AN EXPANDED MODEL FOR MODERN SHELF SAND RIDGE GENESIS

AND EVOLUTION ON THE NEW JERSEY ATLANTIC SHELF

JOHN W SNEDDEN
Mobil Exploration and O Box 650232 Dallas Texas 75265
Production Technical Center P 0232 UA
S

RONALD D KREISA
Mobil Exploration O Box 819047 Dallas Texas 9047
and Production Technical Center P 75281 S
U
A
RODERICK W TILLMAN

Consultant 2121 East 51st St Suite 112 Tulsa Oklahoma 74105 U

A
S

STEPHEN CULVER
J
Department of Paleontology The Natural History Museum Cromwell Rd London S W7 5BD U
K

AND

WILLIAM J SCHWELLER
Chevron Oil Field Research Co 1300 Beach Blvd La Habra California 90631 U
A
S

ABSTRACT The stepwise genesis and evolution of modem shelf sand ridges are investigated through chronostratigraphic analysis of four separate
study sites on theNew attached ridge to over45 meters detached ridge
Jersey Atlantic shelf ranging in depth from less than 4 meters shoreface
Radiocarbon agedated vibracores and high resolution seismic surveys facilitated construction of a series of chronostratigraphic cross
sections

of these 1 by 5 km
scaleand greater ridges which can invertical thickness to 10 meters These data support to an earlier
range provide compelling
morphodynamic model suggesting that shoreface
attached ridges
may originate from ebb
tidal deltas and eventually detach from the shoreline

during coastal transgression A key element of the morphodynamic model involves cutting of the adjacent Swale by an obliquely migrating tidal
inlet channel

However notable yet transitional differences exist between shoreface nearshore and offshore ridges in terms of age microfaunal content
sectional area This implies that ridges change considerably following coastal detachment During this final phase
bathymetric profile and cross
which we term ridge evolution the ridges
may migrate change orientations and possibly cannibalize earlier ridge and inlet
fill
channel

complexes This stage may be the most important in terms of what is preserved in the sedimentary record Understanding the dynamic nature
of these
lived transgressive shelf sand ridges may help resolve some of the debate regarding analogous ancient stratigraphically
long isolated
marine sand bodies

INTRODUCTION includes a single shoreface attached ridge and Area 3 a

single mid
shelf ridge yielded particularly rich datasets The

Many of the world

s continental shelves today are ve approach used here was to analyze stratigraphic units in
neeredby a series of bathymetric highs referred to as shelf terms of their sedimentology radiocarbon ages seismic ge

sand ridges This ridge and Swale topography is most com ometry and stratal relationships thus establishing the chrono
monon wide low sediment
supply shelves covering the area
stratigraphy This time stratigraphic framework facilitated
from the shoreline attached
shoreface to detached sand comparison between the four study sites and thus new insight
bodies in water depths of 40 meters or more Swift et al 1972 into the evolutionary pathway defined by these longlived
Fig 1 Oceanographic studies demonstrate that these sand transgressive sand bodies Building upon earlier
ridges are not moribund but are indynamic equilibrium with morphodynamic models Figueiredo 1984 McBride and
the modem shelf wave and current flow regime Gadd et al 1991 we discuss ridge genesis and ridge
Moslow shoreline
1978 Swift and Field 1981 Present thinking regarding the detachment stages and then present a new phase emphasiz

origin of these bathymetric features generally falls into two detachment evolution of sand ridges
ing post
categories 1 those favoring formation at or near present
day
water
depths by modern dynamic processes Swift et al 1984 MODERN SAND RIDGE GENESIS

Karakiewicz and Bona 1991 Rine et al 1991 Antia

Boczar
1994 and 2 those who propose reworking of earlier barrier
islands McClellen 1973a Stubblefield et al 1984 This de
bate parallels the controversy regarding ancient shelf sand
bodies which are variously interpreted as having formed in
Analysis of the sedimentary character and age relation
ships of stratigraphic units in Area 1B Fig 2 provides the
basic model for ridge genesis Key chronostratigraphic units
observed in vibracores in Area 1B include modern upper

place as mid
shelf sand ridges Tillman and Martinsen
1984 ridge sand 0 to 0
9 ka lower ridge sand 0
9 to 3
1 ka swale
or as lowstand shoreface deposits which were later trans inlet fill 0
36 to 2
9 ka and back
lagoon 3
barrier 7 to 59 ka

gressed Bergman 1994 Figs 3 6A Detailed sedimentological description of these

To address these questions and to develop a predictive units is given in Snedden et al 1994 The occurrence of back
model for the subsurface occurrence of these reservoir
scale barrier lagoonal deposits implies that a barrier island existed
sand bodies a large inthe area of
scale research project was formulated dayPeahala ridge as late as 3
present 5 ky This

among several oil companies and academicinstitutions Ridges barrier island probably resembled those of the present day
in four separate sites on the New
Jersey Atlantic shelf ranging New Jersey coastline microtidal wave
dominated barriers
from 4 m to over 40 depth were thoroughly
meters water

analyzed with vibracores boxcores grab samples and high based

upon paper which won theSEPM Excellence in Oral Presen
resolution seismic data Fig 1 Two sites Area 1B which tation Award 1995 AAPG
SEPM Annual Meeting Houston Texas

Isolated Shallow Marine Sand Bodies

Sequence Stratigraphic Analysis and Sedimentologic Interpretation
SEPM Special Publication No 64 Copyright 1999

SEPM Society for Sedimentary Geology ISBN 057

56576 p 147
1
3 163
148 W SNEDDEN R
J D KREISA R
W TILLMAN S
J CULVER AND W
J SCHWELLER

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 SHELF SAND RIDGE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION ON THE NEW JERSEY ATLANTIC SHELF 149

Barnegat Inlet
Lagoon

118 9 K
Ridge
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subacqueous
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F Barnegat
Inlet
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150 1 W SNEDDEN D
R KREISA R W TILLMAN S
J CULVER AND W
J SCHWELLER

q Al

20
meters
subsea
0 55x
VE 1000m

B B
0
V61 V40 V47 V52 V55

Upper Ridge Sand Ravinement

Surface
Lower Ridge Sand 1
1 M
Mid 1L 10
Hoene Back barrier
Fill
Inlet
Swale

ate Plei
Gene gtra r
ndp1 ai n U ni t
lmeters
subsea
100x
VE
0 2000m

Fig Cross A across

3
sections
ridge and B along ridge based on seismic vibracore and bathymetric data See Figure
1 for cross
section locations Core interval indicated by dashed line at vibracore location

separated bychannels Fig 2 Even though the tidal

inlet organic imply close proximity to an inlet mouth or an
content

range is small barrier

back tidal prisms are appreciable of tidal It is notable also that the lower ridge
area
exchange
Nordstrom 1987 and ebb
tidal deltas are sea
developed sands occupy only the northern end of Peahala Ridge Fig 3
ward of the inlet mouth as seenat modern Barnegat Inlet Fig suggesting more recent accretion near the ridge attachment
2 inset In fact ridge
like protuberances are known to de point
velop on the outer fringes of these ebb
tidal deltas
Figueiredo Absence of shoreface
beach deposits equivalent in age
1984 McBride and Moslow 1991 The exact genetic process to the back
barrier silts and clays beneath Peahala Ridge
is still unknown but Huthnance 1982 provides a conceptual
implies truncation and removal of the barrier island as the

explanation of how once formed these features will accrete landward migrating shoreface
passed through the area
and stabilize beginning at about 35 ka Accompanying the sea level rise
of the ebb
Vestiges tidal delta precursor to Peahala Ridge was the likely southwestward migration of an inlet
channel
observed in the lower ridge sand unit which contains a
are
cutting the feature which today is the swale separating
mixture of shelf and marsh micro and macrofaunal
bay Peahala ridge from Long Beach Island The progressive

assemblages Henderson 1986 Culver and Snedden

1996 migration of the inlet
channel is documented in the se
Mixing of different ecological elements and relatively high quence of radiocarbon dates from unaltered in situ bivalve
SHELF SAND RIDGE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION ON THE NEW JERSEY ATLANTIC SHELF 151

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152 W SNEDDEN R
J D KREISA R
W TILLMAN S
J CULVER AND W
J SCHWELLER

shells taken from the unit Fig 4A This

oblique
shoreline flows veering the and others
some over
ridge obliquely
motion is a probable vectoral result of westerly landward passing down the swale This undoubtedly is a pattern re
shoreline retreat and southerly longshore sediment motion peated overthe winter season with storms passing across the
as suggested in the model offered by McBride and Moslow area on a
monthly sometimes weekly basis
1991 However comparison of historical bathymetric maps
Sometime prior to 0
30 ka the southerly migrating inlet term vertical and lateral accretion of the
suggests that long
closed leaving the swale and trailing body of sand today landward margin of Peahala Ridge is also occurring Fig 5
called Peahala Ridge Fig 4B Obstruction by the trailing Previous work similar shoreface
attached in the
on a
ridge
ridgeprecursor may have been one cause of the inlet closure False Cape area of Virginia indicates that crestal and land
In addition a second inlet
opened to the north capturing its ward accretion of the ridge is probably accomplished in
tidal motion
prism and causing closure c f Fig 3A Regardless of summer months as fair weather wave Stokes drift
the exact cause it is evident that by 0
30ka Peahala Ridge had for onshore of sediment
provides momentum migration
acquired its present form as an oblique
trending shoreface McHone 1973 Erosion of the landward margin does take
attached ridge of sand Closure of the northern inlet eventu place during winter and spring storms but seems to be
ally ensued although clues to its more recent existence are outweighed by the summer fairweather accretion Fig 5
evident in the possible flood tidal delta
like arrangement of Sidescan sonar records from Peahala Ridge clearly show
barrier islands behind
back Long Beach Island Fig 4B onshore bedform migrationduring summer months Snedden
The active nature of Peahala Ridge today is clear from et al 1994 Alternation of summer and winter flow patterns
examination of vibracore
sedimentology and radiocarbon may explain the presence of a steep erosional but accreting
dates oceanographic measurements and historical maps landward flank a motif not observed in offshore ridges as
The steeper landward margin of the ridge typically is under discussed below
lain by to bedded to flat
cross bed To summarize study of Peahala Ridge Area 1B docu
coarse
grained
medium
ded sand implying frequent sediment transport Ridgesands ments how a shoreface
attached sand ridge can develop
here yield the youngest ages including several modern from an tidal delta thus confirming
ebb an earlier morpho
1950 dates from shells recovered several meters
AD
Post logical model Figueiredo
1984 McBride and 1991 Moslow
below the sea surface By contrast finer lithologies intact While the ebb
tidal delta model may not be the only means
bivalves and older radiocarbon dates are more common on of g R Dalrymple and E Hoogendoorn in
ridge genesis e
the seaward flank Snedden et al 1994 press it is an extremely attractive one as it requires no
Oceanographic measurements Snedden et al 1994 and unique current flows e
g helicoidal flow Stubblefield et
radiogeochemical analyses of successive box core surveys al 1984 and fits with the observed historical and geo
Oertel and Wong 1987 confirm that intense storm
gener graphic association of ridges with tidal inlets McBride and
ated currents regularly impinge on the landward flank with Moslow 1991

Storm Fairweather

Shoreface
Area 1 B

aoo 0
combined flow m0
m

fry

laccretion
Offshore erosion
Area 3

Fig Storm and fairweather

5 dynamics and ridge migration in nearshore and offshore areas Based on current meter studies

reported in Snedden et al 1994 and McClelland 1973b and bathymetric surveys of McHone 1973
 SHELF SAND RIDGE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION ON THE NEW JERSEY ATLANTIC SHELF 153

MODERN SAND RIDGE DETACHMENT Moslow 1991 in particular provide a illustrated

well ex

of how shoreface
attached arise from
planation ridges can

located further offshore in water depths of 7 to tidal delta precursors eventually

ebb detaching with con
Ridges
to 33 m Area 2 and 40 to 47 m Area 3
15 m Area 1A 22 tinuing sea level rise to become shelf sand ridges Fig 8 The
exhibit a surprisingly similar stratigraphic architecture to model is compelling as it explains several observations from
that of Area 1B Fig 6 The uppermost unit in each area the four project sites 1 progressive shift in ages of similar
sorted fine to coarse
typically is relatively young well sedimentary units from one area to another 2 the lack of
richsand containing microfauna characteristic
grained shell coeval barrier island deposits probably removed during the
of the water depth at which the ridges are presently located erosional transgression and 3 cutting of the immediately
Culver and Snedden 1996 These are termed the upper adjacent swale by an obliquely
migrating tidal inlet and 4
ridgesands following the terminology used in earlier studies the mixed faunal signature in the lower ridge sand of areas 1A
Rine et al 1991 Snedden et al 1994 Older ridge sands can and 2 which implies development in an earlier lower sea
also be identified in each area and are analogous in terms of level position

geometry sedimentary structures and lithology to the lower

sand of Area 1B Muds and silts comparable to the back DETACHMENT EVOLUTION
POST
ridge
barrier lagoonal unit and coarse
grained gravelly sands simi
lar to the coastal
plain unit of Area 113 are also present in cores Notable differences in ridge character exist between the
from these other areas four project areas variations which may relate to processes of
These units do however differ significantly in terms of detachment ridge evolution Fig 8This stage of ridge
post
their respective ages determined dominantly from radiocar development is probably the most criticalin determining the
bon dating of in
place macrofauna There is a general increase final stratigraphic architecture that which is most likely to be
in age of each unit moving into deeper water although this is preserved in the ancient sedimentary record Three differ
most apparent in the age of the youngest shells recovered ences are most evident 1 variations in the ridge bathymetric

Table 1 The trend of older ages shows less of this pattern in profile or symmetry from area to area 2 stepwise changes in
the upper and lower ridge sands due to reworking which measurable dimensions of the
ridges and 3variations in age
tends to remove or destroy older shells microfauna and geometry of underlying channel
fillunits
Differences in microfaunal minor in these be tidal inlet channel
fillsuccessions
ecology are interpreted to

three units and Snedden 1996 suggesting that the

Culver
stepwise shift in radiocarbon ages reflects the landward Ridge Bathymetric Profile
migration of the New Jersey regional coastline from its Late
Pleistocene lowstand position at 90 meters Several workers have noted that a
significant difference in
approximately
subsea to its present location Dillon and 1978
Oldale Fig 7 ridge bathymetric profile or symmetry exists between
This view is supported by comparing the age and depth of the attached ridges and ridges located further offshore
shoreface

transgressive ravinement surface in each of the project sites to Swift and Field 1981 Stubblefield et al 1984 In Area 1B the
the local relative sea level curve for the last 20 ky Fig 7A steep side of Peahala ridge faces landward in contrast to Area
While there is someuncertainty in radiocarbon ages in each 3 where the ridge is strongly asymmetrical toward the south
area the transgressive surface in each of the project sites falls east seaward Fig 6 When viewed in isolation from inter
on or near the level curve The Holocene sea level rise was
sea mediate depth ridges Areas 1A and 2 this difference could

punctuated by series of shoreline stillstands many marked

a be misconstrued as an indication of dissimilar origins How

by a wave cut
declivity Fig 7B Areas 2 and 3 are associated ever when the nearly symmetrical profiles of Areas 1A and
with two of the more pronounced scarps called the Atlantis considered the transitional nature of the
2 ridges are ridge
and Fortune
Tiger scarps The geographic proximity is not profile becomes apparent Thus some dynamic process must
likely to be coincidental as the ridges of Areas 2 and 3 are just be causing a shift in ridge profile from landward to seaward

part of a larger field of ridges located just seaward of these facing

former shorelines Stubblefield et al 1984
Thischronostratigraphic evidence provides confirmation
of earlier models for ridge genesis and subsequent detach
ment based upon historical and morphological data
One explanation might be the offshore decline in wave
current ratios as a function of increasing water
depths during
the Holocene transgression As mentioned earlier shoreface
attached ridges such as those in Area 1B display an actively

1984 McBride and Moslow

Figuereido 1991 McBride and accreting landward margin due to fair weather wavegener

Table R
1 adiocarbon ages in the four project sites

Area Depth of Age of Pre Age of Lower Age of Upper

Ravinement Ravinement Unit Ridge Sand Unit Ridge Sand Unit
Surface subsea

113 10m
8 5
7
3
9 ka 1ka
3
9
0 9ka
0

1A 15m
14 8ka
5
6 4ka
6
3 14 3
0 4ka

2 27 28 m 10 ka
8 9
4 5 ka
7 6
0 5 ka
3

47m
42 12ka
10 4ka
4
3 8ka
1
7
0

intertidal flats
interpreted back
lagoon or
barrier
is estimated as there is insufficient material for radiocarbon dating
age
154 W SNEDDEN
J D KREISA R
R W TILLMAN J CULVER
S AND J SCHWELLER
W

NW SE
0

c
a

10

a
lit cene
Stra
m

20

0 55x
VE 1000M

NW
5
V83 V82 V11 11A V13 13A V14
14A V12
12A V81
cts
E
1
Upper Ridge Sand
ai 10 o14 to 34 ka
Lower
Ridge Sand
Ravinement
3to 6
6 4 ka
t8 Surface

15
N
N swale mlet4ill Pleistocene Strandpl
E 20 6 to 7 ka 17 ka

0 1000m

50x
VE

NW SE
20
per Ridge n V71 V72 turn in section
ca 6 to 3
0 5ka shorenormal
shoreparellel
N Ravinement
E
Swale Surface
Lower Ridge Sand
fill
inlet Pleistocene
9 to 5
4 7 ka
Coastalplaintstrandplain
tkyi
p
l 21 ka
to

r
N 30
Pleistocene Marine Unit 39 ka
E 1G
Older Pleistocene Units
0 1000m

50x
VE

NW SE

V93 V92 V91 13

V90A V94 V95

40 Upper Ridge Sand R avinement

7 to 1
0 8ka Surface

7
fl
3 LowerRidge Sand
3 to 4ka

i
50 j
Soinnic Brown Unit
E vN

D Coastal strand plain 17 to 18 ka

plain

0 1000m
50x
VE

Fig 6 sections for

cross A Area 113 B Area 1A Q Area 2 and D Area 3 For locations Figure 1
Chronostratigraphic see
 SHELF SAND RIDGE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION ON THE NEW JERSEY ATLANTIC SHELF 155

1B Proposed 3
5 ka

1A Proposed 6
5 ka

Atlantis 0 ka
8
Fortune 10 ka

Franklin 13 ka
Nicholls 15 ka

B
Fig 7
A Age and depth of ravinement surface of all four study sites superimposed upon a relative sea
level curve for New Jersey
Shelf Curve drawn through data points of Dillon and Oldale 1978 from New Jersey Shelf Dobday 1981 from Great Egg

Bay New Jersey and Stuiver and Daddario 1963 from Brigatine City New Jersey Width of white box indicates
corresponding uncertainty of age dating of the ravinement in each of the study sites B Project study sites superimposed upon
four post
late Pleistocene lowstand shoreline positions of Dillon and Oldale 1978 and two other possible sites
156 W SNEDDEN
J D KREISA R
R W TILLMAN J CULVER AND W
S J SCHWELLER

m
T
Y1
LS
O
V
T O co
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T

a o
A a

Q
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 SHELF SAND RIDGE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION ON THE NEW JERSEY ATLANTIC SHELF 157

ated landward transport Fig 5 By contrast fairweather microfauna are present in only trace quantities in the older
waves are largely ineffective in the deeper water over the sand unit of Area 3 the dominant forms reflecting
ridge
shelf ridges
mid as in Area 3 McClellen
1973b The domi present water depths Table 2 Culver and Snedden
1996
nant sediment However one would not expect these delicate foram tests to
transport direction for the mid
shelf ridges is
to the south and southeast as geostrophically
balanced storm survive extensive reworking during 10
000 years of storms
pass obliquely across the ridge Gadd et al 1978 If
currents Experimental and physical observations demonstrate that
indeed the Area 3 shoreface foraminifera to
ridge developed initially as a
agglutinated are
particularly susceptible
attached ridge as in Area 1B it has presumably experienced mechanical breakage during high energy events Miller and
a slow but steady decrease in fair
weather wave energy since Ellison 1982 Culver and Snedden
1996However indica
its origin at 10 ky As fair
weather tions of the earlier shallow water phase in this unit are
approximately wave

energy declined the sand body probably began to act much evident from examination of the macrofaunal assemblage
like a bedform re
orienting itself with its steep or leeside which includes marsh grass snails Littorina irrorata razor
down current to the south and southeast clams Ensis directus oysters Crassostrea virginica bay scal
Fig 5
In fact we believe that these storm flows have enough lops Argopecten irradians and surf clams Spisula solidissima
strength and frequency to induce seaward migration of the Henderson 1986 Table 2 While upward reworking of shell
entire ridge sand body Such large
scale bedform migration material is
always a concern it is unlikely in this case as older
has been observed in tide
dominated settings Jones et al unitsLate Pleistocene fluvial
coastal plain Middle to Early
1965 and under high
velocity geostrophic currents Ramsey Holocene back
barrier are generally non fossiliferous
et al 1996 and is generally in the direction of the steep face

McCave as suggested here Although migration rates

1971 Ridge Dimensions
of the ridges are probably low on a yearly basis migration Another important difference among ridges relates to the
distances are probably notinconsequential in light of the long actual amount of ridge sand developed at a given site Fig 9
Holocene transgressive time frame Earlier studies noted offshore increase in
an
ridge sec
cross

Facilitating this migration is the transport across and tional Swift and Field 1981 The observed increase is
area

accretion of sand upon the crest of the ridge Huthnance accomplished largely through a broadening of the ridges as
1982 provides an dynamic model for sand ridge growth as the length ratio declines perhaps
width as a function of the
laden flows pass obliquely across the ridge crest
sediment superimposition of early landward and later seaward ridge
see also Snedden and Dalrymple this volume In the model f Fig 5 Grain size of the ridge sand unit
migration phases c
the orientation of the crest enhances bottom also increases in the offshore direction although local varia
oblique ridge
friction reducing shear stress and causing sand deposition tions appear to be important as well e
g relatively fine
grain
This may size of Area 2
explain why ridges on the Atlantic shelf and ridge sand Possibly during ridge reworking and
worldwide tend to be oriented obliquely to the prevailing migration sediment is added to the ridge from erosion of

shore currents
parallel adjacent swales while finer sizes are moved offshore through
In Area 3 the sand
body appears to have migrated to a progressive sorting Swift et al 1972 Huthnance 1982 pro
positiondirectly overlying the candidate swale inlet
fillunit vides a theoretical explanation of how once developed ridges
the seismic brown unit Fig 6 It is possible that after shore such this accrete consequence of
as can or
enlarge as a
topo
line detachment the ridge may have actually migrated land graphic feedback to the fluid flow regime
ward for a period of time as result of aforementioned fair
weather wave action later reversing direction to move to its Channel fill Units

present position as currents began to dominate sand trans One of the more enigmatic units in the study sites is a sand

f Fig 5 Truncation of the older ridge sand unit on the

port c
northern flank of the ridge is possible evidence for this
reversal of ridge migration directions
One obvious consequence of slow but steady ridge mi
and mud succession filling a 2 to 5 m deep channel
cut Fig 6
Initially called the seismic brown unit it was first recognized
in early studies of Area 1B Figueiredo 1984 Later work in
Area 1B as discussed indicated that cutting and filling of this

gration is overturning or reworking of the older ridge sands unit occurred during shoreline oblique migration of a tidal
a process which apparently removed many of the more inlet channel Snedden et al 1994 Similar channel
fillswere
obvious signs of the initial ridge genesis as well as introduc later identified inAreas 1A 2 and 3 with better high resolution

ing younger age shells Shallow shelf marsh and lagoonal seismic data acquired in 1984 Understanding the origin and

Table 2
Micro and macrofaunal content of the upper and lower ridge sand units

Area and Water Depth Microfaunal Habitat Macrofaunal Habitat

Area 1B 12
4 m Very Inner Shelf Very Inner

Shelf Intertidal Inlet

influenced

Area 1A 7 15 m Inner Shelf Similar to Area 1B

Area 2 22 33 m Inner to Middle Shelf Offshore Marine and

Bay
Inlet
Area 3 40 47 m Middle Shelf Offshore Marine and

Inlet
Estuary
Bay

Culver and Snedden 1996 Henderson 1986

158 W SNEDDEN D
J R KREISA W
R TILLMAN S
J CULVER AND W
J SCHWELLER

00
5
CV
E 1
8
0
0
0
00
4
0 O
o
X 1
6
00
3
W

J
00
2 1
4
Z
O F
0
Z
U W
W 00
1 J
U 1
2
X
00
0
SHOREFACE NEARSHORE SHELF
MID

Fig 9 comparison of average cross

sectional area shaded squares and length width ratios dashed line of shoreface
attached nearshore and mid
shelf ridges Atlantic Shelf From tabular data provided in Swift and Field 1981

evolution of this unit is important in explaining the genesis of meters and the
adjacent ridge was fully detached from the
the detached shelf ridges Areas 1A 2 and 3 and thus the shoreline Fig 7A An example of such deepwater erosion is
model for the Atlantic shelf observed in Area 2 where the swale separating the two ridges
general ridge development on

Two alternative models for the origin of this feature can be was excavated four meters downward exposing Pleistocene

considered 1 post
transgressive shelf swale incision and fill strata Fig 6C

and 2 coastal tidal inlet

channel migration The with such for the seismic
problem an
explanation
Like in Area 1B the channel
fillunit in Areas 1A 2 and 3 brown unit in Area 3 is that processespromoting swale erosion
lies beneath or near the present day swale paralleling the depositional Comparative boxcore studies
are decidedly non

trend of the upper ridge sand body Most
are quite similar in geometry lithology
tures and microfaunal content The mixed back
barrier and
inner shelf micro and macro
faunal content supports the
cores from this unit of Peahala ridge indicate that sediments settling in the adjacent
sedimentary struc swale are removed during passage of winter storms Oertel
and Wong 1987 Recently deposited sediments are found in
none of the present swales of Areas 113 1A 2 or 3 Nor is deep

argument that the channel

fillunit was formed by a tidal inlet swale erosion very common in the study sites and elsewhere
and filled
into become a swale between ridges Fig 6 Age it usually is measured at a meter or less c
f McHone 1973
from this unit in Areas 1B and 1A fits with the esti Swift and Field 1981 The unusually deep swale erosion of
dating
mated time frame of shoreline transgression in this Area 2 is
area
Fig probably related to confinement of storm flows
7A Table 1 There is insufficient material for radiocarbon between the two ridges Fig 6 and consequent enhanced
dating in cores from Area 2 bottom shear In fact the presence of a deep swale may have
The channel
fillseismic brown unit in Area 3 is more something to do with the fine
grain size of the Area 2 ridges By
problematic Fig 6D Like the swale
fillof other areas
inlet isolating the ridge sands on bathymetric highs and preventing
it is incised into back barrier
lagoonal deposits It also is significant ridge migration little overturning of the original
overlain sediment volume has occurred a process which tends to
directly by ridge sands similar to that observed in
the other areas However the seismic brown unit of Area 3 increase the overall grain size through progressive sorting
trends more at an angle to the dayridge generally
present One established
well process for cutting deep channel
north to south in contrast to the ridge
parallel orientation like features in coastal
settings is that of tidal inlet migration
apparent in other areas Fig 4 Few cores penetrate the Migrating tidal inlet channels are
particularly common in the
central portion of the unit here but one core that does V97 microtidal wave
dominated settings like that of the New
marine microfauna and relatively young radiocarbon Jersey coastline and are know to incise as muchas five meters
yields
dates 3
6 5 ka in light of the probable timing of transgressive or more into the
underlying substrate Moslow and Tye
ravinement and shoreline detachment c f Fig 7A Table 1 1985 fillfeature in the four project sites shows
The channel
One explanation for the
young radiocarbon
relatively an average thalweg depth of four to five meters comparable
dates and mid
shelf microfauna in the channel
fillunit of in size to that observed in modern tidal inlet channels In fact
Area 3 is that the channel
like feature was cut and filled by the only other process known to incise such a deep channel is
shelf currents or wave action Radiocarbon dates from the river entrenchment during lowstands Posamentier et al
unit suggest that filling would have had to occur within the 1992 However this implies a significant gap in time be
last 6500 years when water depths probably exceeded 20 tween incision 15 to 18 ka see Fig 7A and infilling 6
35 ka
 SHELF SAND RIDGE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION ON THE NEW JERSEY ATLANTIC SHELF 159

with little evidence to suggest this in tations on possible ancient analogs

or no supporting cores see Bergman and Walker
e
gpaleosols exposure surfaces Tillman this volume Presently twodivergent viewpoints
While it is probable that the seismic brown unit in Area 3 exist regarding the genesis of isolated sand bodies found on

was cut by a
migrating tidal inlet it is unlikely that the present ancient marine shelves those advocating relative sea level
sediment was produced at the same time given its falls and others proposing more
infilling dynamic factors i
e storm
age and microfaunal content Rather later excavation and currents infragravity waves For example sand bodies in
infilling by younger sediments must have occurred although the Shannon Sandstone member of Wyoming originally
were

the specific by which that occurred be

means can only a proposed as built sand
storm ridges formed largely in place
matter of speculation It should be noted however that on awide Cretaceous seaway Tillman and Martinsen
1984
marsh and shallow inner shelf microfauna are still
intertidal Fig 11A More recently however Shannon sand bodies
present in trace quantities Culver and Snedden 1996 sug have been interpreted as lowstand shoreface
deposits
gesting reworking of earlier tidal channel
infill sediment Bergman 1994 The latter explanation is particularly ap
The unusual map geometry of the seismic brown unit in pealing inlight of the forced regression model of Posamentier
Area 3 trending in a N
S direction rather than the NE
SW et al 1992 which demonstrates how isolated marine sand
orientation of the channel
fillunits in other areas is still bodies can be formed
through a rapid relative sea level fall
puzzling Such a configuration could however be the result Fig 11B
of local progradation and southwestern tidal inlet migration Studies at Peahala Ridge and other areas of the New Jersey
such as during a brief regressive episode c
f McBride and shelf demonstrate that both eustatic and dynamic factors are
Moslow 1991 An abrupt glacial advance in the 9 to 10 ka at work in
creating modern shelf sand ridges Fig 11C
time frame has been documented in the North Atlantic from associated precursor
shoreline
Ridges can originate a

Kaufman al 1993 and may have been the cause of a

et like an ebb
tidal delta requiring that sea level fall or rise to

seaward progradation of a paired inlet ridge complex origi the of the future ridge
near or at
position Dynamic reworking
nally present in Area 3 and growth of the sand body following transgressive
ravinement then continue their evolution
occurs
Ridges
MODEL SUMMARY until final burial by sediments of the prograding highstand
shoreline system
Based on geomorphic associations and regional observa We would argue that a similar interaction of eustatic and
tions of modern coastlines McBride and Moslow 1991 dynamic events could be responsible for formation of ancient
present a graphic model sand bodies like those found inthe Shannon of
showing progression of ridges from Wyoming The
initial genesisassociated ebb
inlet tidal deltas to shoreline effect of short term high energy storm flows on a
as imposing
detached sand bodies Fig 8 Data from the Atlantic Shelf
relatively lived marine sand body has clearly been un
long
project support that model derestimated Study of shelf sand body evolution during
However the need to add
significant post
we see a transgressive episodes is obviously needed
detachment evolutionary phase when ridges migrate change Implications for sequence stratigraphic models are also
profile symmetry increase their volume modify their tex evident Current models tend to underemphasize post
ture age and paleontological content Fig 9 When viewed depositional modification of transgressive sand bodies By
ina time
space domain this phaseactually spans the longest contrast studies of modern sediments like those of the New
period of time in the ridge history Fig 10 The possibility of Jerseyshelf demonstrate the active nature of these sand

ridge hiati may exist although we cannot imagine long

intra bodiesinitially formed several thousands of years ago The
time
spans with little or no storm flow modification The sand bodies evolve during the transgressive long periods
offshore increase in ridge cross
sectional area Fig 9 ob sometimes taking on a form very different from the initial
served by Swift and Field 1981 implies that some sediment sand body geometry
volume is added during this phase thus differentiating the Preservation and eventual incorporation into the strati

ridge evolutionary phase from condensed intervals sensu graphic record is not an issue for shelf sand particu ridges
stricto The hiatus developed below the ridges is also partly a
larly when one considers that shelf sand ridges are the
function of the continuous turnover of ridge sands and de byproducts of survived
transgression having vigorous ero
struction of older shallower macro and micro
fauna Fig sional shoreface retreat We would expect that any return to

10 progradational conditions following their developmentwould

We should also add that during the post
detachment tend to facilitate final sediments of subse
preservation as

evolution phase considerable erosion of adjacent swales quent highstand delta

shoreline systems would progres
thusaccentuating the ridge topography Rine et al
occurs sively bury these sand bodies Snedden and Dalrymple this
1991 and possibly removing signs of the earlier genetic volume
sequence The transfer of significant amounts of sediment
from swales to ridges is also possible during this time al CONCLUSIONS

though faunal and textural studies would suggest otherwise

and Ellison 1982 Much of the sand added to ridges Our of the New
Miller study Jersey Atlantic shelf indicates that
this relatively long time frame is probably derived both eustatic and
during dynamic factors are at work creating and
from shoreface erosion and
obliquely offshore
trending
geo modifying sand ridges Eustatic factors determine whether a
strophic flows generated during major storm events Snedden shoreline passed through a site providing in succession an
et al 1988 Snedden and tidal delta
ebb
1991
Nummeda1 precursor a shoreface
attached ridge and
detached sand ridge the ebb
tidal delta model of
finally a

IMPLICATIONS FOR STUDY OF ANCIENT McBride and Moslow However post

1991 detachment ridge
MARINE SANDBODIES evolution causes shift in position and form as well as the
observed increase in sand volume and enhancement of tex
of the New
Study Jersey Atlantic Shelf sand
ridges has ture Thus our model builds upon previous work
expanded
taken place against a backdrop of rapidly evolving interpre modern processes
on
g Swift et al 1984 Antia
e 1993 and
160 W SNEDDEN
J D KREISA R
R W TILLMAN J CULVER
S AND J SCHWELLER
W

O
LO
T

N
U

D
c

ai
X
cu

20 rn
U
T
V

0
CO N C
N N
d U W
W x
a
n
r
V J
CO

4J

O
 SHELF SAND RIDGE GENESIS AND EVOLUTION ON THE NEW JERSEY ATLANTIC SHELF 161

of n Tillman and Martinsen

place growth
in
related to shelf
flow 1984 Rine et al 1991
Micropaleontology indicates
40 km from shore formation in 30 m of water
near present depths
day
present

Posamentier et al 1992

Rapid fall shifts shoreline across

shelf Erosion removes coastal plain Lowstand Shoreface

Hi h Tract i
g
IL

Ridge genesis as a combination of This Study

eustatic and dynamic processes

Micropaleontology
40 km from shore radiocarbon ages reflect
situ reworking
in
day
present 14

Three schematic models for

11
Fig genesis of isolated marine sand bodies A in
place growth B forced regression Q
combination of eustatic and dynamic factors this study No scale intended but some dimensions indicated
162 J W SNEDDEN D KREISA R W
R J CULVER AND W
TILLMAN S J SCHWELLER

eustatic forces Stubblefield et al 1984 Rine et

term
longer KAUFMANN D
S MILLER G
H STRAVERS J
A AND ANDREWS J
T 1993
al 1991 for shelf sand ridge genesis Abrupt early Holocene 9 to 6ka ice
9 stream advance at the

We view the New Jersey Atlantic shelf as an analog for mouth of Hudson Strait Arctic Canada Geology v 21 p 1063
ancient continental margins where tides are small sediment 1066

supply is limited transgressive episodes are long

lived and McBRIDE R
A AND MOSLOW T F1991 Origin evolution and distri
rates of sea level rise are relatively high Possible ancient bution of shoreface sand ridges Atlantic inner shelf U
A Mar
S

analogs do exist for example Mesozoic strata of Siberia CIS Geology v 97 p 57

85
Bathonian sediments of the North Sea Carboniferous rocks MCCAVE IN 1971 Sand waves in the North Sea off the coast of
of the Mid
continent UAand portions of the Rocky Moun
S Holland Mar Geology v 10
p 199
225
tain Cretaceous section this volume
g Tillman
e Bergman MCCLELLAND CE 1973a Nature and origin of the New Jersey
and Walker this volume continental shelf and
topographic ridges depressions unpubl
D dissertation Univ of Rhode
Ph Island 94 pp
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
E 1973b New Jersey shelf
MCCLELLAND C near bottom current

meter records and recent sediment activity Jour Sed Petrology

The model presented by Randolph McBride and Tom v 43 no 2
p 371
380
Moslow in 1991 though not one we originally advocated F JR 1973 Morphologic time series from
MCHONE J a submarine

proved ultimately to best fit the Atlantic Shelf data and we sand ridge on the southern Virginia coast unpublished MS
appreciate their kind understanding and comments We grate thesis Old Dominion University Norfolk Virginia 59 pp
fully acknowledge the contributions of Kirby Rodgers This MILLER D
J AND L 1982 The relationship of foraminifera
ELLISON R
manuscript also benefited from reviews by Rick Sarg Tim and submarine the New
topography on Jersey shelf
Delaware
Hurley Keith Conrad John Armentrout Randolph McBride Geol Soc of America Bull v 93 p 239
245
John Anderson Martin Gibling and Robert Dalrymple Dis MILLIMAN J
D JIEZAO Z AND I1990 Late Quaternary
EWING J
cussions with Dag Nummedal are also greatly appreciated
sedimentation on the outer and middle shelf result of two local

deglaciations Jour of Geology v 98 p 966

976
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