Sediments of the western continental shelf of India - Environmental significance

Abstract

The degree of fragmentation and colour of the skeletal fragments, colouration in benthic foraminifers have been studied in surficial sediment samples collected from forty stations from the continental shelf region between Ratnagiri in the south and Indus canyon in the north. The abundance peaks of fragmented shells correspond to the terrace depths of -65, -75, -85 and -92 m in the outer shelf region off Ratnagir which indicate the different phases of eustatic sea levels. It is inferred from the occurrence of abundance peaks at similar depths in the other regions of the continental shelf that they must correspond to the presence of lowered strands. The disposition of the black shells in a linear fashion parallel to the coast line at the depths mentioned above also supports the proposition