Organic Matter and Carbonate in the Southwest Continental Shelf of India

Twenty five sediment samples, from seven traverses, were collected from the southwestern continental shelf of India. A variation in the organic matter from zero to 1 1.26% and carbonate from 7 to 96% is noticed. The stations located off the river mouth areas show high amount of organic matter and low amount of carbonate content, whereas outershelf sediments display high amount of organic matter and carbonate contents. However, in between these two zones, at the depth of 35 to 65 m, the concentration of organic matter and carbonate is found to have a considerable decrease in amount. It is inferred that this zone might be a paleo beach environment admixtured with present day marine environment.