Tidal circulation patterns in Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Cretaceous epeiric and mioclinal shelf seas

Research Article| July 01, 1978 Tidal circulation patterns in Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Cretaceous epeiric and mioclinal shelf seas GEORGE DEVRIES KLEIN; GEORGE DEVRIES KLEIN 1Sedimentology Laboratory, Department of Geology, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar THOMAS A. RYER THOMAS A. RYER 2U.S. Geological Survey, Mail Stop 972, Box 25046, Denver Federal Center, Denver, Colorado 80225 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1978) 89 (7): 1050–1058. https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1978)89<1050:TCPIPP>2.0.CO;2 Article history first online: 01 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation GEORGE DEVRIES KLEIN, THOMAS A. RYER; Tidal circulation patterns in Precambrian, Paleozoic, and Cretaceous epeiric and mioclinal shelf seas. GSA Bulletin 1978;; 89 (7): 1050–1058. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1978)89<1050:TCPIPP>2.0.CO;2 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu nav search search input Search input auto suggest search filter All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract According to some workers, ancient epeiric and mioclinal shelf seas should have lacked normal astronomical tides because of their shallow depths and great size. A variety of sedimentological and paleontological evidence, however, indicates that Precambrian, Cambrian, Ordovician, and Cretaceous strata of western North America, Carboniferous strata of the eastern United States, Precambrian and Cambrian strata of Scotland, and Precambrian and Ordovician strata of South Africa, which were, in part, deposited in such shallow seas, contain extensive tidalites. On Holocene continental shelves, a positive correlation exists between shelf width, tidal range, and tidal current velocity; the widest shelves are characterized by the greatest tidal ranges and the greatest tidal current velocities. This relationship is generally applicable to ancient epeiric and mioclinal shelf seas, and we conclude that ancient shallow seas were, in fact, characterized and dominated by tides and by tidal circulation patterns. Therefore, sedimentological and paleontological evidence of tidal influences should be sought more widely in strata that accumulated in such seas. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not currently have access to this article.