Controls of heavy minerals and grain size in a holocene regressive barrier (Ilha Comprida, southeastern Brazil)

Ilha Comprida is a regressive barrier island located in southeastern Brazil that was formed essentially by Quaternary sandy sediments. Ilha Comprida sediments were analyzed to assess heavy mineral indices and grain size variables. The spatial variation of heavy minerals and grain size was interprete...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores: Guedes, C. C. F., Giannini, P. C. F., Nascimento Júnior, Daniel Rodrigues do, Sawakuchi, A. O., Tanaka, Ana Paula Burgoa, Rossi, M. G.
Tipo de recurso: artículo
Estado:Versión publicada
Fecha de publicación:2011
País:Brasil
Institución:Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC)
Repositorio:Repositório Institucional da Universidade Federal do Ceará (UFC)
Idioma:inglés
OAI Identifier:oai:repositorio.ufc.br:riufc/64750
Acceso en línea:http://www.repositorio.ufc.br/handle/riufc/64750
Access Level:acceso abierto
Palabra clave:Heavy mineral indices
Sedimentary transport
Beach ridges
Foredunes
Provenance
Hydraulic sorting
Descripción
Sumario:Ilha Comprida is a regressive barrier island located in southeastern Brazil that was formed essentially by Quaternary sandy sediments. Ilha Comprida sediments were analyzed to assess heavy mineral indices and grain size variables. The spatial variation of heavy minerals and grain size was interpreted in terms of the present barrier dynamics and the barrier’s evolution since the Middle Holocene. These analyses allowed for the identification of the main factors and processes that control the variation of heavy minerals and grain size on the barrier. Rutile and zircon (RZi) and tourmaline and hornblende (THi) are significantly sensitive to provenance and exhibit the contributions of the Ribeira de Iguape River sediments, which reach the coast next to the northeastern end of Ilha Comprida. In addition to the influence of provenance, TZi responds mainly to hydraulic sorting processes. This agrees with a sediment transport pattern characterized by a divergence of two resultant net alongshore drifts southwest of the barrier. The sediments from the Ribeira de Iguape River reach the barrier directly through the river mouth and indirectly after temporary storage in the inner shelf. The combination of grain size and heavy mineral analyses is a reliable method for determining sediment transport patterns and provenance.