Sedimentology

Timetable

Module aim (aims)

· The course is addressed to wide audience, representing not only Earth Sciences (geology, geography, environmental protection, etc.) but it also expected to bring interest of students of archaeology and tourism.· It is aimed to give in a student-friendly way an insight into fundamental knowledge on sedimentological processes:- the mechanisms of different sediments development,- the record of different depositional processes in sedimentary rocks,- identification and characterization of different-origin sediments- reconstruction of depositional processes of a given sediments

Pre-requisites in terms of knowledge, skills and social competences (where relevant)

Basic knowledge in Earth sciences (secondary school level)

Syllabus

Week 1: Why is sedimentology important? Scope, assessment and structure of course. Introduction to Sedimentology and basic definition. (2 h)Week 2: Fundamentals of fluid flow: fluid properties and types. Grain settling, sediment entrainment and transport. (2h)Week 3: The physical properties of sediments and sediment classification. Bedforms and sedimentary structures. Introduction to lithofacies code. (2h)Week 4: Erosional sedimentary processes and sedimentary structures. Post-depositional processes: soft sediment deformation structures. (2 h)Week 5: Mass flows – depositional mechanisms. Subaerial and subaqueous mass flows. Type of mass flow deposits. (2h)Week 6: Fluvial sediments. River types and classification of fluvial deposits. (2 h)Week 7: Lake sediments – depositional mechanisms. Type of lake deposits. (2 h)Week 8: Alluvial fan sediments. (2 h)Week 9: Aeolian sediments – depositional mechanisms, bedforms, textures and structures, desert and coastal areas. (2 h)Week 10: Glacigenic sediments – deposition mechanisms, types. (2 h)Week 11: Soft-sediment deformation structures development in aseismic and seismic settings. (2 h)Week 12: Clastic coastlines and shallow seas. (2 h)Week 13: Tidal flats and estuarine facies. (2 h)Week 14: Deltaic processes and deposits: river dominated deltas, wave and tidal dominated deltas. (2 h)Week 15: Turbidity currents and deep sea environments. (2 h)

Reading list

Reading, H.E. Sedimentary Environments Processes, Facies and StratigraphyMiall, A.D. The Geology of Fluvial Deposits: Sedimentary Facies, Basin Analysis, Petroleum GeologyBenn, D.I., Evans, D.J.A. Glaciers and Glaciation