Sediment Geochronology & Seabed Processes

Primary research in the Sediment Geochronology and Seabed Processes group, under the direction of Dr. Steven A.  Kuehl, centers on 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 sea floor, 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. The group is  investigating the characteristics of recent sedimentary strata on spatial scales ranging from less than a mm to 100's of meters and on temporal scales from seconds to 1,000's of years in a variety of continental margin environments.  In addition to projects currently being carried out in Chesapeake Bay, Dr. Kuehl is also focused on sediment dispersal from tectonically active continental margins. Areas such as the North Island, New Zealand, which discharge huge volumes of sediment to narrow continental shelves where, presumably, active bypassing to the deep sea occurs.