The New Jersey margin is among the best continental margins for learning the timing and amplitude of global mean sea level change over millions of years, for establishing quantitative links between sea-level change and the stratigraphic record, and for assessing the impact of sea-level rise on the world's coastlines. Although IODP Exp313 continuously cored/logged boreholes within shallow-water facies where prior studies revealed Miocene clinothem morphologies, ultra-high resolution 3D seismic images were collected aboard the R/V Marcus G. Langseth in July, 2015 that will put that sampled record into a spatially accurate, stratigraphically meaningful context. 3D images will yield maps of sequences surrounding the Exp313 sites showing shoreline positions, fluvial incisions, estuary complexes, point bars and other nearshore features. The long-term objectives of this research are to: 1) determine the amplitude and timing of global sea-level changes during the “Ice House” 2) establish the impact of base-level changes on the preserved stratigraphic record; and 3) improve understanding of the response of shorelines/nearshore environments to changes in global sea level, a societally relevant topic today.
WHATS NEXT: Alidyar Mukhazhanov will examine the 3D dataset focusing on the Miocene in the Exp 313 area. Additional studies of provenance, glauconite dating, and sediment processes are ongoing.