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Distribution of Foraminifera and Ostracoda in the Kameshwaram Coast, Nagapattinam, South India: Implications for Recognition of Overwash/Extreme Wave Event Deposits

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On a Sustainable Future of the Earth's Natural Resources

Part of the book series: Springer Earth System Sciences ((SPRINGEREARTH))

Abstract

Paleo-tsunamis are commonly recognized by the presence of marine sand sheets with microfossils typical of lagoons, estuaries and tidal marshes. Sediment sub-samples recovered from trenches located 500–700 m away from present day shoreline at Kameshwaram, near Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu, Southeast Coast of India, show lithological variation and the occurrences of microfossils typical of offshore regions. The assemblage of foraminifera, ostracoda and their distribution pattern in the tsunami inundated area of Kameshwaram coast is discussed. The following species are identified at a depth of 39–43 cm: Ammonia beccarii, Globigerina bulloides, Quinqueloculina sp., Spiroloculina orbis, Propontocypris bengalensis, Propontocypris crocata and Phlyctenophora orientalis. These species might have been brought by the high energy tsunami waves, which might be a 2004 tsunami deposit. However, from the depth of 0–39 cm and 43–80 cm, the sediment is un-fossiliferous. Based on carapace-valve ratio, a higher rate of sedimentation is inferred. This preliminary work on foraminiferal and ostracod distribution refers that the paleo-tsunami sediments originated from coastal to inner shelf environments.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the “Indian National Centre for Ocean Information Services” (INCOIS), Hyderabad for providing the financial assistance (INCOIS/283/2007/2904, dt.8th Jan., 2008) for this work. We also thank Prof.S.P. Mohan, Head of the Department of Geology, for his encouragement. We place on record the opportunity given by the organizers of the “Humboldt Kolleg and International Conference on Recent advancements in Earth resources research: The road to the future (Earth – Future)” held at Periyar University, Salem during September, 2011 to submit this research article for the special issue.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Madras, Guindy Campus, Chennai, 600 025, India

    P. Elakkiya, S. M. Hussain & K. Elumalai

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  1. P. Elakkiya
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  2. S. M. Hussain
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  3. K. Elumalai
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Correspondence to S. M. Hussain .

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  1. , Department of Geology, Periyar University, Salem, 636011, India

    Mu. Ramkumar

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Elakkiya, P., Hussain, S.M., Elumalai, K. (2013). Distribution of Foraminifera and Ostracoda in the Kameshwaram Coast, Nagapattinam, South India: Implications for Recognition of Overwash/Extreme Wave Event Deposits. In: Ramkumar, M. (eds) On a Sustainable Future of the Earth's Natural Resources. Springer Earth System Sciences. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-642-32917-3_7

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