Bounding_Coordinates:

West_Bounding_Coordinate: -125.115

East_Bounding_Coordinate: -124.555

North_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.063

South_Bounding_Coordinate: 42.823

Keywords:

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: None

Theme_Keyword: Oregon State University

Theme_Keyword: College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences

Place:

Place_Keyword_Thesaurus: Geographic Names Information System

Place_Keyword: Oregon

Place_Keyword: Cape Blanco

Place_Keyword: Cape Sebastian

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus: ISO 19115 Topic Category

Theme_Keyword: Oceans and Estuaries

Theme_Keyword: Location

Theme_Keyword: GeoscientificInformation

Theme:

Theme_Keyword_Thesaurus:

NASA/Global Change Master Directory (GCMD) Earth Science Keyword. Version 5.3.3

Theme_Keyword: Marine Sediments

Theme_Keyword: Sediment Chemistry

Theme_Keyword: Sediment Composition

Theme_Keyword: Sedimentary Structures

Theme_Keyword: Sedimentary Textures

Theme_Keyword: Stratigraphic Sequence

Theme_Keyword: Terrigenous Sediments

Temporal:

Temporal_Keyword_Thesaurus: Geologic

Temporal_Keyword: Holocene

Temporal_Keyword: Late Pleistocene

Access_Constraints: None

Use_Constraints:

Cite J.J. Spigai and Oregon State University as originators of the data.

Point_of_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Physical

Address: 104 COAS Admin Bldg

City: Corvallis

State_or_Province: OR

Postal_Code: 97331-5503

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 541-737-3504

Browse_Graphic:

Browse_Graphic_File_Name: Spigai_PhD_1971

Browse_Graphic_File_Description: Screen grab of sample distribution, coastline, and bathymetry

Browse_Graphic_File_Type: JPG

Data_Set_Credit:

Joseph John Spigai at Oregon State University for the collection and analysis of the data. For inclusion into usSEABED: Digitization: Adam Jackson (USGS); Formatting corrections: Jane Reid (USGS) and Chris Jenkins (University of Colorado)

Native_Data_Set_Environment:

Tkme: Another editor for formal metadata by Peter N. Schweitzer (U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, VA 22092), version 2.9.13, Microsoft Windows Version 5.1; Microsoft Word 2000 9.0

Data_Quality_Information:

Attribute_Accuracy:

Attribute_Accuracy_Report:

Data were digitized by hand (typed in), visually compared to source and corrected. Where appropriate, data were tested for completeness using MS Excel. Locations checked using GIS.

Logical_Consistency_Report: Data fall within normal ranges for the given parameters.

Completeness_Report:

Location, textural, and statistical data digitized from Appendices 1 through 8. Additional information from table 5 also digitized.

Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy:

Horizontal_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

No navigational techniques given in report. Positions given to decimal minutes.

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy:

Vertical_Positional_Accuracy_Report:

Depth determination technique not given in report. Water depths recorded to nearest meter; subsample depths given to nearest centimeter.

Lineage:

Process_Step:

Process_Description: Need to get

Process_Date: Unknown

Source_Produced_Citation_Abbreviation: Spigai_PhD_971

Process_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Physical

Address: 104 COAS Admin Bldg

City: Corvallis

State_or_Province: OR

Postal_Code: 97331-5503

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 541-737-3504

Spatial_Data_Organization_Information:

Direct_Spatial_Reference_Method: Vector

Point_and_Vector_Object_Information:

SDTS_Terms_Description:

SDTS_Point_and_Vector_Object_Type: Point

Point_and_Vector_Object_Count: 34

Spatial_Reference_Information:

Horizontal_Coordinate_System_Definition:

Geographic:

Latitude_Resolution: 0.00017

Longitude_Resolution: 0.00017

Geographic_Coordinate_Units: Decimal degrees

Entity_and_Attribute_Information:

Detailed_Description:

Entity_Type:

Entity_Type_Label: Point

Entity_Type_Definition: SDTS point

Entity_Type_Definition_Source: Source report

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Sample number

Attribute_Definition: Sample number

Attribute_Definition_Source: Oregon State University

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Alpha numeric code based on year, month, sample number, and subcore information.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Subsample depth

Attribute_Definition: Subsample depth

Attribute_Definition_Source: Source report

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 0

Range_Domain_Maximum: 12.27

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Meter

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Sand

Attribute_Definition: Amount of sand in sample

Attribute_Definition_Source: Wentworth 1938

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 0.1

Range_Domain_Maximum: 100

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Percent

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.1

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Silt

Attribute_Definition: Amount of silt in sample

Attribute_Definition_Source: Wentworth 1938

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 0

Range_Domain_Maximum: 98.0

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Percent

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.1

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Clay

Attribute_Definition: Amount of clay in sample

Attribute_Definition_Source: source report

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 0

Range_Domain_Maximum: 87.2

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Percent

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.0001

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Mean

Attribute_Definition: Mean grainsize

Attribute_Definition_Source: Inman, 1952

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 2.12

Range_Domain_Maximum: 12.35

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Phi

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Standard deviation

Attribute_Definition: Standard deviation of grain size distribution

Attribute_Definition_Source: Inman, 1952

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 0.2

Range_Domain_Maximum: 7.35

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Unitless

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Skewness

Attribute_Definition: Skewness of grain size distribution

Attribute_Definition_Source: Inman, 1952

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: -1.0

Range_Domain_Maximum: 1.0

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Unitless

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Carbonate

Attribute_Definition: CaCO3

Attribute_Definition_Source: Spigai PhD 1971

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 0.41

Range_Domain_Maximum: 5.32

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Percent

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Organic carbon

Attribute_Definition: Organic carbon

Attribute_Definition_Source: Spigai PhD 1971

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 0.44

Range_Domain_Maximum: 2.00

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Percent

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Total carbon

Attribute_Definition: Total carbon

Attribute_Definition_Source: Spigai PhD 1971

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 0.69

Range_Domain_Maximum: 2.30

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Percent

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Radiocarbon age

Attribute_Definition:

Age of sample using Carbon-14 dating technique including error limits

Attribute_Definition_Source: Unknown

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Range_Domain:

Range_Domain_Minimum: 5860

Range_Domain_Maximum: 34300

Attribute_Units_of_Measure: Years

Attribute_Measurement_Resolution: 0.01

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Description

Attribute_Definition: Description of subsample

Attribute_Definition_Source: Spigai PhD 1971

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Description of subsample including sediment type, color, and age

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Composition of sediment samples (coarse fraction)

Attribute_Definition: Composition of sediment samples (coarse fraction)

Attribute_Definition_Source: Spigai_PhD_1971

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Percents of detrital grains, mica, volcanic glass, plant fibers, radiolaria, diatoms, planktonic foraminifera, benthic foramifera, fecal pellets, and glauconite

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Light mineral composition of sand fraction

Attribute_Definition: Light mineral composition of sand fraction

Attribute_Definition_Source: Spigai_PhD_1971

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Percents of quartz, k-feldspar, plagioclase, rock fragments, volcanic ash, mica, and other minerals.

Attribute:

Attribute_Label: Heavy mineral composition of very fine sand fraction

Attribute_Definition: Heavy mineral composition of very fine sand fraction

Attribute_Definition_Source: Spigai PhD 1971

Attribute_Domain_Values:

Unrepresentable_Domain:

Percents of amphibole (actinolite + tremolite, glaucophane, hornblende), epidote (clinozoisite, epidote, zoisite), garnet, olivine, pyroxene (orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene), aplite, chlorite, corundum, kyanite, mica, monazite, rutile, serpentine, sillimanite, sphene, spinel, staurolite, topaz, tourmaline, volcanic glass, zircon, opaque minerals (hematite and limonite; other minerals), rock fragments, weathered grains, others and unknown minerals.

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization:

College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Physical

Address: 104 COAS Admin Bldg

City: Corvallis

State_or_Province: OR

Postal_Code: 97331-5503

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 541-737-3504

Resource_Description: Spigai PhD 1971

Distribution_Liability: None

Standard_Order_Process:

Non-digital_Form: Thesis is available at the USGS library and other libraries.

Fees: None

Technical_Prerequisites: None

Available_Time_Period:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 1971

Distribution_Information:

Distributor:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Physical

Address: 345 Middlefield Road

City: Menlo Park

State_or_Province: CA

Postal_Code: 94025

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 650-329-5026

Resource_Description: 536 (285) C356h (USGS library only)

Distribution_Liability:

Although this dataset has been used by the USGS, no warranty, expressed or implied, is made by the USGS as to the accuracy of the data. Users of the data should be aware of limitations of the data due to possible imprecision due to navigational inaccuracies and limitations of the statistical data.

Standard_Order_Process:

Non-digital_Form: Thesis is available at the USGS library and other libraries.

Fees: None

Technical_Prerequisites: None

Available_Time_Period:

Time_Period_Information:

Single_Date/Time:

Calendar_Date: 1971

Metadata_Reference_Information:

Metadata_Date: 2005

Metadata_Contact:

Contact_Information:

Contact_Organization_Primary:

Contact_Organization: U.S. Geological Survey

Contact_Person: Jane A. Reid

Contact_Position: Geologist

Contact_Address:

Address_Type: Physical and mail

Address: 400 Natural Bridges Drive

City: Santa Cruz

State_or_Province: CA

Postal_Code: 95060

Contact_Voice_Telephone: 831-427-4727

Contact_Electronic_Mail_Address: Jareid@usgs.gov

Contact_Instructions: Email preferred

Metadata_Standard_Name: CSDGM Version 2

Metadata_Standard_Version: FGDC-STD-001-1998

Metadata_Access_Constraints: None

Metadata_Use_Constraints:

Metadata was written by a user of the data. Any information contained in the physical report is authoritative and supercedes any information given here.