Biogenous sediments classification

Examples from terrigenous and biogenic sedimentation provinces are presented (1) to illustrate the large variability of physical properties in different sediment types and (2) to establish a sediment classification which is only based on physical properties, in contrast to geological sediment classifications which mainly uses parameters like grain size distribution or mineralogical composition (Sect. 2.5). 

As the acoustic properties of water-saturated sediments are strongly controlled by the amount and distribution of pore space, cross plots of P-wave velocity and attenuation coefficient versus porosity clearly indicate the different bulk and elastic properties of terrigenous and biogenic sediments and can thus be used for an acoustic classification of the lithology. Additional S-wave velocities (and attenuation coefficients) and elastic moduli estimated by least-square inversion specify the amount of bulk and shear moduli which contribute to the P-wave velocity (Breitzke 2000). 

Fig. 1.10 Classification of deep-sea sediments according to the main constituents, e.g. clay (non-biogenic), diatoms (siliceous biogenic), and nannofossils (calcareous biogenic) (modified from Dean et al. 1985).

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