Sediment Geochronology & Seabed Processes

The Sediment Geochronology and Seabed Processes group, under the direction of Dr. Steven A.  Kuehl and Dr. Christopher Hein at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), conducts research to better understand sediment dispersal and the accumulation of fine-grained sediments in continental-margin environments. The formation of marine sedimentary strata rarely results from the simple settling of sedimentary material to the seafloor, but rather from the complex interaction of physical, chemical, and biological processes operating in the marine environment. These processes, such as resuspension and biological mixing, impart characteristic signatures to the sediment and control the burial and preservation of important sedimentary components such as organic carbon and anthropogenic materials.

Our group investigates the characteristics of recent sedimentary strata on spatial scales ranging from less than a millimeter to hundreds of meters and on temporal scales from seconds to thousands of years, in a variety of continental-margin environments.  In addition to our work in the Chesapeake Bay, we also focus on sediment dispersal from tectonically active continental margins in areas such as the North Island, New Zealand.

Contact Us
For mail and deliveries
Virginia Institute of Marine Science
Post Office Box 1346
Route 1208, Greate Road
Gloucester Point, VA  23062-1346
804-684-7118
[[kuehl, Professor Stephen Kuehl]]
[[hein, Associate Professor Christopher Hein]]
Campus location

We are located in Andrews Hall (see campus map)