Cool-Water Carbonates

This book is a collected series of papers on the sedimentary geology of carbonate sediments deposited on shelves and offshore banks in cool to cold oceans. Contributions come mainly from a workshop organized by Jonathan Clarke held in Geelong, Victoria from January 14 to 19, 1995. Most earth scientists have traditionally viewed carbonate sediments as warm-water deposits and interpreted them as such in most of the geological record. Yet large areas of the modern seafloor are covered with neritic carbonate sediments formed in seawater that is colder than 20ºC. Such environments are not easily studied. Thus, our knowledge of cool-water carbonates has lagged far behind our understanding of their warm-water counterparts. This situation has changed somewhat as more and more investigators have braved the chill waters and rough seas. This book brings together a group of studies that illustrate the present status of our understanding and current research in a field that is in mid-life.