Depositional environment
In geology, depositional environment or
sedimentary environment describes the
combination of physical, chemical, and biological
processes associated with the deposition of a
particular type of sediment and, therefore, the rock
types that will be formed after lithification, if the
sediment is preserved in the rock record. In most
cases, the environments associated with particular
rock types or associations of rock types can be
matched to existing analogues. However, the
further back in geological time sediments were
deposited, the more likely that direct modern A diagram of various depositional environments
analogues are not available (e.g. banded iron
formations).
Types of depositional environments
Continental[2][3]
Alluvial – Loose soil or
sediment that is eroded and
redeposited in a non-marine
setting – type of Fluvial
deposit. Caused by moving
water in a fan shape (Alluvial
Fan) and containing mostly Diagram to show the different depositional environments in which
impermeable and nonporous tsunami deposits are formed – partly after Shanmugam 2006 [1]
sediments well sorted.
Aeolian – Processes due to
wind activity. Often in deserts and coastal regions and
well sorted, large scale cross-beds
Fluvial – Processes associated with rivers and streams –
processes due to moving water, mainly streams.
Common sediments are gravel, sand, and silt.
Lacustrine – sediment deposited by a lake – processes
due to moving water, mainly lakes. Common sediments
are sand, silt, and clay.
Transitional[4] Depositional environmental model of
the Araripe Basin formations, NE
Deltaic – Silt deposition landform at the mouth of a river Brazil
(possible cross beds, ripple marks)[5] Common
sediments are sand, silt, and clay.
Tide – Rise and fall of the sea level under astronomical gravitational influences – processes
due to tidal currents, creates tidal flats (fine-grained, ripple marks, cross-beds).[6] Common
sediments are silt and clay
Lagoonal – Shallow body of water separated from a larger one by a narrow landform. Little
transportation, creates lagoon bottom environment. Common sediments are carbonates (in
tropical climates).
Beach – Area of loose particles at the edge of the sea or other body of water. Caused by
waves and longshore currents. Creates beaches, spits, and sandbars with the common
sediments of gravel and sand.
Lake – Large body of relatively still water
Marine[7]
Shallow water marine environment – processes due to waves and tidal currents, creates
shelves and slopes, lagoons. Common sediments are carbonates (in tropical climates) or
sand, silt, and clay (elsewhere)
Upper shoreface – Portion of the seafloor that is shallow enough to be agitated by
everyday wave action
Lower shoreface – Part of the seafloor undisturbed by waves
Deep water marine environment – Flat area on the deep ocean floor (abyssal plains) caused
by ocean currents. Common sediments are clay, carbonate mud, silica mud.
Reef – A shoal of rock, coral or other sufficiently coherent material, lying beneath the surface
of water caused by waves and tidal currents. Also creates adjacent basins. Common
sediments are carbonates.
Others
Evaporite – Water-soluble mineral deposit formed by evaporation from an aqueous solution
Glacial – Interval of time within an ice age that is marked by colder temperatures and glacier
advances
Till – angular to rounded grains, poorly sorted, unstratified (massive)
Outwash – ripple marks, cross-beds, similar to stream channel[8]
Volcanic – Rupture in the crust of a planet that allows lava, ash, and gases to escape from
below the surface
Tsunami – Sedimentary unit deposited by a tsunami
Recognition of depositional environments in ancient sediments
Depositional environments in ancient sediments are recognised using a combination of sedimentary facies,
facies associations, sedimentary structures and fossils, particularly trace fossil assemblages, as they indicate
the environment in which they lived.
References
1. Shanmugam G. (2006). "The Tsunamite Problem" (https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
229003931). Journal of Sedimentary Research. 6 (5): 718–730.
Bibcode:2006JSedR..76..718S (https://ui.adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2006JSedR..76..718S).
doi:10.2110/jsr.2006.073 (https://doi.org/10.2110%2Fjsr.2006.073).
2. "Basics—Table of Depositional Environments" (https://commons.wvc.edu/rdawes/G101OCL/
Basics/BscsTables/depenv.html). commons.wvc.edu. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
3. Earle, Steven; Earle, Steven (September 2015). "6.3 Depositional Environments and
Sedimentary Basins – Physical Geology" (https://opentextbc.ca/geology/chapter/6-3-depositi
onal-environments-and-sedimentary-basins/). opentextbc.ca. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
{{cite journal}}: Missing |author2= (help)
4. Earle, Steven; Earle, Steven (September 2015). "6.3 Depositional Environments and
Sedimentary Basins – Physical Geology" (https://opentextbc.ca/geology/chapter/6-3-depositi
onal-environments-and-sedimentary-basins/). opentextbc.ca. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
{{cite journal}}: Missing |author2= (help)
5. "Basics—Table of Depositional Environments" (https://commons.wvc.edu/rdawes/G101OCL/
Basics/BscsTables/depenv.html). commons.wvc.edu. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
6. "Basics—Table of Depositional Environments" (https://commons.wvc.edu/rdawes/G101OCL/
Basics/BscsTables/depenv.html). commons.wvc.edu. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
7. Earle, Steven; Earle, Steven (September 2015). "6.3 Depositional Environments and
Sedimentary Basins – Physical Geology" (https://opentextbc.ca/geology/chapter/6-3-depositi
onal-environments-and-sedimentary-basins/). opentextbc.ca. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
{{cite journal}}: Missing |author2= (help)
8. "Basics—Table of Depositional Environments" (https://commons.wvc.edu/rdawes/G101OCL/
Basics/BscsTables/depenv.html). commons.wvc.edu. Retrieved 2020-01-13.
Harold G. Reading. 1996. Sedimentary Environments: Processes, Facies and Stratigraphy.
Blackwell Publishing Limited.
External links
Sedimentary Environments Classification Charts (https://web.archive.org/web/20090228095
248/http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lab/environmentchart.htm)
Depositional environments on e-notes (http://www.enotes.com/earth-science/depositional-en
vironments)
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Depositional_environment&oldid=1158883569"
