Neogene sea-level change and emergence, St. Croix, Virgin Islands: Evidence from basinal carbonate accumulations

Abstract

Research Article| November 01, 1984 Neogene sea-level change and emergence, St. Croix, Virgin Islands: Evidence from basinal carbonate accumulations BARBARA H. LIDZ BARBARA H. LIDZ 1U.S. Geological Survey, Fisher Island Station, Miami Beach, Florida 33139 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1984) 95 (11): 1268–1279. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<1268:NSCAES>2.0.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation BARBARA H. LIDZ; Neogene sea-level change and emergence, St. Croix, Virgin Islands: Evidence from basinal carbonate accumulations. GSA Bulletin 1984;; 95 (11): 1268–1279. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1984)95<1268:NSCAES>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract Basinal carbonate accumulations on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands, are composed of emergent open-basin biogenic deep-water facies of Tertiary age intercalated with coeval reefal and older terrigenous turbidite-slump deposits. Detailed biostratigraphic investigation using planktonic Foraminifera provided data for interpretation of the paleoecology, sedimentary relationships, and geologic history of the area. The massive and extensively leached hemipelagic deposits suggest that nutrient-rich conditions, characteristic of a sea-level high stand, prevailed for a substantial period of time. A dramatic increase in abundance of aberrant specimens and decrease in test size of the planktonic assemblage occurred approximately 5.7 to 5.4 m.y. B.P. and reflect the onset of an adverse environment; rapid eustatic fall of sea level began within 1.2 m.y. of the end of Miocene time. Micropaleontologic and sedimentologic evidence, as well as absence of sediments younger than early Pliocene, implies that emergence of the island probably occurred about 5 m.y. ago. These limestones form a hydrocarbon reservoir-rock model for study of subsurface oil- and gas-producing horizons of comparable age and origin elsewhere in the southern Caribbean. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.