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Sedimentary Dynamics of Continental Shelves
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SEDIMENTOLOGY C.A. Nittrouer (Editor), 1981. Sedimentary Dynamics of Continental Shelves. Developments in Sedimentology, 32. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co., Amsterdam and New York, 452 pp., U.S. $76.50. This volume lives up to its objective in excellent fashion. Consequently, we would like to quote from Dr. Nittrouer's Preface: "The objective of this volume is to document recent gains in knowledge about the movement and accumulation of sedimentary particles in continental shelf environments. Rather than contain a collection of review papers, this volume includes (primarily) research papers describing recent investigations. The strength of this approach lies in demonstrating state-of-the-art instrumentation, techniques, and scientific rationale, as well as in providing insight to the direction and potential for future research. A volume such as this represents a sample of research culminating over a finite time interval. There is much important work presently underway which is not and could not be included. However, the contributed papers cover a range of disciplines... An attempt has been made to provide the reader with a variety of studies, which are representative of active research into the sedimentary dynamics of continental shelves." The papers generally represent fresh research; most of them were presented orally in a symposium on Shelf and Nearshore Dynamics of Sedimentation (SANDS) at the 1980 International Geological Congress and several others were given at another SANDS symposium held at the AAPG/SEPM annual meeting that same year. There was a lapsetime of only one year from the symposia to the appearance of the publication; this dispatch speaks well for both the editorial accomplishment of Nittrouer and the cooperation of his authors! Also impressive is the list of 64 critical reviewers - - each paper was reviewed by at least four scientists. A wellwritten significant publication is the result. It is of interest to note that this book is actually a reprint of a complete volume of the journal Marine Geology (vol. 42, 1981). Following are the research papers included. Suspended Sediment Transport and Ben-
thic Boundary Layer Dynamics (C.E. Adams, Jr. and G.Z. Weatherly); New Instrumentation for the Investigation of Sediment Suspension Processes in the Shallow Marine Environment (J.P. Downing, R.W. Sternberg and C.R.B. Lister); Measurements of the Reynolds Stress Components Close to a Marine Sand Bank (R.L. Soulsby); The Role of Non-Uniform Roughness in the Formation of Sand Ribbons (S.R. McLean); Comparisons of Measured and Predicted Sediment Transport Rates in Tidal Currents (A.D. Heathershaw); Field Investigations of the Threshold of Grain Motion by Ocean Waves and Currents (L.H Larsen, R.W. Sternberg, N.C. Shi, M A . H Marsden and L. Thomas); Effects of Biological Activity on the Entrainment of Marine Sediments (A.R.M. Nowell, P.A. Jumars and J.E. Eckman); A Simple Model of Flow Sediment-Organism Interaction (P.A. Jumars, A.R.M. Nowell and R.F.L. Self); The Use of Radon-222 as a Tracer of Sediment Irrigation and Mixing on the Washington Continental Shelf (WM. Smethie, Jr., C.A. Nittrouer and R.F.L. Self); The Formation of Sedimentary Strata in an AIIochthonous Shelf Environment: The Washington Continental Shelf (C.A. Nittrouer and R.W. Sternberg); Sand Waves on an Epicontinental Shelf: Northern Bering Sea (M.E. Field, C.H. Nelson, D.A. Cacchione and D.E. Drake); Factors Controlling Shelf Sediment Dispersal along the Southeast African Continental Margin (B.W. Flemming); Sediment Entrainment on a Wave-Graded Shelf, Rousillon, France (C.F. Jago and J.P. Barusseau); M o r p h o l o g y and Dynamic Sedimentology of the Eastern Nile Delta Shelf (JM. Coleman, H.H. Roberts, S.P. Murray and M. Salama); Offbank Transport of Carbonate Sands along Open, Leeward Bank Margins: Northern Bahamas (Hine, n.J. Wilber, J.M. Bane, A.C. Neumann and K.R. Lorenson); Processes Controlling the Characteristics of the Surficial Sand Sheet, U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (H.J. Knebel); Sediment Transport in the New York Bight, North American Atlantic Shelf (C.E. Vincent, D.J.P. Swift and B. Hillard); The Hudson Shelf Valley: Its Role in Sediment Transport (G.L. Freeland, D.J. Stanley, D.J.P. Swift and D.N. Lambert); Preservation Potential of Transgressive Coastal Lithosomes on the U.S. Atlantic Shelf (D.F. Belknap and J.C. Kraft). As Dr. Nittrouer pointed out in the Pre-
86 face, some of the studies are process-oriented, whereas others treat regional sedimentation. Some of the papers are very quantitative, whereas others are "descriptive". Most of the papers, including the more quantitative ones, provide significant generalizations for other researchers on modern shelf sedimentation. Some, such as one on the use of radon-227 as a tracer of sediment irrigation and mixing, are quite specific. Some of the studies provide potentially useful conclusions for researchers on ancient rocks. Certainly little effort is directed toward an application of the findings to the geological record, but this was not an objective of the book. Perhaps this task is in the hands of those of us working on the rocks. A more general problem in this regard is the fact that so many of our pre-Cenozoic shallow seas were of the epeiric sort, which are not truly represented by today's continental shelves; extrapolations must be made. Carbonate sedimentation is treated minimally, possibly because modern shelves bordering our relatively high-standing continents consist predominantly of terrigenous material a n d / o r because despite the more limited carbonate environments on Holocene shelves, there has been more intensive work on these in the past. There is a reasonably thorough subject index of about 500 entries. Although no author index is provided, we do not consider this to be a very serious discrepancy. The book is expensive but the quality is good. Donald H. Zenger and George V. Chilingar, Claremont and Los Angeles, Calif.
PETROLOGY J.B. Gill, 1981. Orogenic Andesites and Plate Tectonics. Minerals and Rocks, 16. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 390 pp., DM98.00, U.S. $44.60. Volume 16 of the Springer-Verlag series Minerals and Rocks is one of the best. This book brings together (with some 1100 references!) what was known about andesites to the middle of 1980. As the title implies it investigates the links (or lacks thereof) between andesites and plate tectonics, espe-
cially of course, convergent plate margins. The first seven chapters detail the geochemical, geophysical, petrological, mineralogical and structural facts about the rocks, their sites, and their relations to tectonics. The writing here is refreshingly analytical: Gill carefully (and frequently) points out where data have been, and in many cases still are, inadequate. Chapters 8 through 11 examine the genetic roles played by subducted ocean crust, the mantle wedge, the overlying crust, and basalt differentiation. The last chapter, Conclusions, contains the somewhat surprising (to this reviewer) thesis that "conventional explanations", mostly differentiation of basaltic magma, "better account for more data than do the more elegantly simple theories spawned by plate tectonic theory". Gill assembles an impressive array of data to support his ideas. There are dozens of tables and more than 100 figures bringing together facts. These are not merely reproduced from the literature, but are mostly newly assembled and drafted. The figures are clear and carefully captioned. The value of these presentations is evident over and again as the author is able to show that prior workers have drawn conclusions based upon inadequate data. And, Gill is quick to point out where the present lack of data lead only to ambiguity. He lists fourteen "outstanding problems" that indicate sharply what needs to be learned about andesites. Every teacher of igneous petrology should read this book. Research workers wanting to know where fruitful avenues (and those less fruitful avenues) lie for investigation also will benefit from Orogenic Andesites. The only negative comment to be made is the wish that more effort had gone into proof reading. Without trying, some two dozen errors were noted that mar an otherwise excellent work. Alex K. Baird, Claremont, Calif.
G E O C H E M I C A L EXPLORATION A.W. Rose and H. Gundlach (Editors), 1981. Geochemical Exploration 1980. Developments in Economic Geology, 15. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 698 pp., Dfl.360.00, U.S. $153.25. The volume contains a selected set of 47 papers presented at the 8th International Ge-
SEDIMENTOLOGY C.A. Nittrouer (Editor), 1981. Sedimentary Dynamics of Continental Shelves. Developments in Sedimentology, 32. Elsevier Scientific Publishing Co., Amsterdam and New York, 452 pp., U.S. $76.50. This volume lives up to its objective in excellent fashion. Consequently, we would like to quote from Dr. Nittrouer's Preface: "The objective of this volume is to document recent gains in knowledge about the movement and accumulation of sedimentary particles in continental shelf environments. Rather than contain a collection of review papers, this volume includes (primarily) research papers describing recent investigations. The strength of this approach lies in demonstrating state-of-the-art instrumentation, techniques, and scientific rationale, as well as in providing insight to the direction and potential for future research. A volume such as this represents a sample of research culminating over a finite time interval. There is much important work presently underway which is not and could not be included. However, the contributed papers cover a range of disciplines... An attempt has been made to provide the reader with a variety of studies, which are representative of active research into the sedimentary dynamics of continental shelves." The papers generally represent fresh research; most of them were presented orally in a symposium on Shelf and Nearshore Dynamics of Sedimentation (SANDS) at the 1980 International Geological Congress and several others were given at another SANDS symposium held at the AAPG/SEPM annual meeting that same year. There was a lapsetime of only one year from the symposia to the appearance of the publication; this dispatch speaks well for both the editorial accomplishment of Nittrouer and the cooperation of his authors! Also impressive is the list of 64 critical reviewers - - each paper was reviewed by at least four scientists. A wellwritten significant publication is the result. It is of interest to note that this book is actually a reprint of a complete volume of the journal Marine Geology (vol. 42, 1981). Following are the research papers included. Suspended Sediment Transport and Ben-
thic Boundary Layer Dynamics (C.E. Adams, Jr. and G.Z. Weatherly); New Instrumentation for the Investigation of Sediment Suspension Processes in the Shallow Marine Environment (J.P. Downing, R.W. Sternberg and C.R.B. Lister); Measurements of the Reynolds Stress Components Close to a Marine Sand Bank (R.L. Soulsby); The Role of Non-Uniform Roughness in the Formation of Sand Ribbons (S.R. McLean); Comparisons of Measured and Predicted Sediment Transport Rates in Tidal Currents (A.D. Heathershaw); Field Investigations of the Threshold of Grain Motion by Ocean Waves and Currents (L.H Larsen, R.W. Sternberg, N.C. Shi, M A . H Marsden and L. Thomas); Effects of Biological Activity on the Entrainment of Marine Sediments (A.R.M. Nowell, P.A. Jumars and J.E. Eckman); A Simple Model of Flow Sediment-Organism Interaction (P.A. Jumars, A.R.M. Nowell and R.F.L. Self); The Use of Radon-222 as a Tracer of Sediment Irrigation and Mixing on the Washington Continental Shelf (WM. Smethie, Jr., C.A. Nittrouer and R.F.L. Self); The Formation of Sedimentary Strata in an AIIochthonous Shelf Environment: The Washington Continental Shelf (C.A. Nittrouer and R.W. Sternberg); Sand Waves on an Epicontinental Shelf: Northern Bering Sea (M.E. Field, C.H. Nelson, D.A. Cacchione and D.E. Drake); Factors Controlling Shelf Sediment Dispersal along the Southeast African Continental Margin (B.W. Flemming); Sediment Entrainment on a Wave-Graded Shelf, Rousillon, France (C.F. Jago and J.P. Barusseau); M o r p h o l o g y and Dynamic Sedimentology of the Eastern Nile Delta Shelf (JM. Coleman, H.H. Roberts, S.P. Murray and M. Salama); Offbank Transport of Carbonate Sands along Open, Leeward Bank Margins: Northern Bahamas (Hine, n.J. Wilber, J.M. Bane, A.C. Neumann and K.R. Lorenson); Processes Controlling the Characteristics of the Surficial Sand Sheet, U.S. Atlantic Outer Continental Shelf (H.J. Knebel); Sediment Transport in the New York Bight, North American Atlantic Shelf (C.E. Vincent, D.J.P. Swift and B. Hillard); The Hudson Shelf Valley: Its Role in Sediment Transport (G.L. Freeland, D.J. Stanley, D.J.P. Swift and D.N. Lambert); Preservation Potential of Transgressive Coastal Lithosomes on the U.S. Atlantic Shelf (D.F. Belknap and J.C. Kraft). As Dr. Nittrouer pointed out in the Pre-
86 face, some of the studies are process-oriented, whereas others treat regional sedimentation. Some of the papers are very quantitative, whereas others are "descriptive". Most of the papers, including the more quantitative ones, provide significant generalizations for other researchers on modern shelf sedimentation. Some, such as one on the use of radon-227 as a tracer of sediment irrigation and mixing, are quite specific. Some of the studies provide potentially useful conclusions for researchers on ancient rocks. Certainly little effort is directed toward an application of the findings to the geological record, but this was not an objective of the book. Perhaps this task is in the hands of those of us working on the rocks. A more general problem in this regard is the fact that so many of our pre-Cenozoic shallow seas were of the epeiric sort, which are not truly represented by today's continental shelves; extrapolations must be made. Carbonate sedimentation is treated minimally, possibly because modern shelves bordering our relatively high-standing continents consist predominantly of terrigenous material a n d / o r because despite the more limited carbonate environments on Holocene shelves, there has been more intensive work on these in the past. There is a reasonably thorough subject index of about 500 entries. Although no author index is provided, we do not consider this to be a very serious discrepancy. The book is expensive but the quality is good. Donald H. Zenger and George V. Chilingar, Claremont and Los Angeles, Calif.
PETROLOGY J.B. Gill, 1981. Orogenic Andesites and Plate Tectonics. Minerals and Rocks, 16. Springer-Verlag, Berlin, 390 pp., DM98.00, U.S. $44.60. Volume 16 of the Springer-Verlag series Minerals and Rocks is one of the best. This book brings together (with some 1100 references!) what was known about andesites to the middle of 1980. As the title implies it investigates the links (or lacks thereof) between andesites and plate tectonics, espe-
cially of course, convergent plate margins. The first seven chapters detail the geochemical, geophysical, petrological, mineralogical and structural facts about the rocks, their sites, and their relations to tectonics. The writing here is refreshingly analytical: Gill carefully (and frequently) points out where data have been, and in many cases still are, inadequate. Chapters 8 through 11 examine the genetic roles played by subducted ocean crust, the mantle wedge, the overlying crust, and basalt differentiation. The last chapter, Conclusions, contains the somewhat surprising (to this reviewer) thesis that "conventional explanations", mostly differentiation of basaltic magma, "better account for more data than do the more elegantly simple theories spawned by plate tectonic theory". Gill assembles an impressive array of data to support his ideas. There are dozens of tables and more than 100 figures bringing together facts. These are not merely reproduced from the literature, but are mostly newly assembled and drafted. The figures are clear and carefully captioned. The value of these presentations is evident over and again as the author is able to show that prior workers have drawn conclusions based upon inadequate data. And, Gill is quick to point out where the present lack of data lead only to ambiguity. He lists fourteen "outstanding problems" that indicate sharply what needs to be learned about andesites. Every teacher of igneous petrology should read this book. Research workers wanting to know where fruitful avenues (and those less fruitful avenues) lie for investigation also will benefit from Orogenic Andesites. The only negative comment to be made is the wish that more effort had gone into proof reading. Without trying, some two dozen errors were noted that mar an otherwise excellent work. Alex K. Baird, Claremont, Calif.
G E O C H E M I C A L EXPLORATION A.W. Rose and H. Gundlach (Editors), 1981. Geochemical Exploration 1980. Developments in Economic Geology, 15. Elsevier, Amsterdam, 698 pp., Dfl.360.00, U.S. $153.25. The volume contains a selected set of 47 papers presented at the 8th International Ge-