Sedimentary Geology Introduction

Professor Bruce Hart Earth and Planetary Sciences, FDA 332, Telephone: Office Hours: By appointment

T.A.s Tim McCullagh Dirk Schumann

Time Classes: Monday and Wednesday, 11:30am-12:30pm, FDA Laboratories: Wednesday, 2:30- 5:30pm, FDA N.B. Two field trips will be held during term, requiring extended time periods on these days (to be discussed in class).

Grading 30 % laboratory exercises/field reports 10 % term projects/presentations 0-20 % mid-term examination % 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 for more information).

Text Boggs, S. Jr., Principles of sedimentology and stratigraphy. Englewood Cliffs, N.J. : Prentice Hall, 4 th edition

Why Sedimentary Geology? Resources 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 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%) ~3/4 from sedimentary rocks Oil is the world’s most important energy source (~36% of total consumption)

Why Sedimentary Geology? Employment

Why Sedimentary Geology? Earth and Life History Sedimentary record contains information about past tectonic movements, sea-level change, climates, etc. Sedimentary record hosts the history of life on Earth

Sponge Encrusting algae Marine cement

Capitan Limestone Reef Reconstruction

Why Sedimentary Geology? Environment 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? Hazards/Engineering 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: "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 Teach basic concepts of sedimentary geology Stuff all geologists should know Sediment transport Sedimentary structures Rock types Diagenesis Depositional environments Etc.

Course Objectives Introduce advanced topics in sedimentary geology Get you interested in other courses Field camp(s) Sequence stratigraphy/basin analysis Subsurface mapping