SEDIMENTOLOGIA

The course provides criteria to recognize in laboratory and outcrop the main types of sediments and sedimentary rocks and to distinguish their main physical features, and the environments of deposition. The course introduces students to the use of some of the most common practice method of collection of sedimentological data, during field and lab activities.

Part I

Introduction and aims of Sedimentology. Classification of terrigenous clastic sediments, biogenic and chemical rocks. Textures of sedimentary rocks. Processes of erosion and transport. Laminar and turbulent flow. Reynolds Number, Bernoulli equation, Hjülstrom diagram, Stokes Law. Sedimentary structures: bedding and lamination, graded bedding, normal grading and reverse grading, fining and coarsening upward successions, cross bedding and cross-lamination, bedforms (ripples and dunes). Erosional sedimentary structures: flute casts, scour and tool marks, channels. Shrinkage cracks (mudcracks) and polygonal structures. Post depositional sedimentary structures (flames, dish and pillars, slumps, load structures, diagenetic nodules, cone-in-cone structure). Bioturbation and trace fossils. Paleocurrent indicators. Facies, depositional environments and depositional models. Continental environments (alluvial fans, rivers, lakes); Transitionl environments (deltas and beaches); Marine environment (platform, slope and deep marine); carbonate and evaporite environments.

Part II

Sediment sampling methods and sample preparation. Grain size analysis, Udden-Wentworth grain-size scale, grain size distribution and statistics: media, mode, median, standard deviation, asymmetry, frequency grain size curves and cumulative curves. Calcium carbonate content analysis. Thin section analysis. Logging on exposed (outcrop) sections and on well cores. Paleocurrent indicators and data elaboration. Writing a stratigraphic-sedimentological report.

1) Sam Boggs, Jr., Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, PEARSON.

2) Gary Nichols, Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, WILEY-BLACKWELL.

3) M.R. Leeder, Sedimentology, Process and Product, SPRINGER.

4) Bosellini, Mutti e Ricci Lucchi: Rocce e successioni sedimentarie, UTET.

5) Maurice E. Tucker. Sedimentary Rocks in the fields, WILEY.

6) Lecture notes provided by the teachers during the course.