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THE EARTH THROUGH TIME TENTH EDITION H A R O L D L. L E V I N © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 1 CHAPTER 5 The Sedimentary Archives © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 2 FACTORS AFFECTING SEDIMENTARY CHARACTERISTICS 1. 2. 3. Tectonic setting Physical, chemical, and biological processes in the depositional environment Method of sediment transport © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 3 FACTORS AFFECTING SEDIMENTARY CHARACTERISTICS 4. 5. 6. 7. Rocks in the source area from which the sediment is derived Climate (and its effect on weathering) Post-depositional processes of lithification (cementation, compaction) Time © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 4 TECTONICS Tectonics: The forces controlling deformation or structural behavior of a large area of the Earth's crust over a long period of time. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 5 STRUCTURAL BEHAVIOR Tectonically stable—mid-western U.S. Subsiding (sinking) —New Orleans or Mexico City Rising gently—New England and parts of Canada after glacial retreat Rising actively to produce mountains and plateaus—parts of Oregon in the Cascade mountains © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 6 PRINCIPLE TECTONIC ELEMENTS OF A CONTINENT •Craton - Shield - Platform •Orogenic belt FIGURE 5-1 The tectonic parts of a continent. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 7 CRATON Craton—the stable interior of a continent. Shields—Large areas of exposed crystalline rocks. Platforms—Ancient crystalline rocks covered by flat-lying or gently warped sedimentary rocks. FIGURE 5-1 The tectonic parts of a continent. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 8 OROGENIC BELTS Orogenic belts—Elongated regions bordering the craton which have been deformed by compression since Precambrian. Orogenic belts are mountain belts. FIGURE 5-1 The tectonic parts of a continent. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 9 DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS All of the physical, chemical, biological and geographic conditions under which sediments are deposited. By comparing modern sedimentary deposits with ancient sedimentary rocks, the depositional conditions can be interpreted. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 10 DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS Sediments and sedimentary rocks may be: Extrabasinal in origin—formed from the weathering of pre-existing rocks outside the basin, and transported to the environment of deposition. Intrabasinal in origin—formed inside the basin; includes chemical precipitates, most carbonate rocks, and coal. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 11 DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS There are three broad categories of depositional environments: FIGURE 5-2 Marine, transitional, and continental environments of deposition. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Continental environments (on land) Transitional environments (along contact between ocean and land) Marine environments (ocean) 12 MARINE DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS 1. 2. Continental shelf Continental slope 3. 4. Continental rise Abyssal plain FIGURE 5-5 Submarine fan built of land-derived sediment emerges from a submarine canyon. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 13 CONTINENTAL SHELF The flooded edge of the continent. Flooding occurred when the glaciers melted about 10,000 years ago. a. Relatively flat (slope < 0.1o) b. Shallow water (less than 200 m deep) c. May be up to 300 km wide (averages 80 km wide) d. Exposed to waves, tides, and currents © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 14 CONTINENTAL SHELF—CONT'D e. f. g. h. Covered by sand, silt, and clay Larger sedimentary grains are deposited closer to shore. Locally cut by submarine canyons (eroded by rivers during Ice Age low sea level stand) Coral reefs and carbonate sediments may accumulate in tropical areas © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 15 CONTINENTAL SLOPE The steeper slope at edge of the continent. a. b. c. Located seaward of the continental shelf Boundary between continental & oceanic crust May be about 20 km wide © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 16 CONTINENTAL SLOPE—CONT'D d. e. f. g. Deeper water More steeply inclined (3–6o) Rapid sediment transport down the slope by dense, muddy turbidity currents Passes seaward into the continental rise © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 17 CONTINENTAL RISE At the base of the continental slope: a. b. c. d. e. f. More gradual slope May be hundreds of km wide Water depths of 1400 to 3200 m Submarine fans form off submarine canyons Turbidity currents transport sediment downslope from continental shelf (turbidites) Passes seaward into the abyssal plain © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 18 DEEP MARINE REALM The deep ocean floor a. Nearly flat b. Water depths of 3 to 5 km + (2–3 miles +) c. Covered by very fine-grained sediment and shells of microscopic organisms Clay Volcanic ash Foraminifera (calcareous) Radiolarians (siliceous) Diatoms (siliceous) © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 19 TRANSITIONAL DEPOSITIONAL ENVIRONMENTS Environments at or near the transition between the land and the sea. 1. Deltas 2. Beaches and barrier Islands 3. Lagoons 4. Tidal flats 5. Estuaries © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 20 DELTAS a. b. c. d. Fan-shaped accumulations of sediment Formed where a river flows into a standing body of water, such as a lake or the sea Coarser sediment (sand) tends to be deposited near the mouth of the river; finer sediment is carried seaward and deposited in deeper water. The delta builds seaward (or progrades) as sediment is deposited at the river mouth. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 21 DELTAS FIGURE 5-9 Tale of two deltas: the Mississippi River (A) and Niger River (B) deltas. Mississippi River delta © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Niger River delta 22 BEACHES AND BARRIER ISLANDS a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Shoreline deposits Exposed to wave energy Dominated by sand Marine fauna A few km or less in width but may be more than 100 km long Separated from the mainland by a lagoon (or salt marsh) May be associated with tidal flat deposits © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 23 LAGOONS a. b. c. d. Bodies of water on the landward side of barrier islands Protected from the pounding of the ocean waves by barrier islands Contain finer sediment than the beaches (usually silt and clay) Lagoons are also present behind reefs, or in the center of atolls. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 24 TIDAL FLATS a. b. c. d. e. f. g. Nearly flat, low relief areas that border lagoons, shorelines, and estuaries Periodically flooded and exposed by tides (usually twice each day) May be cut by meandering tidal channels May be marshy, muddy, sandy or mixed sediment types (terrigenous or carbonate) Laminations and ripples are common Sediments are intensely burrowed Stromatolites may be present (if conditions are appropriate) © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 25 ESTUARIES a. b. c. d. e. f. Mouth of a river drowned by the sea Brackish water (mixture of fresh and salt) May trap large volumes of sediment Sand, silt, and clay may be deposited depending on energy level Many estuaries formed due to sea level rise as glaciers melted at end of last Ice Age Some formed due to tectonic subsidence, allowing sea water to migrate upstream © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 26 CONTINENTAL ENVIRONMENTS 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. Rivers or fluvial environments Alluvial fans Lakes (or lacustrine environments) Glacial environments Eolian environments © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 27 FLUVIAL ENVIRONMENTS a. b. c. d. e. f. Braided and meandering river and stream systems River channels, bars, levees, and floodplains are sub-environments Channel deposits are coarse, rounded gravel, and sand Bars are sand or gravel Levees are fine sand or silt Floodplains are covered by silt and clay © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 28 ALLUVIAL FANS a. b. c. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Fan-shaped deposits at base of mountains. Most common in arid and semi-arid regions with rapid erosion. Sediment is coarse, poorlysorted gravel and sand. 29 LACUSTRINE ENVIRONMENTS (LAKES) a. b. c. d. e. f. May be large or small May be shallow or deep Filled with terrigenous, carbonate, or evaporitic sediments Sediments are typically fine grained but may be coarse near the edges Fine sediment and organic matter settling in some lakes produced laminated oil shales Playa lakes are shallow, temporary lakes that form in arid regions They periodically dry up as a result of evaporation © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 30 GLACIAL ENVIRONMENTS a. b. Sediment is eroded, transported, and deposited by ice (glaciers) Glacial deposits called till contain large volumes of unsorted mixtures of boulders, gravel, sand and clay © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Ashley Cooper/Alamy 31 EOLIAN ENVIRONMENTS a. b. c. Wind is the agent of sediment transport and deposition Dominated by sand and silt Common in many desert regions © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 32 COLOR OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS Black and dark gray coloration in sedimentary rocks generally indicates the presence of organic carbon and/or iron. Organic carbon in sedimentary requires anoxic environmental conditions. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 33 COLOR OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS Red coloration in sedimentary rocks indicates the presence of iron oxides. Red beds typically indicate deposition in well-oxygenated continental sedimentary environments. May also be transitional or marine. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 34 COLOR OF SEDIMENTARY ROCKS Green and gray coloration in sedimentary rocks indicates the presence of iron, but in a reduced (rather than an oxidized) state. Ferrous iron (Fe+2) generally occurs in oxygen-deficient environments. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 35 TEXTURAL INTERPRETATION OF CLASTIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS Texture = size, shape, sorting, and arrangement of grains in a sedimentary rock. The texture of a sedimentary rock can provide clues to the depositional environment. Fine-grained textures typically indicate deposition in quiet water. In general, it takes higher energy to transport larger grains. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 36 THREE "TEXTURAL COMPONENTS" TO MOST CLASTIC SEDIMENTARY ROCKS: 1. 2. 3. Clasts—the larger grains in the rock (gravel, sand, silt) Matrix—the fine-grained material surrounding clasts (often clay) Cement—the "glue" that holds the rocks together a. b. c. d. Silica (quartz, SiO2) Calcite (CaCO3) Iron oxide Other minerals © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 37 GRAIN SIZE Sedimentary grains are categorized according to size using the Wentworth Scale. Gravel > 2 mm Sand Silt 1/16 - 2 mm 1/256 - 1/16 mm Clay < 1/256 mm © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 38 SORTING Sorting refers to the distribution of grain sizes in a rock. The range of grain sizes in a sedimentary rock can provide clues to help interpret the depositional environment. For example, turbulence from waves will winnow out finer grain sizes such as silt and clay, leaving sands on the beach. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 39 SORTING If all of the grains are the same size, the rock is "well sorted." If there is a mixture of grain sizes, such as sand and clay, or gravel and sand, the rock is "poorly sorted." FIGURE 5-12 Sorting of grains in sandstones as seen under the microscope may range from good sorting (A) to poor sorting (B). © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 40 SORTING Well-sorted sands tend to have higher porosity and permeability than poorly-sorted sands (if they are not tightly cemented), and may be good reservoirs for petroleum and natural gas, or good aquifers. Poor sorting is the result of rapid deposition of sediment without sorting by currents. Examples of poorly-sorted sediment include alluvial fan deposits and glacial till. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 41 GRAIN SHAPE Grain shape is described in terms of rounding of grain edges and sphericity (equal dimensions, or how close it is to a sphere). Rounding results from abrasion against other particles and grain impact during transport. Very well rounded sand grains suggest that a sand may have been recycled from older sandstones. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FIGURE 5-15 Shape of sediment particles. 42 SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURES Some sedimentary structures are created by the water or wind which moves the sediment. Other sedimentary structures form after deposition—such as footprints, worm trails, or mudcracks. Sedimentary structures can provide information about the environmental conditions under which the sediment was deposited. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 43 SEDIMENTARY STRUCTURES Some structures form in quiet water under low energy conditions, whereas others form in moving water or high energy conditions. Stratification (= layering or bedding) The layers are visible because of differences in the color, texture, or composition of adjacent beds. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 44 GRADED BEDDING The grain size in a graded bed is coarser at the bottom and finer at the top. Graded bedding results when a sediment-laden current (such as a turbidity current) begins to slow down. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FIGURE 5-20 Graded bedding results when flowing water sorts particles by size. 45 RIPPLE MARKS Undulations of the sediment surface produced as wind or water moves across sand. Symmetric ripple marks are produced by waves FIGURE 5-22 Profiles of ripple marks. (A) Symmetric ripples. (B) Asymmetric ripples. Asymmetric ripples form in unidirectional currents (such as in streams or rivers). © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 46 MUD CRACKS A polygonal pattern of cracks produced on the surface of mud as it dries. L. E. Davis Modern mudcracks © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 47 DETERMINING "UP DIRECTION" Rocks can be overturned by tectonic forces. Examine sedimentary structures to determine "up direction." Graded beds Cross beds Mudcracks Scour marks © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Symmetrical ripples Stromatolites Burrows Tracks 48 SANDS AND SANDSTONES Sandstone classification is based on the composition of the grains. •Quartz •Feldspar •Rock fragments © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 49 MAJOR TYPES OF SANDSTONE Quartz sandstone—dominated by quartz Arkose—25% or more feldspar Graywacke—about 30% dark fine-grained matrix Lithic sandstone—quartz, muscovite, chert, and rock fragments. Less than 15% matrix. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 50 SANDSTONE INTERPRETATION Minerals provide information on the amount of weathering and transport of sand grains. Intense weathering and long transport produce sandstone dominated by quartz. Sandstones with abundant feldspars, and ferromagnesian minerals indicate relatively little weathering and transport. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 51 SANDSTONE ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION Quartz sandstone Long time in the depositional basin Tectonically stable setting Shallow-water environments FIGURE 5-25 Idealized geologic conditions under which the four major categories of sandstones are deposited. (A) Quartz sandstone. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 52 SANDSTONE ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION Arkose Short time in the depositional basin Rapid erosion Arid climate Tectonic activity FIGURE 5-25 Idealized geologic conditions under which the four major categories of sandstones are deposited. (B) Arkose. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 53 SANDSTONE ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION Graywacke Tectonically active source area & basin Rapid erosion FIGURE 5-25 Idealized geologic conditions under which the four major categories of sandstones are deposited. (C) Graywacke. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 54 SANDSTONE ENVIRONMENTAL INTERPRETATION Lithic sandstone Deltaic coastal plains Nearshore marine environments Swamps or marshes FIGURE 5-25 Idealized geologic conditions under which the four major categories of sandstones are deposited. (D) Lithic sandstone. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 55 CARBONATE ROCKS AND SEDIMENTS Carbonate rocks are chemical or biochemical in origin. Limestone Calcite (CaCO3) Aragonite (CaCO3) Dolostone (or Dolomite) Dolomite (CaMg (CO3)2) © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 56 CARBONATE ROCKS AND SEDIMENTS Most carbonate rocks form in the shallow marine environment. Some form in lakes, caves and hot springs. Most limestones are the direct or indirect result of biologic activity. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 57 CHARACTERISTICS OF MOST MARINE CARBONATE ENVIRONMENTS Warm water Shallow water (less than 200 m deep) Tropical climate (30°N–30°S of equator) Clear water (low to no terrigenous input) Sunlight required for photosynthesis by algae © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 58 ORIGIN OF CARBONATE SEDIMENTS Much lime mud forms from the disintegration of calcareous algae When calcareous algae die, their skeletons disintegrate, producing aragonite needle muds. Lime mud lithifies to form finegrained limestone. Lynn Walters © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 59 ORIGIN OF OÖIDS Oöids are tiny spheres composed of concentrically laminated calcium carbonate. Oöids form in warm shallow water with constant wave agitation. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. G. R. Thompson & J. Turk 60 ORIGIN OF CARBONATE SEDIMENTS Microscopic shells of marine organisms Abrasion of invertebrate organism shells Fecal pellets Precipitation of calcium carbonate from seawater as a result of biologic activity © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 61 DOLOMITE A calcium-magnesium carbonate mineral (CaMg(CO3)2). Makes up sedimentary rock dolostone. (Sometimes the rock is also called dolomite.) Forms when magnesium in sea water replaces calcium in calcium carbonate in a limestone. Dolomite (or high magnesium calcite) only forms directly in a few areas of the modern world where intense evaporation of seawater concentrates the magnesium. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 62 CLAY The word "clay" has two definitions: A grain size term A layered silicate mineral which behaves plastically when wet and hardens upon drying or firing. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 63 CLAY MINERALS Clay minerals are complex hydrous aluminosilicates with atoms arranged in layered or sheet structures. • • • Kaolinites —Weathering product of feldspars. Smectites —May contain magnesium, calcium, and/or sodium ions. Smectites swell when wet. Illites—The major clay mineral in ancient shales. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 64 DEPOSITION OF CLAYS Because of its fine grain size, clay tends to remain suspended in the water column. It will settle out of still, quiet water, given enough time. Clays and shales typically indicate low energy environments, sheltered from waves and currents. They are commonly found in lacustrine, lagoon, and deeper water marine deposits. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 65 CLAYSTONE & SHALE Claystone—A very fine-grained rock composed of clay minerals, mica, and quartz grains (<1/256 mm). Grains are too small to see with the naked eye or a hand lens. Feels smooth to the touch (not gritty). Not fissile; it breaks irregularly. Shale—A very fine-grained rock composed of clay, mud, and silt. Shale is fissile: splits readily into thin, flat layers. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 66 LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC UNIT A body of sedimentary, extrusive igneous, metasedimentary, or metavolcanic rock distinguished on the basis of lithologic characteristics (texture, color, composition, etc.) and stratigraphic position. The smallest lithostratigraphic rock unit is the bed. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 67 FORMATIONS Distinct and different from rock units above and below. Composed of a single rock type or characteristic set of rock types Traceable from exposure to exposure, and of sufficient thickness to be mappable Named for a geographic locality where well exposed. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 68 OTHER LITHOSTRATIGRAPHIC UNITS Organization of lithstratigraphic units from largest to smallest Super groups groups formations members A set of similar or related formations is called a group. Subdivisions within formations are called members. Virtually all lithostratigraphic units are "time transgressive" or diachronous (they, or their contacts, cut across time lines). © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 69 FACIES Facies: The characteristics of a particular rock unit, which we can use to interpret the depositional environment. Each depositional environment grades laterally into other depositional environments. FIGURE 5-33 Sedimentary facies (lithofacies) developed in the sea adjacent to a land area. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 70 FACIES AND SEA LEVEL CHANGES A sea level rise is called a transgression. A transgression produces a fining-upward (deepening-upward) sequence of facies. Finer-grained (deeper water) facies overlie coarser-grained (shallower water) facies. Sometimes called an onlap sequence. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 71 TRANSGRESSION PRODUCES AN ONLAP SEQUENCE FIGURE 5-34 Sedimentation during a transgression produces an onlap sequence. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 72 CAUSES OF TRANSGRESSIONS Melting of polar ice caps Displacement of ocean water by undersea volcanism Localized sinking or subsidence of the land in coastal areas. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 73 REGRESSIONS A sea level drop is called a regression. A regression produces a coarsening upward (shallowing-upward) sequence of facies. Coarser-grained (shallower water) facies overlie finer-grained (deeper water) facies. This is sometimes called an offlap sequence. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 74 REGRESSION PRODUCES AN OFFLAP SEQUENCE FIGURE 5-35 Sedimentation during a regression produces an offlap sequence in which coarser nearshore lithofacies overlie finer offshore lithofacies, as shown in A. Causes of Regressions: Buildup of ice in the polar ice caps Formation of glaciers Localized uplift of the land in coastal areas © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 75 WALTHER'S LAW Sedimentary environments that started out side-by-side will end up overlapping one another over time due to sea level change. The vertical sequence of facies mirrors the original lateral distribution of sedimentary environments. FIGURE 5-36 An illustration of Walther’s Principle, which states that vertical facies changes correspond to lateral facies changes. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 76 CORRELATION Lithostratigraphic correlation—Matching up rock units on the basis of lithology and stratigraphic position. Biostratigraphic correlation—Matching up rock units on the basis of fossils they contain. Chronostratigraphic correlation—Matching up rock units on the basis of age equivalence, as determined by radioactive dating methods or fossils. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 77 CONTACTS BETWEEN ROCK UNITS There are two basic types of contacts between rock units: Conformable Unconformable © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 78 CONFORMABLE CONTACTS Conformable contacts between beds of sedimentary rocks may be either: Abrupt or Gradational Most abrupt contacts are bedding planes resulting from sudden minor changes in depositional conditions. Gradational contacts represent more gradual changes in depositional conditions. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 79 UNCONFORMITIES Unconformable contacts (or unconformities) are surfaces which represent a gap in the geologic record, because of either: Erosion or Nondeposition The time represented by this gap can vary widely, ranging from millions of years to hundreds of millions of years © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 80 TYPES OF UNCONFORMITIES Angular unconformity Nonconformity Disconformity FIGURE 5-40 Three types of erosional unconformities. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 81 DEPICTING THE PAST Various ways in which the distribution of rocks can be depicted: Geologic columns Stratigraphic cross-sections Structural cross-sections Geologic maps Paleogeographic maps Isopach maps Lithofacies maps © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 82 STRATIGRAPHIC CROSS-SECTIONS They correlate geologic columns from different locations to show how rock units change in thickness, lithology, and fossil content in a given area. A cross-section is a vertical view of the interior of the Earth. An example would be to cut a piece out of a wedding cake and view the interior of the cake. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. FIGURE 5-44 How we correlate half-billion-year-old rock units (lower Cambrian) in western Montana. 83 STRUCTURAL CROSS-SECTIONS They show the timing of tilting, folding, and faulting of rock units. Tops and bottoms of rock units are plotted by elevation. Folds and faults are depicted clearly. FIGURE 5-45 Geologic structural cross-section. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 84 GEOLOGIC MAPS Geologic maps show the distribution of various layers and types of rocks in an area. Map symbols indicate structural features (folds, faults, etc.) and formation names. FIGURE 5-46 How to create a geologic map. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 85 PALEOGEOGRAPHIC MAPS Interpretive maps which depict the geography of an area at some time in the past. FIGURE 5-47 Paleogeographic map of Ohio and adjoining states over 300 million years ago (early Mississippian Period). © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 86 ISOPACH MAPS Isopach maps show the thickness of formations or other units in an area. FIGURE 5-49 Isopach map of 450 millionyear-old Upper Ordovician formations in Pennsylvania and adjoining states. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 87 LITHOFACIES MAPS They show the distribution of lithofacies that existed at a given time over an area. FIGURE 5-52 Lithofacies map of 430-million-year-old Lower Silurian rocks in the eastern United States. © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 88 IMAGE CREDITS • FIGURE 5-1 The tectonic parts of a continent. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-2 Marine, transitional, and continental environments of deposition. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-5 Submarine fan built of land-derived sediment emerges from a submarine canyon. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-9 Tale of two deltas: the Mississippi River (A) and Niger River (B) deltas. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-12 Sorting of grains in sandstones as seen under the microscope may range from good sorting (A) to poor sorting (B). Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-15 Shape of sediment particles. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-20 Graded bedding results when flowing water sorts particles by size. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-22 Profiles of ripple marks. (A) Symmetric ripples. (B) Asymmetric ripples. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-25 Idealized geologic conditions under which the four major categories of sandstones are deposited. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-33 Sedimentary facies (lithofacies) developed in the sea adjacent to a land area. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-34 Sedimentation during a transgression produces an onlap sequence. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-35 Sedimentation during a regression produces an offlap sequence in which coarser nearshore lithofacies overlie finer offshore lithofacies, as shown in A. Source: Harold Levin. FIGURE 5-36 An illustration of Walther’s Principle, which states that vertical facies changes correspond to lateral facies changes. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-40 Three types of erosional unconformities. Source: Harold Levin. FIGURE 5-44 How we correlate half-billion-year-old rock units (lower Cambrian) in western Montana. Source: Modified from Schmidt et al. 1994. Courtesy of U.S. Geological Survey Bulletin 2025., p. 11. • FIGURE 5-45 Geologic structural cross-section. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-46 How to create a geologic map. Source: Harold Levin. • FIGURE 5-47 Paleogeographic map of Ohio and adjoining states over 300 million years ago (early Mississippian Period). Source: Figure courtesy of the U.S. Geological Survey. • FIGURE 5-49 Isopach map of 450 million-year-old Upper Ordovician formations in Pennsylvania and adjoining states. Source: After M. Kay, 1951, Geol. Soc. Amer. Memoir 48. • FIGURE 5-52 Lithofacies map of 430-million-year-old Lower Silurian rocks in the eastern United States. Source: After T. W. Amsden, 1995, Bull. Amer. Assoc. Petroleum Geologists, 39:60–74 © 2013 JOHN WILEY & SONS, INC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. 89