Origin of Convoluted Laminae

Abstract

Comparison of streaked-out “ripples” formed by the drag effects of a current passing over a watery, yet cohesive sediment bottom with convoluted laminae formed within beds of fine-grained sandstone suggests a common origin. Application of Bagnold's recent discoveries on the behaviour of cohesionless sediment in flowing fluids to the problem results in a modification of Kuenen's hypothesis of origin of the convolutions. According to the new interpretation, convolutions arise when formerly cohesionless sand grains become cohesive after deposition and respond to increased shearing due to higher current velocity by a décollementtype of adjustment with the plane or planes of adjustment located within, or in some cases at or below the base of the growing sandstone bed. Convolute “anticlines” in cohesive sand are thought to serve the same function as that played by current ripple-marks in cohesionless sand, i.e., they create additional bottom relief in order to increase the drag and restore equilibrium to the added shearing stress imposed by the current that cannot be counterbalanced by grain-to-grain encounters.