Univesity of South - University of South Alabama

UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH ALABAMA
GY 402: Sedimentary Petrology
Lecture 28:
Student Choice Lecture 1:
Sequence Stratigraphy
Instructor: Dr. Douglas W. Haywick
Today
Sequence Stratigraphy
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The basic concept (systems tracts)
All sorts of STs (systems tracts)
Boundaries
Sequence Stratigraphy
Is derived from seismic
profiles whereby you
recognize distinct
sedimentary packages
Sequence Stratigraphy
Is derived from seismic
profiles whereby you
recognize distinct
sedimentary packages
(systems tracts)
From Carter et al., 1991
Sequence Stratigraphy
A Short History
The “Vail Curve” is synonymous
with eustasy
Sequence Stratigraphy
A Short History
"Pete's ideas evolved naturally from his first
pioneering work on the importance of stratal
surfaces in rocks as geologic time lines," wrote
Robert Mitchum, a longtime friend and former
Exxon colleague.
"He soon recognized the cyclic occurrence of
bundles of strata he called sequences in well logs,
seismic reflections and outcrops.
"Observing that sequence boundaries appear
synchronous globally, he postulated that cyclic
eustatic sea level changes are major controls on
stratigraphy, along with basin tectonics and
sediment supply," Mitchum said.
"This realization led to the development of
eustatic cycle charts”. (2003 AAPG Address)
Sequence Stratigraphy
A Short History
Why?
Because sea level controls what sediment is produced and
where it is deposited.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy
A Short History
Accommodation Space: The thickness of sediment that can be
deposited (it’s sea level-controlled)
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy
A Short History
Accommodation
Space:
(+) with sea level
highstands;
(-) with sea level
lowstands
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy
A Short History
Note: Vail’s surfaces
actually define
packages of
sedimentary rock.
Those associated
with specific states
of sea level are
called systems tracts.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
System Tracts come in numerous styles and are named
according to sea level position/state during deposition. The
6 most important are
1) LST: Low stand systems tract
2) HST: High stand systems tract
3) TST: Transgressive systems tract
4) FSST: Falling stage systems tract
5) RST: Regressive systems tract
6) FRST: Forced regressive systems tract
Chalk Board
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
LST: Low stand systems tract: includes deposits that accumulate
after the onset of a relative sea-level rise (during maximum sea
level lowstand).
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
LST sediments often fill or partially infill incised valleys that
were cut into the Highstand Systems Tract, and other earlier
deposits, during the FSST.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
LST: Low stand systems tract: stacking patterns exhibit
•backstepping,
•onlapping,
•retrogradational,
•aggrading clinoforms that thicken updip
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
Remember that you are doing all this via seismic traces
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
Remember that you are doing all this via seismic traces. The
nature of the surfaces can tell you the stage(s) of sea level
during deposition.
Clinoforms are parallel but inclined surfaces
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
LST: Low stand systems tract: includes deposits that accumulate
after the onset of relative a sea-level rise.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
HST: High stand systems tract: the progradational deposits that
form when sediment accumulation rates exceed the rate of
increase in accommodation space. Stacking patterns exhibit
prograding aggrading clinoforms that thin upward.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
HST: High stand systems tract: the progradational deposits that
form when sediment accumulation rates exceed the rate of
increase in accommodation space. Stacking patterns exhibit
prograding aggrading clinoforms that thin upward.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
TST: Transgressive systems tract: the deposits accumulated
from the onset of coastal transgression until the time of
maximum transgression of the coast. Parasequences onlap the
sequence boundary in a landward direction and downlap onto
the transgressive surface in a basinward direction.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence Stratigraphy (System Tracts)
TST: Transgressive systems tract: the deposits accumulated
from the onset of coastal transgression until the time of
maximum transgression of the coast. Parasequences onlap the
sequence boundary in a landward direction and downlap onto
the transgressive surface in a basinward direction.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence
Stratigraphy
Summary
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Sequence
Stratigraphy
Summary
Bounding Surfaces
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/system-tract.html
Boundaries
Systems tracts are separated by sequence boundaries (SB) which by definition, occur at
the base of LSTs.
http://www.uga.edu/~strata/sequence/tracts.html
Boundaries
Systems tracts are separated by sequence boundaries (SB) which by definition, occur at
the base of LSTs. These are unconformable surfaces generally overlain by fluvial
sediments.
Correlative conformities are
lateral equivalents to SB’s. They
still separate LSTs from earlier
HSTs but are really hard to spot
in seismic profiles.
http://www.uga.edu/~strata/sequence/tracts.html
Boundaries
Transgressive surfaces (TS) are commonly marked by lag deposits
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/ss-well-log.html
Boundaries
The maximum flooding surface (MFS) is the point of maximum sea level rise. It is
commonly marked by a lag deposit of shells.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/transgression.html
Evolution of an idea
Sequence stratigraphy is
still evolving…
..unfortunately, that means
more jargon.
http://strata.geol.sc.edu/terminology/transgression.html
Outcrops and Sequence Stratigraphy
Since the mid 1980s,
researchers have attempted
to relate outcrops with
sequence stratigraphy.
Haywick et al. (2000)
Outcrops and Sequence Stratigraphy
Haywick et al. (2000)
Outcrops and Sequence Stratigraphy
S5
SB
S4
SB
S3
Haywick et al. (2000)
Outcrops and Sequence Stratigraphy
CC
S3
CC
S2
Haywick et al. (2000)
Upcoming Stuff
Homework
1) Moscow Landing due Thursday!
2) Thin Section 8 due Thursday
3) Final Lab Test Thursday
4) Thursday is gonna suck
Lab this Week
Nothing……
GY 402: Sedimentary Petrography
Lectures 27: Student Choice 1
Instructor: Dr. Doug Haywick
[email protected]
This is a free open access lecture, but not for commercial purposes.
For personal use only.