Transcript SGintroduction - Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences

Sedimentary Geology
186-455
Introduction
Professor
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Bruce Hart
Earth and Planetary Sciences, FDA 332,
Telephone: 398-3677
e-mail: [email protected]
Office Hours: By appointment
T.A.s
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Tim McCullagh
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([email protected])
Dirk Schumann
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([email protected])
Time
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Classes: Monday and Wednesday,
11:30am-12:30pm, FDA 348-49
Laboratories: Wednesday, 2:305:30pm, FDA 348-49
N.B. Two field trips will be held during
term, requiring extended time periods
on these days (to be discussed in
class).
Grading
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30 % laboratory exercises/field reports
10 % term projects/presentations
0-20 % mid-term examination
40-60 % final examination
Academic Integrity
McGill University values academic
integrity. Therefore all students must
understand the meaning and
consequences of cheating, plagiarism
and other academic offences under the
Code of Student Conduct and
Disciplinary Procedures (see
http://www.mcgill.ca/integrity for more
information).
Text
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Boggs, S. Jr., Principles of
sedimentology and stratigraphy.
Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice Hall, 4th
edition
Why Sedimentary Geology?
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Resources
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Most of the world’s energy supply comes
from fossil fuels derived from sedimentary
rocks
Mineral deposits (e.g., stratabound ores,
MVT deposits)
Water in aquifers
Construction materials
The Hydrocarbon Society
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In 2001, about 39% of Canada's
primary energy production was from
natural gas, followed by oil (25%),
hydropower (20%), coal (11%), and
nuclear power (5%)
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~3/4 from sedimentary rocks
Oil is the world’s most important energy
source (~36% of total consumption)
Why Sedimentary Geology?
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Employment
Why Sedimentary Geology?
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Earth and Life History
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Sedimentary record contains information
about past tectonic movements, sea-level
change, climates, etc.
Sedimentary record hosts the history of life
on Earth
Marine cement
Sponge
Encrusting algae
Capitan Limestone
Reef Reconstruction
Why Sedimentary Geology?
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Environment
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Sedimentary record contains most of what
we know about global change on geologic
timeframes
Modern sediments can record recent
physical/chemical/biological environmental
changes
Geosphere<->biosphere interactions
Contaminants in aquifers
Why Sedimentary Geology?
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Hazards/Engineering
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Sediment transport/erosion affect
engineering works (e.g., harbours,
navigation routes)
Sediment transport/erosion affect
structural stability
Sediment texture (e.g., grain size) affects
mechanical properties
Slope instability
Mississippi Delta
It was predicted:
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"When we get the big hurricane and
there are 10,000 people dead, the city
government's been relocated to the
north shore of Lake Ponchartrain,
refugee camps have been set up and
there $10 billion plus in losses, what
then?"
Shea Penland, Geologist, Dec. 2000
Why Sedimentary Geology?
Book Cliffs, Utah
Reef front – Red Sea
100 msec
One km
Posamentier, 2005
Course Objectives
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Teach basic concepts of sedimentary
geology
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Stuff all geologists should know
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Sediment transport
Sedimentary structures
Rock types
Diagenesis
Depositional environments
Etc.
Course Objectives
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Introduce advanced topics in
sedimentary geology
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Get you interested in other courses
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Field camp(s)
Sequence stratigraphy/basin analysis
Subsurface mapping