Probable tsunami origin for a Shell and Sand Sheet from marine ponds on Anegada, British Virgin Islands

A distinctive Shell and Sand Sheet found beneath the marine ponds of Anegada, British Virgin Islands, was formed by a post-1650 AD overwash event, but its origin (tsunami or hurricane) was unclear. This study assesses the taphonomic characters of the shell and large clast material (>2 mm) to determine its provenance and origin. Pond-wide stratigraphic units (Shelly Mud, Shell and Sand Sheet, Mud Cap) were analyzed (12 samples) at four sites in …