Fig. 35

Comparison of number of direct observations on deep-water tidal and turbidity currents in modern settings with number of interpreted deep-water tidalites and turbidites in the ancient sedimentary record. Importantly, Shepard et al. (1979) documented 25,000 h of velocity measurements of mostly tidal currents from 25 submarine canyons around the world. But no such robust dataset on modern turbidity currents exists. In explaining the rarity of turbidity currents in modern oceans, sequence stratigraphers could use the notion that turbidity currents occur preferentially during periods of sea-level lowstands (Damuth and Fairbridge 1970; Shanmugam and Moiola 1982, 1988; Vail et al. 1991). However, such notions are obsolete (Shanmugam 2007). References: Dykstra (2012), Heezen et al. (1964), and Mutti and Ricci Lucchi (1972).  Figure from Shanmugam (2021a). Elsevier. Copyright Clearance Center’s RightsLink: Licensee: G. Shanmugam. License Number: 4986770931833 License Date: January 12, 2021