Eocene fan delta‐submarine fan deposition in the Wagwater Trough, east‐central Jamaica

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Abstract
The Wagwater Trough is a fault‐bounded basin which cuts across east‐central Jamaica. The basin formed during the late Palaeocene or early Eocene and the earliest sediments deposited in the trough were the Wagwater and Richmond formations of the Wagwater Group. These formations are composed of up to 7000 m of conglomerates, sandstones, and shales. Six facies have been recognized in the Wagwater Group: Facies I‐unfossiliferous massive conglomerates; Facies II—channelized, non‐marine conglomerates, sandstones, and shales; Facies III‐interbedded, fossiliferous conglomerates and sandstones; Facies IV—fossiliferous muddy conglomerates; Facies V—channelized, marine conglomerates, sandstones, and shales; and Facies VI—thin‐bedded sheet sandstones and shales. The Wagwater and Richmond formations are interpreted as fan delta‐submarine fan deposits. Facies associations suggest that humid‐region fan deltas prograded into the basin from the adjacent highlands and discharged very coarse sediments on to a steep submarine slope. At the coast waves reworked the braided‐fluvial deposits of the subaerial fan delta into coarse sand and gravel beaches. Sediments deposited on the delta‐front slope were frequently remobilized and moved downslope as slumps, debris flows, and turbidity currents. At the slope‐basin break submarine fans were deposited. The submarine fans are characterized by coarse inner and mid‐fan deposits which grade laterally into thin bedded turbidites of the outer fan and basin floor.