The geochemistry and sedimentology of quaternary shelf sediments of the Tugela River, Natal, South Africa

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dc.contributor.advisorWillis, James Pen_ZA
dc.contributor.authorFelhaber, Taryl Annen_ZA
dc.date.accessioned2016-04-18T08:44:54Z
dc.date.available2016-04-18T08:44:54Z
dc.date.issued1984en_ZA
dc.description.abstractThis thesis is comprised of geochemical, mineralogical and sedimentological studies of 101 sediment samples recovered from the continental shelf off the Tugela River Mouth, Natal, South Africa, and nine samples taken from the Lower Tugela River. The purpose of the research was to examine the geochemical nature of the sediments in relation to their particle size distributions and the hydrological conditions present in the area in order to elucidate the relationship between an inner shelf mud belt and an outer shelf mud belt located in the area. The river samples were analysed to help in understanding the changes undergone by the continental shelf sediments during their residence on the shelf. All samples were analysed for 10 major and 23 trace elements by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, particle size distribution, carbonate and organic matter content. X-ray diffractograms were run on all samples to obtain qualitative mineralogy. Multivariate statistical tests were used to aid the interpretation of the data, and to statistically distinguish between the two mud belts. A detailed sedimentological model of the hydraulic populations of sediment in the area has been formulated. The information from this model, taken in conjunction with the mineralogy, provided a framework within which the geochemical data could be interpreted. A geochemical model of sedimentation was developed, based upon the information from the results of the statistical tests and the known geochemical associations of elements in sediments. A geochemical distinction was found between the inner and outer shelf mud belts. An age of 40 650 yr BP was previously reported for a sample on the mid-shelf in the study area, supporting the reconstruction of a paleoenvironment · showing the outer shelf mud belt to be the paleodepocentre for the Tugela River with the inner shelf mud belt representing the present-day depocentre of the Tugela River.en_ZA
dc.identifier.apacitationFelhaber, T. A. (1984). <i>The geochemistry and sedimentology of quaternary shelf sediments of the Tugela River, Natal, South Africa</i>. (Thesis). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Geological Sciences. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18913en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationFelhaber, Taryl Ann. <i>"The geochemistry and sedimentology of quaternary shelf sediments of the Tugela River, Natal, South Africa."</i> Thesis., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Geological Sciences, 1984. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18913en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationFelhaber, T. 1984. The geochemistry and sedimentology of quaternary shelf sediments of the Tugela River, Natal, South Africa. University of Cape Town.en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Felhaber, Taryl Ann AB - This thesis is comprised of geochemical, mineralogical and sedimentological studies of 101 sediment samples recovered from the continental shelf off the Tugela River Mouth, Natal, South Africa, and nine samples taken from the Lower Tugela River. The purpose of the research was to examine the geochemical nature of the sediments in relation to their particle size distributions and the hydrological conditions present in the area in order to elucidate the relationship between an inner shelf mud belt and an outer shelf mud belt located in the area. The river samples were analysed to help in understanding the changes undergone by the continental shelf sediments during their residence on the shelf. All samples were analysed for 10 major and 23 trace elements by X-ray fluorescence spectrometry, particle size distribution, carbonate and organic matter content. X-ray diffractograms were run on all samples to obtain qualitative mineralogy. Multivariate statistical tests were used to aid the interpretation of the data, and to statistically distinguish between the two mud belts. A detailed sedimentological model of the hydraulic populations of sediment in the area has been formulated. The information from this model, taken in conjunction with the mineralogy, provided a framework within which the geochemical data could be interpreted. A geochemical model of sedimentation was developed, based upon the information from the results of the statistical tests and the known geochemical associations of elements in sediments. A geochemical distinction was found between the inner and outer shelf mud belts. An age of 40 650 yr BP was previously reported for a sample on the mid-shelf in the study area, supporting the reconstruction of a paleoenvironment · showing the outer shelf mud belt to be the paleodepocentre for the Tugela River with the inner shelf mud belt representing the present-day depocentre of the Tugela River. DA - 1984 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 1984 T1 - The geochemistry and sedimentology of quaternary shelf sediments of the Tugela River, Natal, South Africa TI - The geochemistry and sedimentology of quaternary shelf sediments of the Tugela River, Natal, South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18913 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/18913
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationFelhaber TA. The geochemistry and sedimentology of quaternary shelf sediments of the Tugela River, Natal, South Africa. [Thesis]. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Science ,Department of Geological Sciences, 1984 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/18913en_ZA
dc.language.isoengen_ZA
dc.publisher.departmentDepartment of Geological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Scienceen_ZA
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subject.otherGeological Sciencesen_ZA
dc.titleThe geochemistry and sedimentology of quaternary shelf sediments of the Tugela River, Natal, South Africaen_ZA
dc.typeMaster Thesis
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationnameMScen_ZA
uct.type.filetypeText
uct.type.filetypeImage
uct.type.publicationResearchen_ZA
uct.type.resourceThesisen_ZA
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