Page 8 - Carbonate Sedimentology and Sequence Stratigraphy

Preface

Sedimentology and stratigraphy are neighbors yet dis- of Miami), Mitch Harris (Chevron, San Ramon), Adrian Im-
tinctly separate entities within the earth sciences. Put in a menhauser (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam) and Rick Sarg
nutshell, sedimentology searches for the common traits of (Exxon, Houston) reviewed the entire manuscript, Eberli
sedimentary rocks regardless of age as it reconstructs en- and Harris did so as official reviewers for SEPM. Advice on
vironments and processes of deposition and erosion from special topics was offered by Giovanni Bertotti (Vrije Uni-
the sediment record. Stratigraphy, by contrast, concentrates versiteit, Amsterdam) on tectonics, Bruce Fouke (University
on changes with time, on measuring time and correlating of Illinois, Urbana) on sea cliffs, Henk Kooi (Vrije Univer-
coeval events. Sequence stratigraphy straddles the bound- siteit, Amsterdam) on slope stability, and Georg Warrlich
ary between the two fields. It is a sedimentologic concept (Shell, Rijswijk) on computer modeling.
as it uses depositional anatomy to reconstruct environments Important data were contributed by Flavio Anselmetti
and lateral facies change, and it is part of stratigraphy as (ETH, Zürich), Hemmo Bosscher (Shell, Rijswijk), Annette
it studies the vertical succession of sedimentary rocks and George (University of Western Australia, Crawley), Robert
their succession and correlation. Ginsburg (University of Miami), Mitch Harris (Chevron,
This expose, dedicated to carbonate rocks, approaches se- San Ramon), Lisa Hinnov (Johns Hopkins University, Bal-
quence stratigraphy from its sedimentologic background. timore), David Hunt (Norsk Hydro, Bergen), Adrian Im-
Carbonate sedimentation, in contrast to siliciclastic sedi- menhauser (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam), Alexandra Is-
mentation, is largely governed by chemistry and biota of the ern (National Science Foundation, Washington), Noel P.
ocean and thus intimately tied to the ocean environment. James (Queens University, Kingston), Bernd Kaufmann
Therefore, the presentation starts with essentials of physi- (University of Tübingen), Lorenz Keim (Geological Survey,
cal and chemical oceanography and biology. It then pro- Bolzano), Jeroen Kenter (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam),
ceeds to principles of marine carbonate production (and ero- Don McNeill (University of Miami), Sam Purkis (Nova Uni-
sion) and the geometry of carbonate accumulations, using versity, Dania) Franco Russo (University of Cosenza), Orson
the concept of carbonate production systems, or factories, van de Plassche (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam), Valentina
to illustrate the variations among carbonate rocks. Armed Zampetti (Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam).
with the knowledge on production and accumulation, the Many of the ideas expressed in the book developed in the
text turns to carbonate facies; the sedimentologic part closes stimulating environments of Miami’s Rosenstiel School of
with an overview of the rhythms and events governing car- Marine and Atmospheric Science, particularly the Compar-
bonate deposition in time and space. Chapters 6 through ative Sedimentology Laboratory founded by Robert Gins-
8 deal with sequence stratigraphy. This part starts with an burg, and the Sedimentology Section of the Earth Sciences
overview of the standard model of sequence stratigraphy Faculty at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. At both institu-
and then develops carbonate sequence stratigraphy on the tions, Industrial Associates Programs offered valuable feed-
basis of processes and principles presented in the sedimen- back from geologists in industry. Another crucial sounding
tologic part and using the three major carbonate factories as board were the participants of short courses I taught on the
a template for discussion. subject in North America, Europe and Southeast Asia be-
The book attempts to make progress by combining dif- tween 1991 and 2003.
ferent specialties and different lines of reasoning, and by I was very fortunate with the publication process. Elis-
searching for principles underlying the bewildering diver- abeth van Bentum was my partner in the production of
sity of carbonate rocks. I think the expose provides enough the manuscript. Her energy and skills in drafting and
general background, in introductory chapters and appen-
camera-ready editing made for smooth sailing all along.
dices, to be easily digestible for sedimentologists and strati-
SEPM, with Howard Harper at the helm, Laura Crossey
graphers as well as earth scientists at large. The text does
as Editor-in-Chief and Kris Farnsworth as publications
appeal to the reader’s willingness to engage in scientific dis-
coordinator supported and encouraged me throughout.
cussion, however. It is not a cook book presenting recipes.
The book bears the name of a single author but many have
Wolfgang Schlager, Amsterdam
supported me in the endeavor. Gregor Eberli (University
vii