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| Course
Coordinator |
Dr Ryan Tucker (021 808 3522) |
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tucker@sun.ac.za |
| Lecturers |
Dr Ryan Tucker |
| Course
Structure |
3
lectures and one 3-hr practical per week plus field excursions |
| Course
Timetable |
Lectures:
Mon 10am; Tues 8; Fri 11am: Practical: Tues 2-5pm, Fri 2-5pm |
| Language
Specification |
T |
| Course
Pass Prerequisite |
Geology 224, 244, 254; Chemistry 114, 144 |
| Course
Corequisite |
None |
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| Sedimentology
is the study of the processes of formation, transport and deposition
of sediments. After deposition and compaction, sediments become
sedimentary rocks. Sediment is formed through erosion of igneous,
metamorphic, volcanic, or sedimentary rocks. There are four
groups of sedimentary rocks: clastics, carbonates, evaporates,
precipitates. Stratigraphy is the study of the relation between
and timing of sedimentary layers. |
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Basic principles
of sedimentology are (1) uniformitarianism, i.e. ‘the
present is the key to the past’, (2) superposition, i.e.
‘the younging orientation is critical to interpretation’,
(3) original horizontality, i.e. ‘most sediments are deposited
horizontally’.
Main sedimentological methods are (1) description of outcrops,
(2) mapping of rock units, (3) descriptions of rock cores, (4)
description of grains and minerals, (5) determination of rock
age. Additional sedimentological methods are (1) diagenetic
analysis (2) sequence stratigraphy, (3) basin analysis. Using
these methods in combination a geologist can reconstruct the
depositional history of an entire basin. |
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| Apart from
above basic principles, this course will cover general scientific
skills (1) observation and critical reflection, (2) theoretical
analysis, (3) basics of physical and numerical modelling, (4)
recent developments. Special attention will be given to the
Karoo Supergroup, South Africa’s natural laboratory of
sedimentary rocks. |
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| The
course will cover the following topics: |
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Sedimentology
- Sedimentary
processes, Sedimentary structures, Facies analysis,
Sequence analysis, Basin analysis
- Stratigraphy
- Cyclostratigraphy,
Sequence stratigraphy, Chronostratigraphy, Magnetostratigraphy,
Biostratigraphy
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goal of this course is to acquire knowledge of the processes
involved in the formation of sedimentary rocks and to develop
skills to interpret sedimentary rocks and reconstruct their
depositional environment. |
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- Knowledge
of different depositional environments.
- Recognition
of depositional environments from rock record.
- Ability
to communicate scientifically on sedimentary rocks
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Textbooks
Prescribed and compulsory
• Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, S. Boggs
Jr., 2006, Pearson
Partly and optional
• Unlocking the Stratigraphical Record; Advances in Modern
Stratigraphy, 1998, P. Doyle and M.R. Bennett, Wiley & Sons
• Sedimentary Rocks in the Field; A Colour Guide, 2006,
D.A.V. Stow, Manson Websites
http://www.uga.edu/~strata/sequence/seqStrat.html (guide to
sequence stratigraphy)
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/ (guide to sequence stratigraphy)
http://www.gssa.org.za/ (Geological Society of South Africa)
http://www.geoscience.org.za/sacs/ (South African Committee
for Stratigraphy)
http://www.stratigraphy.org/ (International Commission on
Stratigraphy)
http://www.earthscienceworld.org/images/ (general images)
http://scholar.google.com (Google Scholar)
http://Wikipedia.org.com (Wikipedia)
http://library.sun.ac.za (SU library)
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| Students
are encouraged to consult text books and journals on own initiative.
During the course suggestions for literature will be given in
the classroom and/or through WebCT (Blackboard). Lecture notes
will also be available on WebCT. |
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| In addition
to the final examination, assessment for this course will be
composed of the following elements |
(1)
Practical work (25 %)
• Continuous assessment of marked practical work
• Written review of the ? field trip to the Karoo
(2) Research project (25 %)
• written literature review(individually)
• presentation (individually)
• poster (in groups)
(3) Semester test (50 %)
• Theory
• Practical |
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