Foraminifera (marine microfossils) represent a valuable tool in identifying significant storm eve... more Foraminifera (marine microfossils) represent a valuable tool in identifying significant storm events in the geological past. Much of the previous work in this area however, has concentrated on temperate settings and marsh deposits. Little work has focused on tropical marine settings and no studies have looked to identify distinct foraminiferal assemblages associated with cyclone events in tropical reef settings in the South-West Pacific. In April 2008, samples were collected from the reef flat surrounding Heron Island as part of a study of foraminiferal biodiversity. On March 9th 2009, Cyclone Hamish, a Category 5 cyclone and the most significant cyclone event, in terms of impact and damage, to occur in the southern Great Barrier Reef region in over 30 years, passed in close proximity to Heron Island. With a pre-cyclone baseline collected less than 1 year previous, this presented an ideal opportunity to recollect, with the aim to determining if a discernable cyclone generated deposi...
An unusual coarse, shelly sedimentary unit is found elevated above present mean sea level in a sh... more An unusual coarse, shelly sedimentary unit is found elevated above present mean sea level in a sheltered pocket embayment at Old Punt Bay in south-eastern Australia. The coarse sediments, diverse microfauna, and large shelly macrofauna of mixed affinity suggest that the deposit is the result of high-energy deposition. The deposit was previously thought to have been deposited 1000–1300 cal bp based on one shell dated using 14C and amino acid racemisation. However, additional 14C dating indicates a likely age of ∼2500 cal bp. Regardless of age constraints, the presence of rock-encrusting oyster shells and large articulated bivalves, suggests that the depositional event must have been capable of removing and transporting coarse sediments (rock clasts), bivalves, and oysters shells from a variety of seaward environments and depositing them with little abrasion, something storm waves are unlikely to do. The deposit may be tsunamigenic. If a tsunami origin is accepted, the new dating resu...
Foraminifera (marine microfossils) represent a valuable tool in identifying significant storm eve... more Foraminifera (marine microfossils) represent a valuable tool in identifying significant storm events in the geological past. Much of the previous work in this area however, has concentrated on temperate settings and marsh deposits. Little work has focused on tropical marine settings and no studies have looked to identify distinct foraminiferal assemblages associated with cyclone events in tropical reef settings in the South-West Pacific. In April 2008, samples were collected from the reef flat surrounding Heron Island as part of a study of foraminiferal biodiversity. On March 9th 2009, Cyclone Hamish, a Category 5 cyclone and the most significant cyclone event, in terms of impact and damage, to occur in the southern Great Barrier Reef region in over 30 years, passed in close proximity to Heron Island. With a pre-cyclone baseline collected less than 1 year previous, this presented an ideal opportunity to recollect, with the aim to determining if a discernable cyclone generated deposi...
An unusual coarse, shelly sedimentary unit is found elevated above present mean sea level in a sh... more An unusual coarse, shelly sedimentary unit is found elevated above present mean sea level in a sheltered pocket embayment at Old Punt Bay in south-eastern Australia. The coarse sediments, diverse microfauna, and large shelly macrofauna of mixed affinity suggest that the deposit is the result of high-energy deposition. The deposit was previously thought to have been deposited 1000–1300 cal bp based on one shell dated using 14C and amino acid racemisation. However, additional 14C dating indicates a likely age of ∼2500 cal bp. Regardless of age constraints, the presence of rock-encrusting oyster shells and large articulated bivalves, suggests that the depositional event must have been capable of removing and transporting coarse sediments (rock clasts), bivalves, and oysters shells from a variety of seaward environments and depositing them with little abrasion, something storm waves are unlikely to do. The deposit may be tsunamigenic. If a tsunami origin is accepted, the new dating resu...
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