Stacking patterns

Sedimentary structures

This figure below illustrates a general listing of potential elements that build the architecture of deepwater sediment fill. These "elements" are used in conjunction with stacking patterns of sediments and their associated sedimentary structures to interpret and so determine the depositional setting of the sediments.

Note the hierarchy of sedimentary elements and their association with the changing depositional system as depth of water increases and the setting becomes more distal (Stow and Mayall, 2000).

References
Stow, Dorrik A.V. and Mayall, Mike, 2000, "Deep-water sedimentary systems: New models for the 21st century", Marine and Petroleum Geology 17, 125-135