Sediment transport on the continental shelf, east of Otago—a reinterpretation of so-called reuct features

Abstract

Abstract The effeets of offshore eurrents on the transportation of sediment to depths of over 100 m on the eontinental shelfveast of Otago, is illustrated by a deseription of the Southland Current and assoeiated sea-floor sediments. Both erosional and depositional features whieh were formerly, but probably incorrectly, interpreted as drowned coastal land forms are regarded as examples of the present power of this current, A belt of fine sand between belts of nearshore and offshore coarser sediment does not neeessarily mean that the offshore coarse belt is reliet from some previous period of low sea level. Instead, the loeal offshore, coarse belt is almost eertainly a lag deposit in partial equilibrium with today's eurrents, whereas the finer sediments between it and the shore are deposited where nearshore and offshore eurrents tend to nullify eaeh other.