Chapter 3 - The Sedimentary Archives

I.	Tectonic settings
	A.  Cratons
	    1.  Continental shield
	    2.  Continental platform
	B.  Orogenic belts
	C.  Continental shelves
	    1.  Coastal plains
	    2.  Submarine shelves

II.	Environments of Deposition
	A.  Continental:  Glacial, fluvial/alluvial plain, lacustrine, eolian
	B.  Transitional:  Delta, barrier island/beach, rocky shore (sea cliffs)
	C.  Marine:  Shelf, slope, abyssal

III.	Color in Sedimentary Rocks
	A.  Black and dark gray (especially shales):  Organic carbon and iron sulfides
	B.  Red and brown (especially clastic rocks):  Iron oxides (hematite)

IV.	Textural Interpretation
	A.  Main observations: Size, sorting, shape (roundness)
	B.  Arrangement of grains
	    1.  Homogenous (massive)
	    2.  Inhomogenous (graded)
	    3.  Preferred orientation (alignment)

V.	Sedimentary Structures
	A.  Stratification (layering)
	B.  Internal structures (graded bedding, cross bedding)
	C.  Between bed structures (mud cracks, ripples)
	D.  Sedimentary way-up structures

VI.	Interpretation of Sands and Sandstone’s
	A.  Quartz rich (mature; quartz sand)
	B.  Feldspar rich (immature; arkose)
	C.  Rock fragment rich (immature; lithic sand)
	D.  Clay rich (immature; greywacke)

VII.	Interpretation of Carbonates
	A.  Main processes
	    1.  chemical direct precipitates (carbonate mud)
	    2.  biochemical:  Organic contribution (shells, etc.)
	B.  Main Components:  Mud, shells, ooids, rip-up clasts
	C.  Diagenesis:  Creates dolomite from limestone

VIII.	Interpretation of Shales (analogues)
	A.  Quartz-rich shales (quartz sandstone’s)
	B.  Feldspar-rich shales (arkoses)
	C.  Chlorite-rich shales (greywackes)
	D.  Mica-rich shales (greywackes)

IX.	Sedimentary Rock Record
	A.  Rock (stratigraphic) units - named for geographic site
	    1.  Formation
	    2.  Group
	    3.  Member
	B.  Facies concept
	    1.  Biofacies
	    2.  Lithofacies
	    3.  Ichnofacies
	C.  Sea level change
	    1.  Transgression (onlap)
	    2.  Regression (offlap)
	    3.  Facies shift (Walther’s principle)
	    4.  Facies cycle (Vail’s principle)
		a.  eustatic
		b.  tectonic
		c.  climatic
	D.  Correlation:  Determining equivalence between strata
	    1.  Physical (lithologic)
	    2.  Fossil (biologic)
	    3.  Temporal (chronologic)
	E.  Unconformity:  Breaks in the stratigraphic record
	    1.  Angular unconformity
	    2.  Disconformity
	    3.  Nonconformity

X.	Depicting stratigraphy
	A.  Graphics for correlation
	    1.  Geologic column (local section) and columnar sections
	    2.  Stratigraphic cross-sections (several local sections)
	B.  Mapping graphics
	    1.  Geologic map
	    2.  Paleogeographic map
	    3.  Isopach map
	    4.  Lithofacies map