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Sedimentology

Code: 101061 ECTS Credits: 6
2024/2025
Degree Type Year
2500254 Geology OB 2

Contact

Name:
Josep Oriol Oms Llobet
Email:
joseporiol.oms@uab.cat

Teachers

Josep Oriol Oms Llobet
(External) Miquel Poyatos Moré
(External) Ramon Mercedes
(External) Sara Tomas Lafaja

Teaching groups languages

You can view this information at the end of this document.


Prerequisites

Altough there is no official  prerequisite, is very important to have followed the Stratigraphy subject (or at least to have a goog knowledge on).THis subject is scheduled in the first semestrer from the socond course of the Geology degree.

Is also recommendable for students to have a good understanding of the contents of several subjects from the first course of the Geology degree such as: Fundamentals of Geology (Fonaments de Geologia) and Regional Geology field work (Treball de camp de Geologia Regional).


Objectives and Contextualisation

 a) Acquisition of theoretical and practical concepts on the desriptive and analythical techniques common in sedimentology, which are closely linked to Stratigraphy.

b) Interpretation of facies and it's associations.

c)  Determination of facies sequences

d)  Identification of depositional environments on the basis of facies analysis

e) Adquisition of field skills on the use of concepts explained in the lessons.

 

The student has to apply in the field the contents of lectures. Fieldwork is a basic element of the subject to achieve:  facies identification from several environments and paleogeographical reconstructions.


Competences

  • Learn and apply the knowledge acquired, and use it to solve problems.
  • Process, interpret and present field data using qualitative and quantitative techniques, and suitable computer programmes.
  • Recognise sedimentary facies and the processes and environments that generate them.
  • Use concepts from physics when solving problems in geology.

Learning Outcomes

  1. Apply concepts of hydrodynamics, fluid dynamics and rheology to transport and sedimentation processes.
  2. Learn and apply the knowledge acquired, and use it to solve problems.
  3. Process stratigraphic and sedimentological data from the field in order to produce new synthesis data and documents.
  4. Recognise sedimentary facies and the processes and environments that generate them.

Content

PROGRAM OF THEORETICAL LESSONS

-Introduction

-Fluvial facies

-Alluvial facies

-Deltaic facies

-Tidal facies

-Estuary and tidal flat facies

-Beach and barrier island facies

-Deep marine facies

-Eolian facies

-Lacustrine facies

-Carbonate facies

-Other facies

 

PROGRAMA DE CLASSES PRÀCTIQUES

- Performing and inerpretation of stratigraphic sections from several environments.

 

FIELDWORK EXERCISES

During 2 field days the student will make a set of exercices and once are finished, the teacher will comment them.

The student has to be able of:

a) Recognition of sedimentary structures and merials which permit facies identification.

b) Sketching of geological cross sections, stratigraphic logs or schemes.

c) Identification of distinctive features of several environments

d) Paleoenvironmental characterization on the basis of these facies.


Activities and Methodology

Title Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Type: Directed      
Fieldwork 14 0.56 1, 4
Laboratory practices 12 0.48 2, 3
Theoretical lessons 26 1.04 1, 4
Type: Supervised      
Group or individual mentoring 1 0.04 1, 2, 3, 4
Performance of a fieldwork report 9 0.36 1, 2, 3, 4
Performance of a raport on a particular issue 5 0.2 1, 4
Type: Autonomous      
Study, report performance 76 3.04 1, 2, 3, 4

The subject of Sedimentology consists of three types of activities:
										
											
										
											
										
											1.- Directed Activities
										
											
Theoretical lessons
  • The contents will be taught mainly by the teacher in the form of master classest. The student acquires the scientific-technical knowledge of the subject attending the lectures and complementing them with the personal study of theexplained topics . These sessions can be complemented with questions and simple exercises that are interrelated with the explanations. Part of the material used in class by the teacher will be available on the Virtual Campus of the subject.
  • It is recommended that students regularly check books and recommended web links in order to consolidate, clarify and extend the contents explained in class.   Laboratory practices Both field and laboratory practices will help facilitate understanding and consolidate the contents of the theory program.
  • Students will have downloaded and printed the script of the practice, which they will deliver individually. This practical work involves the prior knowledge of the theory and the application of it in a practical example. Students must complete the document that will be delivered to the lecturer at the end of the session.

Field practices
  • These consist of two days.
  • In the course of the exit, exercises will be considered constantly to solve the outcrop. Special emphasis will be placed on the student being caring for and taking care of the field notebook, that is, in the compilation of data ordering in the field.

2.- Supervised activities

Sometypes of supervised activities can be proposed such as:
a) Preparation of a fieldwork for groups on an outcrop that students will choose
b) Presentation in class of the works on a given subject. Both the work and the presentation will be done in groups of two or three people.
c) Group and individual mentorings in order to support the training activities indicated above. A mentoring session has been programmed throughout the course


3.- Autonomous activities
This section includes the study, the elaboration of the works and the reading of bibliographic references.

Annotation: Within the schedule set by the centre or degree programme, 15 minutes of one class will be reserved for students to evaluate their lecturers and their courses or modules through questionnaires.


Assessment

Continous Assessment Activities

Title Weighting Hours ECTS Learning Outcomes
Course contents in the final/partial tests 80 6 0.24 1, 2, 3, 4
Final recovery test 0 0 0 1, 2, 3, 4
Score on field work practices 5 0.5 0.02 2, 4
Socre on the laboratory practices 15 0.5 0.02 2, 3

Any special circumstances (such as pandemics) may slightly affect the way to evluate the subject.


1.- Theoretical part of the partial tests (80%) During the semester there will be two (or at most three) compulsory partial written tests on the theoretical content of the subject, which students will have to answer individually.
These tests will consist of a series of questions about the corresponding topics of the theory and practice program. Failed partial tests (grade less than 5) may be recovered in a final test on the date indicated in the general program of the course.
Students will be able to take their handwritten practices to the exam. It is expressly forbidden to have them printed from digital files (that is, written with a computer)   2.- Practical part of the partial test (15%) In the partial and final recovery test there will be questions about the contents worked on in the practices. Attendance to laboratory practices is mandatory; and at most it will be possible to justify the absence in 1 session. There will be partial tests on the practices carried out.
Students will be able to take their handwritten notes to the exam. It is expressly forbidden to have them printed from digital files (that is, written with a computer)
										
											

 

 3.- Evaluation of field work (5%) The evaluation of the fieldwork will be based on individual tests on the work carried out in the field and may include: field exercise, assessment of field books and the attitude of the student during the trip.    4.- Final recovery test Fail partial theoretical tests (note less than 5) may be recovered in a finaltest on the date indicated in the general program of the course.   No tests will be made outside the established days



ON THE SINGLE EVALUATION

The single evaluation will consist on a teorethical exam plus the practical work release. The score wiill be calculated in the same way as in the continuous evlation.

Attendance at field trips and practises will be mandatory. Eventual field-trip exercises that are carried out during the excursionis will be released before the trip finishes.

Students can take handwritten notes and practices

 


										
											
 

Bibliography

Basic references

Arche, A. (1989), Sedimentologia. Vol. 1 y 2. C.S.I.C. Nuevas Tendencias

Arche, A. (2010). Sedimentología. el proceso físico a la cuenca sedimentaria. Ed. CSIC. ISBN: 978-84-00-09145-3

Bogg, S. (2006).- Principles of Sedimentology and Stratigraphy, 4th ed., Pearson-Prentice Hall 

Bridge, J.S. (2004). Rivers and floodplains. Blackwell.491 pp

Flügel, E. (2004). Microfacies of carbonate rocks. Springer. 916

Davis, R.A. & Dalrymple, R.W. (2011). Principles of tidal sedimentology. Springer. 621 pp.

Galloway, W.E. ; Hobday, D.K.  (1983)Terrigenous clastic depositional systems. Springer-Verlag,New York,

 

James, N.P. & Dalrymple, R.W. (2010). Facies models, 4. Geotext. 6. Geological association of CanadaGalloway,W. E.;Hobday, D. K. : Terrigenous clastic depositional systems, applications to fossil fuel and groundwater resources. 2nd ed. Ed. Springer, 1996 

Nichols, G. (2009) Sedimentology & Stratigraphy. Blackwell Science.

Reading, H.G. (Ed.), (1996). Sedimentary Environments: Processes, Facies and Stratigraphy . 3rd. Edition, Blackwell Scientific Publications 

Ricci Lucchi, F. (1980) Sedimentologia. 2a ed. Bolonya: CLUEB. Vol. 3.

Tucker, M. (ed.) (1988), Techniques in Sedimentology. Blackwell ScientificPublications.

Vera, J. (1994) Estratigrafia (principios y métodos). Madrid: Rueda.

 

Links

http://cit.iec.cat

http://www.lib.utexas.edu/

http://www.stratigraphy.org/

http://strata.geol.sc.edu/exerices/ExercisePrintOuts.html

http://facstaff.gpc.edu/~pgore/geology/historical_lab/contents.php

http://www.bib.ub.edu/recursos-informacio/guies-tematiques/geologia/#c4820


Software

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Language list

Name Group Language Semester Turn
(PCAM) Field practices 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(PLAB) Practical laboratories 2 Catalan second semester morning-mixed
(TE) Theory 1 Catalan second semester morning-mixed