Grainsize of surface samples collected from the sanded reef flat physiographic zone of Wistari Reef

Updated: 2014-12-16

Wistari Reef is a lagoonal platform reef, situated on the Tropic of Capricorn, within the Capricorn and Bunker region of the southern Great Barrier Reef. Five surface samples were taken from the sanded reef flats and analysed to determine grainsize and the sorting coefficient (expressed as the standard deviation of grainsize) within each sample. These sediments tend to consist of broken and reworked material that is derived and transported from the high energy windward reef flat. The sediments are moderately sorted coarse sand, and vary from moderately to well rounded. Increasing maturity of the sediment is observed, as one moves from the windward sanded reef flats (sample S57) toward the leeward region (sample CE).