Home > Late Quaternary structure and development of the northern Ningaloo Reef, Australia
Late Quaternary structure and development of the northern Ningaloo Reef, Australia
| Title | Late Quaternary structure and development of the northern Ningaloo Reef, Australia |
| Publication Type | Journal Article |
| Year of Publication | 2003 |
| Authors | Collins, L, Rong Zhu Z, Wyrwoll K-H, Eisenhauer A |
| Journal | Sedimentary Geology |
| Volume | 159 |
| Issue | 1-2 |
| Pagination | 81 - 94 |
| Date Published | 06/2003 |
| ISSN | 00370738 |
| Keywords | coral, geology, other |
| Abstract | Ningaloo Reef, situated on the central west coast, is Australia's largest fringing reef system extending southward from 22°S for over 200 km. Its narrow lagoon is backed by a coastal plain, which is largely composed of an emergent Last Interglacial reef on the flank of folded Tertiary limestones. The west-facing reef is exposed to strong oceanic swells across a narrow (8 km) continental shelf. Climatic aridity, cyclones, tsunamis, and the poleward flowing Leeuwin Current all influence the reef system. Seismic profiling and a coring and dating program along a transect through a reef pass indicate two periods of reef development in the northern part of the reef: Holocene and Last Interglacial. Seaward of the crest, the Holocene reef forms either a prominent 500 m-wide bulge with 10 m of relief and an abrupt seaward slope, or a series of discrete patch reefs. Holocene reef development is limited to depths of less than 30 m and reaches a maximum thickness of ca. 10–15 m below the reef crest. U/Th TIMS dates from distal parts of the Last Interglacial section between −18 and −36 m give ages toward the end of the high stand (120–115 ka). Last Interglacial reef growth was more extensive of the two, filling much of the available accommodation space, perhaps as a result of a stronger Leeuwin Current. This substrate subsequently provided an antecedent foundation for Holocene reef development. |
| URL | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0037073803000964 |
| DOI | 10.1016/S0037-0738(03)00096-4 |
| Short Title | Sedimentary Geology |
| Refereed Designation | Refereed |
