Ooid turbidites from the central western continental margin of India

Abstract

Gravity displaced debris flows/turbidites have been observed in five box cores collected between water depths of 649 and 3,627 m from the central western continental margin of India. Studies on grain size, carbonate content, and coarse fraction revealed that the turbidites are mainly composed of ooids, shell fragments, and shallow water benthic foraminifera. Bioclastic sediments of the outer shelf and upper slope regions are considered the source of the debris flows/turbidity deposits. It appears that the flows were initiated by failure on the outer shelf and upper slope during late Pleistocene low stands of sea level.