Paleocurrent and paleoslope — A case study
Abstract The relationship between the paleocurrent pattern and the paleoslope in several continental and marine environments has been reviewed. This relationship in shelf sediment is not adequately established, and appears to be more complex than is now understood. The paleocurrent pattern of the Mississippian Loyalhanna—Trough Creek Limestone (a shelf calcarenite) is presented here as a case study. The study shows that the sediment dispersal system and the current pattern are independent of the paleoslope, and that the vector orientation is polymodal. It is, however, argued that before a precise paleocurrent model for shelf carbonate is formulated, more investigation in recent and ancient rocks is necessary.