Sedimentology and facies analysis. ...

The identification of various

sedimentation processes from their deposits, or sedimentary facies, is crucial
to the recognition and palaeogeographic reconstruction of ancient
sedimentary environments
Depositional Environments
Concept of Facies nad Facies Analysis
Sedimentary Facies
Walter’s Law of Facies Succession
Walter’s Law of Facies Succession
Formation of Transgressive Sequence
Landward Migration of Shoreline = Transgression
Facies Changes Due to Rising Sea Level
Sedimentary Environment / Depositional Environment
Sedimentary Environment
Sedimentary Environment
What do we need in order to characterize the deposits of differing
environments (i.e. state their facies attributes)?

 Fabrics: grain characteristics & mineralogy

 Sedimentary structures: type, size, distribution
 Paleocurrents:
 Trace fossils:
 Vertical and lateral variations: (time & space)

Main environmental controls:

 Physical factors: e.g. Water depth and type: river, lake, ocean,
 Biological activity: fauna, flora, ichno fossils
 Chemical factors: pH, salinity,
 Topography: mountain, plain, shallow or deep ocean, currents
General characteristics of the Main Depositional Environments
Continental Depositional Environments
Desert Sedimentary Environments
Playa Lake and Dune Desert Deposits
Aeolian Sedimentary Structures and Facies
Alluvial Depositional Environments
 An Alluvial fan is a gently sloping apron of sediments deposited by an
ephemeral stream at the base of a mountain i.e. it is a fan shaped deposit
formed at the base of a mountain

 It is formed by deposition of a mix of water and sediment eroded from an

elevated catchment area.
Fan Shape
Alluvial Depositional Environments
 Alluvial fans represent the coarsest and most poorly sorted units in the
range of terrestial depositional systems

 The setting for the generation , transportation and deposition of an alluvial

fan should be a sediment dispersal location that has considerable
topographic elevation.

 The critical climatic factor is precipitation especially if it is episodic rainfall

 Two(2) main process are involved involved in the building of alluvial fans:
 Debris flow deposition
 Sheet flood /stream deposition

 Debris flow occurs when there is a dense mixture of water and sediment
containing clasts from boulder to clay size. Flow takes place at as a very
viscous mass

 Sheet flood deposition occurs when there is more water essentially from
rain which allows clast to move by rolling or saltation
Debris flow vs sheet flood
Anatomy of Alluvial Fans

Fan Apex(Proximal
Fan): The highest
most proximal point
from the feeder
canyon

Mid Fan

Fan toe(Distal): the

limit of deposition of
coarse detrital
materiala, marks the
edge of the alluvial fan
Characteristics of Alluvial Deposits
 Contains grain size ranging from gravel to mud
 They are poorly sorted
 The deposits are young and immature graded bedding exists
 There is a coarsening upward sequence of grains

Note; Proximal deposits are poorly sorted and younger than mid and distal
deposits

Question: which section of an alluvial fan has the best porosity and why?
River (Fluvial) Depositional Environments
Courses of a River
The effect of river flood on the nature of river sediments
 When the amount of river water dramatically increases(such as after heavy
precipitation or rapid snow melt), water will overflow the banks of the
channel unto the flood plain

 As water flows unto the floodplain, its current velocity is dramatically

reduced.

 Larger sediments such as sand are deposited along the banks of the
channel, forming a natural levee.
 Finer sediments such as clay and silt are deposited further out in the
floodplain.
Braided Streams (low sinuosity)
Braided Streams (low sinuosity)
 Braided streams are straight to slightly sinuous
 A braided river is a series of channel segments which divide and rejoin around
bars in a regular or repeatable pattern
Common bar forms in braided streams
Facies Model for a Braided Stream

Ripple laminated Sand and Silt

Planar cross bedding
Trough cross bedding
Channel lag
Erosive base

For a deposit to a braided

channel deposit it must follow
the facies model of a braided
stream.

Braided stream has a fining upw

ward sequence because the
energy of deposition is
reducing upwards
Types of braided streams deposit
Meandering Streams (high sinuosity)
When a stream flows in a region of flat topography, it will often meander.

Meandered streams are characterized generally by low current velocity and

low sediment load

Meandering river swings broadly from side to side scraping and eroding the
side it approaches while the opposite bank has a slower, non-erosive
alongside it.

It migrates as a tortuous single channel and bends changing shape through

time by erosion at the concave bank and deposition at the convex bank
Meandering Streams (high sinuosity)
Morphology Element of Meandering River
Common bar forms and deposits in a meandering stream
Meandering Stream Deposits
Floodplains are covered by silt and clay.
Channel deposits consist of coarse,
rounded gravel and sand.
Point Bars are made of sand or gravel.
Levees are made of fine sand or silt.

Facies association for a meandering

stream

Mudstone
Ripple laminated Sand and Silt
Planar cross bedding
Trough cross bedding
Channel lag
Erosive base

Meandering streams have a fining upward

sequence
Fining upward in a meandering stream deposit
Comparison of braided and meandering streams
River (Fluvial) Facies
Fluvial sediments range from the coarsest conglomerates through sandstones
to mudrocks.

Fluvial sandstones are usually cross bedded & sharp based.

Fossils are not common and mostly consist of plant remains and fresh water
skeletal fragments.

Question: In a tabular form enumerate the key differences and similarities

between braided and meandering streams
Transitional Depositional Environments
Delta Depositional Environment
 The delta begins where the channel transforms itself into the delta channel
or into a system of distributary channels that empty into the sea.

 It is formed where the rivers empty into the ocean. Deltas are made up of :

 Delta plain
 Delta front
 Pro delta
 Delta distributary channel system
 Delta top

 Types of delta include:

 Wave dominated delta
 Tide dominated delta
 Fluvial dominated delta
 Mixed process delta
Delta facies
Delta Depositional Environment
Delta plain : This is where river processes dominate , it is influenced by the
continent

Delta front: This is where river and marine processes interact, they are both
important in the development of the delta. It is the site of much active
deposition in deltaic environments. Activities that dominate at the delta front
determines the name and type of delta.

Prodelta: This is where marine processes dominate. It is the area where fine
materials settles quietly out of suspension
Delta classification
Fluvial-dominated delta
Fluvial-dominated delta
Tide-dominated delta
Wave-dominated delta
Wave-dominated delta
Mixed-process delta
Delta Facies Model: Coarsening upward with a fine cap
Deep sea fan and turbidity current
 Turbidites are sediments which are transported and deposited
predominately by a turbulent density flow i.e. A turbidity current.

 Turbidity currents carry gravel, sand and mud kilometres from the coastline

 The five(5) sediments that make up turbidites are called BOUMA

SEQUENCE.

 The Bouma sequence describes the ideal vertical succession of structures

deposited by turbidity currents:

E: Massive, ungraded mudstone(pelite)

D: Parallel laminated silstone
C: Ripple laminated fine grained sandstone
B: Planar laminated fine to medium grained sandstone
A: Massive to normally graded , fine to coarse grained sandstone
Turbidites
Parts of a turbidity current
Features of a Turbidity Flow Deposit
Bouma Sequence