Late pleistocene to Holocene geologic evolution of the Grande Batture headland area, Jackson County, Mississippi

Landloss in the coastal zone of southeastern Mississippi has brought attention to the Grande Batture area and has prompted research on the underlying geologic character of the region. An understanding of the geologic evolution within the Grande Batture area was achieved with the use of vibracores, coastal surveys, seismic lines, historic maps, and aerial photographs. Physical descriptions and textural analysis of vibracore samples provide a basis for the subdivision and correlation of the sedimentary sequence into units. Physical sedimentary characteristics and the stratigraphic relationships of facies are used to interpret depositional environments. This study reveals a sequence of Late Pleistocene transgressive strandplain and nearshore marine deposits truncated by an unconformity. The overlying Holocene deposits represent sedimentation in delta subenvironments such as interdistributary bays, distributary mouth bars, and marsh. Abandonment of the delta and normal coastal processes have reworked marginal marine sediments over time into flanking barrier spits, a barrier island arc, and inner shelf shoal. Continued erosion is evidenced along the coast by various geomorphic features including wave-cut notches, exhumed peat beds, undercutting of the marsh cliffs, planed off benches, backshore scarps, landward encroaching dunes, and isolated marsh islands.