Palaeocurrent pattern, textures and depositional environment of miliolitic limestone of Diu, western India

Abstract

The present work deals with the palaeocurrent pattern and the textural attributes of the miliolitic limestone of Diu and their application for the interpretation of its origin and depositional mechanisms. The palaeocurrent pattern indicate a north to northeasterly direction of sediment transport which is similar to the present day wind pattern along Saurashtra coast. The limestone is fine to medium grained, moderate to better sorted, fine-skewed and leptokurtic to mesokurtic in nature. The study suggests a variable coastal marine beach to dune (eolian) environment of the limestone, representing the fluctuating sea levels of the Pleistocene Period. The constituent particles of the limestone, derived from the exposed beach and shallow-marine environments during lower sea levels, have been reworked by the prevailing wind and rain waters leading to limestone deposition.