Depositional architecture of fluvial-dominated shoal water delta
Wu Sheng-He1,2, Xu Zhen-Hua1,2, Liu Zhao1,2
1 College of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum(Beijing),Beijing 102249,China; 2 State Key Laboratory of Petroleum Resources and Prospecting,China University of Petroleum(Beijing),Beijing 102249,China
Abstract：Shoal water delta has been researched over 60 years since its concept was proposed. Although great progress in the research on shoal water delta has been made in many aspects,there are still debates on the concept,genetic types of sand bodies and depositional architectural patterns of shoal water delta. In this paper,we discuss the conceptual connotation of shoal water delta,and summarize its characteristics and patterns of depositional architecture. According to wave base and water depth ratio(ratio of initial channel depth to basin depth at river mouth),the delta could be divided into shoal water delta,relatively shallow water delta and relatively deep water delta. The shoal water delta,as the typical shallow water delta,is developed where the water depth ratio is greater or equal to 1. Within shoal water delta the distributary channel could incise through underlying prodelta deposits. According to the combination pattern of channels and mouth bars in delta front,fluvial-dominated shoal water delta can be classified into two end-member types,including distributary-mouth bar type and fingered bar type. Distributary-mouth bar type delta is the system of multi-order bifurcated mouth bars and distributary channels,which is a fan shape in the plane,and presents the combination pattern of “channels extending between mouth bars”. In contrast,fingered bar type is the system of fingered bar and inter-distributary-mouth bay,which is a branched shape in the plane,and presents the combination pattern of “channels extending within mouth bars”.
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