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Sedimentologic, mineralogic, and geotechnical descriptions of fine-grained slope and basin deposits, Baffin Island Fiords

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Abstract

Sediments from Baffin Island fiords are graded, massive, laminated, or bioturbated. Plasticity indices vary with sediment type (lowest = laminated or graded; intermediate = massive; and highest = bioturbated). Graded and massive silty/sandy muds are most common on prodelta or proglacial slopes. Bioturbated graded and laminated muds, and rare massive pebbly muds occur more distally down-fiord from the deltas or glaciers. Clays are mostly mica, with only minor to moderate amounts of chlorite, kaolinite, and swelling clays. On the Casagrande plasticity chart, the sediments plot in fields for clay-size material of medium to high plasticity.

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SAFE (Sedimentology of Arctic Fiords Experiment) Contribution #4.

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Hein, F.J., Longstaffe, F.J. Sedimentologic, mineralogic, and geotechnical descriptions of fine-grained slope and basin deposits, Baffin Island Fiords. Geo-Marine Letters 5, 11–16 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02629791

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02629791

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