Unknown - Seismic Sequence

Seismic Sequence
Depositional systems A depositional sequence identified on a seismic

section (Mitchum, AAPG Memoir 26). Thus this
Conformaties is a relatively conformable succession of seismic
reflectors bounded at its top and base by
Eustasy sequence boundaries (unconformities and their
correlative conformities) (Vail, et al., 1977).
Inflection points Within this package of reflectors it is sometimes
possible to identify reflector geometries
Sequence Boundary representing a succession of genetically linked
deposition systems (Systems Tracts) which are
Systems Tracts interpreted to have been deposited between
eustatic-fall inflection points (Posamentier, et al.,
Unconformity 1988).
Copyright © 2002 University of South Carolina - Geology Department All Rights Reserved
Conformity
The mutual and undisturbed relationship between
adjacent sedimentary strata that have been
deposited in orderly sequence with little or no
evidence of time lapses. True stratigraphic
continuity in the sequence of beds without
evidence that the lower beds were folded, titled, or
eroded before the higher beds were deposited. (AGI
Glossary of Geology)
Copyright © 2002 University of South Carolina - Geology Department All Rights

Reserved
Systems Tracts
Accommodation Genetically associated stratigraphic units that were deposited
during specific phases of the relative sea-level cycle
Aggradation (Posamentier, et al, 1999). These units are represented in the
rock record as three-dimensional facies assemblages. They are
Boundaries defined on the basis of bounding surfaces, position within a
sequence, and parasequence stacking pattern (Van Wagoner et
Clinoform al., 1988). Four are recognized for this web site but, historically,
other systems tracts have been defined, and these are
Forced Regression explained within the text below.
Maximum Flooding Surface (mfs) The four systems tracts are:
Onlap a. Falling Stage Systems Tract (FSST) - includes all the

regressional deposits that accumulated after the onset of a
Parasequence relative sea-level fall and before the start of the next relative
sea-level rise. The Falling Stage Systems Tract is the product of
Sequence a forced regression (one should not confused this with the
sediments deposited during a normal regression). The FSST
Sequence Boundary lies directly on the sequence boundary and is capped by the
overlying Lowstand Systems Tract sediments (see animated gif
Stacking Patterns
below & the Quicktime Movie to the left). A variety of
Regression parasequence stacking patterns can be produced including:
downward stepping prograding clinoforms, stranded
Retrogradation parasequences, and mass flow deposits in distal areas. Each of
these parasequence stacking patterns depend on the
Transgressive Surface depositional profile, the rate of sediment supply, and the rate of
relative sea-level fall. The FSST was first fully defined by Plint
Type 1 Sequence Boundary and Nummedal, (2000). This systems tract has also been
termed the Early Lowstand Systems Tract (ELST) (Posamentier
Type 2 Sequence Boundary and Allen, 1999).
The fall is evidenced by the erosion of the subaerially exposed

sediment surface updip and the formation of a diachronous
sequence boundary that caps the Highstand Systems Tract
(HST). On seismic data, the upper boundary is the first
definable horizon that onlaps the FSST, but when well logs and
outcrops are used this boundary is instead recognized as the
first marine-flooding surface that overlies the FSST.
Coincidently it is often marked by a time transgressive
ravinement surface overlain by a sediment lag.
Earlier papers that defined systems tracts, including Vail (1987)

and Posamentier and Vail(1988), placed part of the FSST within
the Lowstand Systems Tract (LST). The sediments of this
former LST definition included the deposits that accumulated
just after the maximum rate of relative sea-level fall. and were
divided into three separate depositional units - basin-floor fan,
slope fan, and lowstand wedge, all of which overlie a so-called
Type 1 sequence boundary.
Lowstand Systems Tract (LST) - includes deposits that

accumulate after the onset of relative a sea-level rise. This
systems tract lies directly on the upper surface of the Falling
Stage Systems Tract and is capped by the transgressive
surface formed when the sediments onlap onto the shelf
margin. Stacking patterns exhibit [backstepping, onlapping,
retrogradational, aggrading clinoforms that thicken updip].
Lowstand Systems Tract sediments often fill or partially infill
incised valleys that were cut into the Highstand Systems Tract,
and other earlier deposits, during the FSST. This systems tract
has also been termed the Late Lowstand Systems Tract
(Posamentier and Allen, 1999).
In earlier papers the Shelf-margin Systems Tract was

recognized as the lowermost systems tract associated with a
type 2 sequence boundary and a low relative position in sea
level. This term is now redundant since these deposits are now
considered to be part of the LST.
c. Transgressive Systems Tract (TST) - comprises the

deposits that accumulated from the onset of coastal
transgression until the time of maximum transgression of the
coast, just prior to the renewed regression of the HST. The TST
lies directly on the transgressive surface (TS) formed when the
sediments onlap the underlying LST and is overlain by the
maximum flooding surface (mfs) formed when marine
sediments reach their most landward position. Stacking patterns
exhibit backstepping onlapping retrogradational clinoforms that
thicken landward. In cases where there is a high sediment
supply the parasequences may be aggradational.
d. Highstand Systems Tract (HST) - the progradational

deposits that form when sediment accumulation rates exceed
the rate of increase in accommodation space. This HST
constitutes the upper systems tract of a stratigraphic sequence,
and lies directly on the maximum flooding surface (mfs) formed
when marine sediments reached their most landward position.
This systems tract is capped by a sequence boundary. Stacking
patterns exhibit prograding aggrading clinoforms that thin
upward.
Aggradation
Accommodation Vertical build up of a sedimentary sequence. Usually occurs when there is a relative
rise in sea level produced by subsidence and/or eustatic sea-level rise, and the rate
Aggradational of sediment influx is sufficient to maintain the depositional surface at or near sea level
Parasequence (i.e. carbonate keep-up in a HST [highstand Systems Tract] or clastic HST). Occurs
Set when sediment flux = rate of sea-level rise. Produces Aggradational stacking
patterns in parasequences when the patterns of facies at the top of each
Progradation parasequence are essentially the same (modified from Posamentier, 1999, Wilgus et al., 1988,
Emery, 1996).
Progradational
Parasequence
Set
Retrogradation
Retrogradational
Parasequence
Set
Transgression
Toplap
Baselap Termination of strata against an overlying surface mainly as a result of nondposition (sedimentary
bypassing) with perhaps only minor erosion. (Mitchum, AAPG Memoir 26)
Downlap
Onlap
Downlap
baselap A base-discordant relation in which initially inclined strata
onlap terminate downdip against an initially horizontal or inclined
surface. (Mitchum, AAPG Memoir 26)
Onlap
Baselap A base-disconrdant relation in which initially horizontal strata terminate progressively against an
initial inclined surface, or in which initially inclined strata terminate progressively updip against a
Downlap surface of greater initial inclination. (Mitchum, AAPG Memoir 26)
Truncation
Termination of strata or seismic reflections interpreted as strata along an unconformity surface due to post-
depositional erosional or structural effects (Mitchum, AAPG Memoir 26).
Truncation
Termination of strata or seismic reflections interpreted as strata along an unconformity surface due to post-
depositional erosional or structural effects (Mitchum, AAPG Memoir 26).
Condensed Section
Downlap Surface A thin marine stratigraphic interval characterized by very slow depositional
Hemipelagic sediments rates (<1-10 mm/yr) (Vail et al., AAPG Memoir 36, 1984).
Highstand Systems Tract It consists of hemipelagic and pelagic sediments, starved of indigenous
materials, deposited on the middle to outer shelf, slope, and basin floor
Maximum Flooding during a period of maximum relative sea-level rise and maximum
Surface (mfs) transgression of the shoreline. It first begins to form in more distal slope
and basinal environments, and as the shoreline backsteps landward,
Pelagic sediments gradually expands in its coverage to include not only the basin but all of the
slope and part of the shelf as well (T.S. Loutit, et al., SEPM Special Publication 42).
Progradation Commonly the upper layer of the Transgressive Systems Tract is a
Transgressive Surface condensed section which is associated with the mfs where it is overlain by
the downlapping Highstand Systems Tract. Sometimes the transgressive
Transgressive Systems surface marking the base of the Trangressive Systems Tract is immediately
Tract overlain by a condensed section that is in turn capped by the mfs.
Downlap Surface
downlap A marine-flooding surface onto which the toes of prograding clinoforms in
mfs the overlying highstand Systems Tract downlap.
Highstand Systems Tract
Lowstand Systems Tract

Basin-floor fan Throughout this web site the Lowstand Systems Tract is bounded by the Falling Stage Systems
Tract and the Transgressive Systems Tract (Plint and Nummedal, 2000; Coe et al, 2002). It is
Early Lowstand Systems overlain by the transgressive surface of the overlying Transgressive Systems Tract. These Lowstand
Tract Systems Tract sediments form a lowstand wedge and often fill incised valleys that cut down into the
Highstand Systems Tract.
Falling Stage Systems
Tract Traditionally the sediments of this systems tract, as defined by Posamentier and Allen (1999),
included the deposits that accumulated after the onset of relative sea-level fall. In contrast to the new
Highstand Systems Tract Lowstand Systems Tract, the traditional Lowstand Systems Tract lies directly on the sequence
boundary over the Highstand Systems Tract. Posamentier and Allen (1999) divided the Lowstand
Late Lowstand Systems Systems Tract into Early and Late Phases. The systems tract was divisible into three separate
Tract depositional units - basin-floor fan, slope fan, and lowstand wedge.
Lowstand wedge In contrast, on this web site, the old Lowstand Systems Tract is divided into the Falling Stage
Systems Tract with its basin-floor fans, and slope fans while, as indicated above, the Lowstand
Type-1 Sequence Systems Tract sediments form lowstand wedges, often filling incised valleys that cut down into the
Boundary Highstand Systems Tract. Thus, on this web site, we have adopted terminology that suggests that
the sediments of this systems tract can be equated with a relative fall in sea level (Coe et al, 2002)
Type-2 Sequence forming the Falling Stage Systems Tract, and we now refer to the Late Lowstand Systems Tract of
Boundary Posamentier and Allen (1999) as the Lowstand Systems Tract because this systems tract is equated
with only a small rise in sea level and is an essentially lowstand set of deposits.
Transgressive Systems
Tract
Clinoform Surface
A sloping depositional surface, commonly associated with strata prograding into deep water
(Mitchum, AAPG Memoir 26).
Sequence Boundary
Boundaries Sequences are enveloped by sequence boundaries (SB) that are identified as significant erosional
unconformities and their correlative disconformities. These boundaries are the product of a fall in
Diachronous sea level that erodes the subaerially exposed sediment surface of the earlier sequence or
sequences. These boundaries are diachronous, capping the previous Highstand Systems Tract and
Forced Regression eroding the surface of the downstepping sediments deposited during accompanying forced
regression associated with the sea level fall (see movie).
Highstand Systems Tract
In the earlier literature two distinct types of sequence boundary were recognized. [ORIGINAL DEF].
Sequences These terms are now redundant because Type 1 sequence boundaries equate to those formed
during a forced regression whereas Type 2 sequence boundaries are those forced during a normal
Unconformities regression (Coe et al. 2003). It has been demonstrated that the Type 1 and Type 2 unconformities
can bound the same sequence at different localities and are the products of different rates of
sedimentation and accommodation space (Posamentier and Allen, 1999) for the same time interval.
Sequence
Eustatic inflection point A relatively conformable succession of genetically related strata bounded at its top and base by
First-order cycle unconformities and their correlative conformities (Vail, et al., 1977). It is composed of a succession of
Second-order cycle genetically linked deposition systems (systems tracts) and is interpreted to be deposited between
Third-order cycle eustatic-fall inflection points (Posamentier, et al., 1988).
Fourth-order cycle
Fifth-order cycles
Sequence Boundary
Systems Tracts
Unconformity
Incised Valley
Falling Stage Systems Tract The channel or valley formed by fluvial systems
that extend their channels basinward and erode
Transgressive Surface (TS) into underlying strata in response to a relative
fall in sea level. Incised valleys can be up to
several hundred feet deep and range in width
from a half mile to many tens of miles.
Timing of the incision of the incised valley will
often be within the Falling Stage Systems Tract,
while the fill of the incision will tend to occur
during the following Lowstand Systems Tract to
be capped by a Trangressive Surface.
Milankovitch Cycles
First-order cycle The Serbian mathematician Milankovitch first suggested that
orbital cycles caused climatic changes that led to the ice
Second-order ages, thus affecting sea levels (Boggs, 2001). Milankovitch
cycle Cycles are thus the sedimentary products of variations in the
Earth’s orbital behavior that produced periodic changes of
Third-order cycle climate which influenced sea level and depositional patterns
and facies.
Fourth-order
cycle
Fifth-order
cycles
Walther's Law and Uniformitarianism

Boundaries The German geologist Johannes Walther studied the
relationship of facies to depositional setting. He recognized
Diachronous that as depositional environments change their lateral
position with time, so the sedimentary facies of adjacent
History of depositional settings succeed one another as a vertical
Stratigraphy sequence. Thus Walther's Law proposes that the vertical
progression of facies should be the same as corresponding
Maximum lateral facies changes.
Flooding surface
(mfs) Walther's Law states that "Facies adjacent to one another in
a continuous vertical sequence also accumulated adjacent to
Parasequence one another laterally".
However:
Parasequence • Walther's Law can only apply to a section without
Set unconformities.
• Walther's Law can only apply to a section without
Sequence subdividing diachronous boundaries, including transgressive
surfaces (TS) and the maximum flooding surfaces (mfs).
Trangressive
surface Paradoxically, though parasequences, parasequence sets
and sequences are subdivided by diachronous surfaces,
Unconfomities Walther's Law is used to interpret the depositional setting of
these parcels of sediment. The diachronous character of the
subdividing surfaces is, to all intents and purposes, ignored
and instead it is assumed that the packets of sediment
forming parasequences, parasequence sets and sequences
accumulated penecontemporaneously. In other words the
sediments below and above the bounding surfaces of the
sedimentary units in question are either older, or conversely
younger, than that unit. In other words sediments of a
sedimentary unit (parasequences, parasequence sets and
sequences) are assumed to have accumulated
synchronously.
The coupling of the "over simple" generalization of the
penecontemporaneous relationship of sediment
accumulation and the application of Walther's Law have
made this law a very POWERFUL tool and all sedimentary
stratigraphers use it! In fact the assumption of the
synchronicity of sediment accumulation coupled to the
application of Walther’s Law is fundamental to the
interpretation of the sedimentary record.
The original Walther’s Law was stated as follows:

“The various deposits of the same facies areas and similarly
the sum of the rocks of different facies areas are formed
beside each other in space, though in cross-section we see
them lying on top of each other. As with biotopes, it is a basic
statement of far-reaching significance that only those facies
and facies areas can be superimposed primarily which can
be observed beside each other at the present time.”
(Middleton, 1973)
References and Links

Middleton, G. V., 1973, Johannes Walther's Law of the
Correlation of Facies: Geological Society of America Bulletin,
v. 84, p. 979-988.
http://www.gpc.peachnet.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lab/s
tratigraphy.php
http://www.arches.uga.edu/~rfreeman/sed_rocks_questions.
html

Unknown - Seismic Sequence

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Unknown - Seismic Sequence

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Seismic Sequence

Depositional systems A depositional sequence identified on a seismic

Copyright © 2002 University of South Carolina - Geology Department All Rights

Maximum Flooding Surface (mfs) The four systems tracts are:

Onlap a. Falling Stage Systems Tract (FSST) - includes all the

The fall is evidenced by the erosion of the subaerially exposed

Earlier papers that defined systems tracts, including Vail (1987)

Lowstand Systems Tract (LST) - includes deposits that

In earlier papers the Shelf-margin Systems Tract was

c. Transgressive Systems Tract (TST) - comprises the

d. Highstand Systems Tract (HST) - the progradational

Lowstand Systems Tract

Walther's Law and Uniformitarianism

The original Walther’s Law was stated as follows:

References and Links

You might also like