G528

Sedimentary Basin Analysis

Paleocurrent analysis
February 7, 2011
 Paleocurrent analysis
(paleocurrent indicator analysis)

• Measurement of the orientation of key

sedimentary structures formed during
transport of sediment by moving fluid
 Type of Indicators
• catalogued in six groupings by the following conventions

• a) root term plan or lin for planar of linear

• b) prefix uni or bi for unidirectional or bi-directional
• c) suffix down or up for direction with respect to dip of
planars
• d) suffix parl or perp for direction with respect to strike of
linears

• e.g., tabular cross-beds = Uniplandown

 Uniplandown indicators

Unidirectional
Planar
Current flows down-dip of structure

• cross-bedding: considerable azimuth dispersion; multiple

measurements vital

• ripple-drift cross-lamination: considerable azimuth

dispersion; ripples commonly form in response to back-eddies, etc.
 Uniparldown indicators

dune foresets; Sinian, near Aksu, China

ripple foresets
more ripple foresets
 Uniplanup

Unidirectional
Planar
Current flows up-dip of structure

• clast imbrication: generally measured in gravel, could

measure sand imbrication in lab

• flame-structure vergence: could form in response to

local slope variations

• axial surface of contorted bedding: could form

in response to disharmonic folding
 Uniparlup
indicators

Pebble imbrication examples

Modern gravel beach, Baja

LaHood facies, Jefferson R. Canyon

Basal Six Mile Crk Fm, Coberly Gulch
 Uniparlup indicators, cont.

Overturned soft-sediment folds, K Baja

Flame structures
 Unilinparl
• Unidirectional
• Linear
• Trend of linear feature is parallel to flow
• e.g.:
(a) flute casts, and some furrow casts
(b) trough sets of cross-strata
(c) some prod, bounce or skip marks
(d) some oriented clasts with ‘upstream’ and
‘downstream’ end (e.g., tree with root wad)
Unilinparl indicator examples
Flutes and flute casts
 Unilinparl indicator examples

flute casts, Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec

More flute casts, Gaspe Peninsula, Quebec

Furrow cast, Cretaceous, central UT
unilinparl examples – trough cross beds
current
unilinperp indicators
Unidirectional
Linear
Trend of indicator perpendic. to flow
e.g., (a) current-ripple marks
(b) axes of flow rolls
 bilinparl indicators

• bidirectional (ambiguous) indicators

• linear features
• feature is parallel to current direction
• e.g.,
a) parting lineation
b) clast lineation (woody debris, elongate fossils, etc.)
c) groove casts, and some furrow casts
d) channel fills
bilinparl examples – parting lineation

Cretaceous Colorado Gp.

Frying Pan map area near Dillon, MT
 bilinparl example:
floating elongate clasts
bilinparl
‘floaters’ bilinperp
‘rollers’
 bilinperp:
rolling elongate clasts
bilinparl (‘floaters’) vs. bilinperp (‘rollers’)
 Measurement of paleocurrent
indicators in undeformed strata

• Planar features: measure strike and dip

• Linear features: measure trend of feature
 Measurement of paleocurrent
direction in deformed strata
• Planar features:
– record strike and dip of feature and strike and dip of
tilted beds
– restore beds + pcurrent indicators to horizontal about
strike
• Linear features:
– Measure pitch angle from strike to indicator
– note CW or CCW
– note stratigraphic facing direction (looking up or
down)
– add or subtract pitch from strike as appropriate
 Measurement of
unilinparl feature
(flute cast)

Pitch angle = 35
CW from strike to pc indicator)
Bedding sole
Strike – pitch =
280-35 = 245

280
100
Dealing with trough cross-strata

Trough x bedding – K Colorado Gp.

Frying Pan map area
From: DeCelles et al., 1983
Cut orientation vs. trough orientation
cut vs. trough orientation
Inferring flow direction from trough geometry