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Welcome
to University of South Carolina Sequence Stratigraphy Web
Site
Guide
Click
to view an index
of the complete site with a listing of the links and
pages. Try
it now to see!
The menu to the left can be used to explore the
site.
The Pull down Menu (on top) accesses the components
of each major section.
Home returns you
to the main site page and a convenient link with access
to the contents of the whole web site from "Index
to the site".
Sequence Stratigraphy links to introductory materials on
the basics of sequence stratigraphy, chronostratigraphy, seismic
sequence stratigraphy, and well log interpretation. Movies, simulations,
and exercises are attached to each of these sections.
Depositional Systems links to analogues of depostional systems
and an overview of the major depositional settings (all the overveiw
sections were developed by USC geology students).
Exercises and Lectures provides access to descriptive
introduction to sequence stratigraphy with exercises that involve
seismic, well logs and outcrops plus canned lectures that introduce
the concepts of sequence and sedimentary stratigraphy.
Images and Movies Gallery library of images largely digitized
from a collection of photographs taken at many localities for use
in lectures and movies that introduce the concepts of sequence stratigraphy.
Terminology links to an alphabetical list of sequence stratigraphy
definitions.
Petrology of carbonates with discussions of classifications,
facies, photomicrographs, and related exercises
WWW Links that may lead to sequence stratigraphy and other
geologic concepts, commonly but not always related to sediments.
World Petroleum links to a guide and fact sheets of global
petroleum resources.
Contributed Projects section gives access to a collection
of web pages developed by USC students and others describing a varitey
of topics including and commonly related to sequence stratigraphy
Reviews and Literature access to in-house reviews of over
50 geology-related books and many abstracts and references to sequence
stratigraphy and modeling related resources.
Historical Perspective provides a brief history of the evolution
of Sequence Stratigraphy.
Help section links to help on how to view images and a movies
of the site.
Intended
users of this site
• Undergraduate and graduate students of the
Earth Sciences of the University of South Carolina and other academic
institutions and organizations
• Professionals in geological surveys and related institutes
• Professionals in the oil and mining industry
• Young and/or mature scientists with a developing interest
in the history of the earth and the methods used to unravel its
origins
Purpose
of this site
Using a combination of linked text, images, and short
movies this page is designed to help the above users gain an instant
understanding of the principles of sequence stratigraphy. Often
persons exposed to this topic for the first time, even experienced
sedimentary stratigraphers, are confused with the extensive terminology
of this burgeoning science and the complex geometric response of
the sedimentary record to changing rates of sedimentation and relative
sea level (whether this latter is the product of world wide changes
in sea level [eustasy], or vertical tectonic movement). This web
site is designed to help navigate these common problems while helping
improve the users understanding of the sedimentary section of the
earths crust and the principles of this important earth science
discipline.
Uses
of sequence stratigraphy
Sequence stratigraphy is used with biostratigraphy
and tectonic analysis to correlate and analyze sedimentary rocks
from the perspective of geologic time. It enables the reconstructions
of paleogeography and the generation of models that predict the
distribution of sedimentary facies, particularly those associated
with aquifers, sediment bound ore bodies, and hydrocarbon reservoirs,
their source rocks and seals.
General
background
This
page examines sequence stratigraphy from is origins to its current
usage. Sequence stratigraphy is a tool which not only enables
geologists to examine and interpret depositional sequences but
also provides a framework to which practical hydrocarbon reservoir
and exploration models of sedimentary facies can be tied. Sequence
stratigraphy links lithostratigraphy to chrono-stratigraphy.
We provide definitions for terms used by sequence stratigraphers
and deal with the fundamental concepts of sequence stratigraphy
and provide practical methods of the interpretation of well logs
and seismic data.
We use the web to retrieve critical exploration and production
sequence stratigraphic models for professionals and also teach
sequence stratigraphy to novitiates. Such a medium provides relevant
data including images, text, links, movies of sedimentary simulations,
exercises, references, on line papers, geology students web pages,
and other data formats.Exercises and movies use hypothetical situations
and real-life examples based on outcrops, well log and seismic
cross sections are assembled to explain the interpretation of
complex sequence stratigraphic relationships. The Permian and
Arabian basins are used through out this site to demonstrate the
concepts of sequence stratigraphy.
HAD
ENOUGH? If not read on......
Overview
The traditional approach to the study of sequence
stratigraphy uses text books and published papers coupled with exercises
that involve paper print outs of seismic and well logs, and interaction
at a computer terminal with electronic displays of seismic and well
data. The web offers a number of media that have been previously
unavailable in these classic approaches, namely:
• Animated
cartoons demonstrating how gross sedimentary geometric relationships
develop in response to varying rates of change of sedimentation,
eustasy and tectonic movement
• Movies of sedimentary simulations
• Video narration
• Films on location
• 3D perspectives
• Simple interactive exercises
• The potential to simulate the development of geometric
relationships on line
• Links
• References
• On line papers
The advantage
of centralized web based data is that this globally accessible platform
provides a template for the complexities of sediment stratigraphy;
enables identification, testing, and modeling of sedimentary systems
and the sharing sequence stratigraphic data with others; enhances
the understanding of biostratigraphy and providing age constraints
for stratal geometries and sequence stratigraphic interpretations.
Our philosophy in developing this set of web pages that they will
help reduce time for understanding interpretations of seismic and
well data by helping identify and constrain key factors that control
sequence stratigraphic geometries and architectures, including rates
of sedimentation, eustatic sea level, and tectonics.
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