Sedimentology and Sedimentary Basins

The sedimentary record on Earth stretches back more than 4.3 billion years and is present in more abbreviated forms on companion planets of the Solar System, like Mars and Venus, and doubtless elsewhere. Reading such planetary archives correctly requires intimate knowledge of modern sedimentary processes acting within the framework provided by tectonics, climate and sea or lake level variations. The subject of sedimentology thus encompasses the origins, transport and deposition of mineral sediment on planetary surfaces. The author addresses the principles of the subject from the viewpoint of modern processes, emphasising a general science narrative approach in the main text, with quantitative background derived in enabling cookie appendices. The book ends with an innovative chapter dealing with how sedimentology is currently informing a variety of cognate disciplines, from the timing and extent tectonic uplift to variations in palaeoclimate. Each chapter concludes with a detailed guide to key further reading leading to a large bibliography of over 2500 entries. The book is designed to reach an audience of senior undergraduate and graduate students and interested academic and industry professionals.

The sedimentary record on Earth stretches back more than 4.3billion years and is present in more abbreviated forms on companionplanets of the Solar System, like Mars and Venus, and doubtlesselsewhere. Reading such planetary archives correctly requiresintimate knowledge of modern sedimentary processes acting withinthe framework provided by tectonics, climate and sea or lake levelvariations. The subject of sedimentology thus encompasses theorigins, transport and deposition of mineral sediment on planetarysurfaces.The author addresses the principles of the subject from theviewpoint of modern processes, emphasising a general sciencenarrative approach in the main text, with quantitative backgroundderived in enabling 'cookie' appendices. The book endswith an innovative chapter dealing with how sedimentology iscurrently informing a variety of cognate disciplines, from thetiming and extent tectonic uplift to variations in palaeoclimate.Each chapter concludes with a detailed guide to key further readingleading to a large bibliography of over 2500 entries. The book isdesigned to reach an audience of senior undergraduate and graduatestudents and interested academic and industry professionals.

Part 1 Making SedimentChapter 1 Clastic sediment as chemical and physical breakdownproductsChapter 2 Carbonate, siliceous, iron-rich and evaporitesedimentsChapter 3 Sediment grain propertiesPart 2 Moving fluidChapter 4 Fluid basicsChapter 5 Types of Fluid MotionPart 3 Transporting sedimentChapter 6 Sediment in fluid and fluid flowgeneralChapter 7 Bedforms and sedimentary structures in flows and underwavesChapter 8 Sediment gravity flows and their depositsChapter 9 Liquefaction, fluidisation and sliding sedimentdeformationPart 4 Major external controls on sedimentation andsedimentary environmentsChapter 10 Major External Controls on SedimentationPart 5 Continental Sedimentary EnvironmentsChapter 11 RiversChapter 12 Subaerial fans: alluvial and colluvialChapter 13Aeolian sediments in low-latitude desertsChapter 14 LakesChapter 15 IcePart 6 Marine Sedimentary EnvironmentsChapter 16 EstuariesChapter 17 River and fan deltasChapter 18 Linear clastic shorelinesChapter 19 ShelvesChapter 20 Calcium carbonate-evaporite shorelines, shelves andbasinsChapter 21 Deep oceanPart 7 Sedimentary Architecture of SedimentarybasinsChapter 22 Sediment in sedimentary basins: a user's guidePart 8 Topics: Sediment solutions to interdisciplinaryproblemsChapter 23 Sediments solve wider interdisciplinaryproblems