Sedimentology and Stratigraphy - 2024 entry
| MODULE TITLE | Sedimentology and Stratigraphy | CREDIT VALUE | 30 |
|---|---|---|---|
| MODULE CODE | CSM2183 | MODULE CONVENER | Prof Stephen Hesselbo (Coordinator), Dr Kate Littler (Coordinator) |
| DURATION: TERM | 1 | 2 | 3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DURATION: WEEKS | 11 | 10 | 0 |
| Number of Students Taking Module (anticipated) | 30 |
|---|
DESCRIPTION - summary of the module content
This module will provide the fundamentals of sedimentology, tracing the physical and sedimentary processes from source terrain to sedimentary rock. You will review depositional sedimentary environments and the observations required to infer these from sedimentary successions. ›Practical work will include optical microscopy and hand specimen description. A central part of the module is a six-day field course to the Wessex Basin of southern England where your ability to describe and interpret sedimentary rocks in the field will be developed. You will also learn about the principal techniques used to date, correlate, and interpret the origin of sedimentary strata. In this module you will learn how fossils, stable isotopes, orbital cycles, rock magnetic properties and geophysical or geochemical logs can be combined to provide an integrated understanding of how we date rocks and how sediments are deposited. In addition, you will be introduced to sedimentary basins and the stratigraphic methods used to reconstruct their depositional histories.
AIMS - intentions of the module
- Provide an understanding of sedimentary processes and resultant sedimentary products;
- Allow an understanding of process-based sedimentology to be applied to recognise a range of siliciclastic and carbonate depositional environments from the rock record;
- Introduce the principal classes of sedimentary basin, explore their origins and history of infill, and discuss how the interactions of tectonics, sea-level change, sediment supply and palaeoclimate affect the sediment infill;
- Provide a grounding for petrographic descriptions and interpretations of siliciclastic and carbonate deposits;
- Provide grounding in the principal techniques in stratigraphy, particularly isotope stratigraphy, cyclostratigraphy, geophysical log interpretation, and magnetostratigraphy and sequence stratigraphy.
INTENDED LEARNING OUTCOMES (ILOs) (see assessment section below for how ILOs will be assessed)
On successful completion of this module you should be able to:
Module Specific Skills and Knowledge
1. Be able to interpret depositional history and process from field, borehole and seismic reflection datasets.
2. Understand the principles of sedimentology covering weathering, fluid flows at the Earth’s surface, mechanisms of sediment erosion, transportation and deposition.
3. Describe and measure commonly occurring physical, chemical and biological sedimentary structures and interpret their process of formation and significance.
4. Understand how to interpret sedimentary facies and have an ability to apply this knowledge to the recognition and process-based interpretation of a range of both siliciclastic (e.g. fluvial, deltaic, shallow marine, deep marine) and carbonate (e.g. carbonate platforms, pelagic carbonates) depositional environments.
5. Describe and interpret the detrital and diagenetic mineralogy of clastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks based on transmitted light microscopy and hand specimen description.
6. Understand the basis for commonly used methods of stratal correlation, be able to use these methods in a range of depositional settings, and understand their significance for reconstruction of planetary history.
7. Understand and explain the methods by which geologists construct absolute and relative chronology for sedimentary successions.
8. Have a knowledge of sedimentary basins, their likely origins, and the major controls on their sedimentary infill.
2. Understand the principles of sedimentology covering weathering, fluid flows at the Earth’s surface, mechanisms of sediment erosion, transportation and deposition.
3. Describe and measure commonly occurring physical, chemical and biological sedimentary structures and interpret their process of formation and significance.
4. Understand how to interpret sedimentary facies and have an ability to apply this knowledge to the recognition and process-based interpretation of a range of both siliciclastic (e.g. fluvial, deltaic, shallow marine, deep marine) and carbonate (e.g. carbonate platforms, pelagic carbonates) depositional environments.
5. Describe and interpret the detrital and diagenetic mineralogy of clastic and carbonate sedimentary rocks based on transmitted light microscopy and hand specimen description.
6. Understand the basis for commonly used methods of stratal correlation, be able to use these methods in a range of depositional settings, and understand their significance for reconstruction of planetary history.
7. Understand and explain the methods by which geologists construct absolute and relative chronology for sedimentary successions.
8. Have a knowledge of sedimentary basins, their likely origins, and the major controls on their sedimentary infill.
Discipline Specific Skills and Knowledge
9. Integrate stratigraphic observations across a variety of scales and using a variety of methods.
10. Describe and interpret sedimentary rocks whilst carrying out geological fieldwork.
11. Use your field and microscope based descriptions of sedimentary rocks to reconstruct past environmental changes.
10. Describe and interpret sedimentary rocks whilst carrying out geological fieldwork.
11. Use your field and microscope based descriptions of sedimentary rocks to reconstruct past environmental changes.
Personal and Key Transferable / Employment Skills and Knowledge
12. Manipulate, integrate and interpret a variety of time series data to arrive at reasoned explanations and predictions.
13. Develop report writing, field notebook keeping and team work skills.
13. Develop report writing, field notebook keeping and team work skills.
SYLLABUS PLAN - summary of the structure and academic content of the module
Term 1
Sedimentary environments and processes: alluvial to fluvial
Sedimentary environments and processes: aeolian and lacustrine DORSET FIELDCLASS (including sedimentary basins)
Sedimentary environments and processes: deltaic to shallow marine Sedimentary environments and processes: shallow marine carbonates
Sedimentary environments and processes: deep water clastics
Sedimentary environments and processes: pelagic overview; and significance of diagenesis
Term 2
Sequence stratigraphy
Downhole geophysical logs (gamma) Magnetostratigraphy
Chemostratigraphy
Carbon-isotope stratigraphy
Oxygen-isotope stratigraphy
Cyclostratigraphy and astrochonology
Sr-isotope stratigraphy and timescale
Revision session
LEARNING AND TEACHING
LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS (given in hours of study time)
| Scheduled Learning & Teaching Activities | 109 | Guided Independent Study | 191 | Placement / Study Abroad | 0 |
|---|
DETAILS OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES AND TEACHING METHODS
| Category | Hours of study time | Description |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 11 | Term 1 Lectures |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 20 | Term 1 Practicals |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 48 | Term 1 Residential Field Course |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 20 | Term 2 Lab practicals |
| Scheduled Learning and Teaching Activities | 10 | Term 2 Lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | 191 | Private Study |
ASSESSMENT
FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT - for feedback and development purposes; does not count towards module grade
| Form of Assessment | Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length) | ILOs Assessed | Feedback Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical Exercises for Each Topic | 1-2 hours | 1-7 | Whole Class |
| Field Course Evening Discussion | 1-2 hours | 1-13 | Whole Class |
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT (% of credit)
| Coursework | 50 | Written Exams | 50 | Practical Exams | 0 |
|---|
DETAILS OF SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT
| Form of Assessment | % of Credit | Size of Assessment (e.g. duration/length) | ILOs Assessed | Feedback Method |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Report | 25 | 8 pages | 1-13 | Written |
| Lab Books | 25 | 10 pages | 5, 10, 11 | Written |
| Practical Examination | 25 | 1 hour 30 minutes | 1, 6-7 | Written |
| Examination | 25 | 2 hours | 1-13 | Feedback via Tutor |
DETAILS OF RE-ASSESSMENT (where required by referral or deferral)
| Original Form of Assessment | Form of Re-assessment | ILOs Re-assessed | Time Scale for Re-assessment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Report | Report | 1-13 | Referral/deferral period |
| Lab Books | Lab Books | 5, 10, 11 | Referral/deferral period |
| Practical Examination | Practical Examination | 1, 6-7 | Referral/deferral period |
| Examination | Examination | 1-13 | Referral/deferral period |
RE-ASSESSMENT NOTES
Deferral – if you have been deferred for any assessment you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of deferral will not be capped and will be treated as it would be if it were your first attempt at the assessment.
Referral – if you have failed the module overall (i.e. a final overall module mark of less than 40%) you will be expected to submit the relevant assessment. The mark given for a re-assessment taken as a result of referral will be capped at 40%.
RESOURCES
INDICATIVE LEARNING RESOURCES - The following list is offered as an indication of the type & level of
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener
information that you are expected to consult. Further guidance will be provided by the Module Convener
Basic reading:
Bridge, J.S. & Demicco, R.V. Earth Surface Processes, Landforms and Sediment Deposits, Electronic Ed. Cambridge 2010.
Adams, A.E., Mackenzie, W.S. and Guildford, C. Atlas of Sedimentary Rocks Under the Microscope. Longman 1984.
Nichols, G. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy Blackwell 2009.
Tucker, M.E., 2001, Sedimentary Petrology, 3rd Edition, Wiley-Blackwell.
Tucker, M.E. Sedimentary Rocks in the Field. Wiley-Blackwell 2011.
ELE
Other resources:
Gradstein, F. M. et al. 2012, The Geologic Time Scale, 2012, Elsevier.
Weedon, G.P., Time-Series Analysis and Cyclostratigraphy: Examining Stratigraphic Records of Environmental Cycles, Cambridge University Press.
Rider, M.H., Kennedy, M. 2011, The Geological Interpretation of Well Logs, Rider-French Consulting Limited.
Leeder, M.R., 2011, Sedimentology and Sedimentary Basins, Wiley-Blackwell Nichols, G., 2009. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, Wiley-Blackwell.
Reading list for this module:
| CREDIT VALUE | 30 | ECTS VALUE | 15 |
|---|---|---|---|
| PRE-REQUISITE MODULES | None |
|---|---|
| CO-REQUISITE MODULES | None |
| NQF LEVEL (FHEQ) | 5 | AVAILABLE AS DISTANCE LEARNING | No |
|---|---|---|---|
| ORIGIN DATE | Monday 11th March 2024 | LAST REVISION DATE | Monday 11th March 2024 |
| KEY WORDS SEARCH | Sedimentology; Earth Surface Processes; Environments; Stratigraphy |
|---|
Please note that all modules are subject to change, please get in touch if you have any questions about this module.
