Sedimentary Rocks in the Field

Maurice Edwin Tucker is a leading British sedimentologist, specialising in the field of carbonate sedimentology, more commonly known as limestones. From 1993 to 2011 he held the position of Professor of Geological Sciences at the University of Durham, and from 1998 to 2011 was Master of University College, Durham.

• Preface ixAcknowledgements xi1 Introduction 11.1 Tools of the Trade 11.2 Other Tools for the Field 31.3 Use of GPS (Global Positioning System) in Sedimentary Studies 41.4 Safety in the Field and General Guidance for Fieldwork 52 Field Techniques 92.1 What to Look For 92.2 The Approach 112.3 Field Notes 122.4 Graphic Logs 132.5 The Logging of Cores 192.6 Lithofacies Codes 202.7 Collecting Specimens 222.8 Presentation of Results 222.9 The Way-Up of Sedimentary Strata 242.10 Stratigraphic Practice 263 Sedimentary Rock Types 353.1 Principal Lithological Groups 353.2 Sandstones 383.3 Conglomerates and Breccias 443.4 Mudrocks 463.5 Limestones 473.6 Evaporites 593.7 Ironstones 633.8 Cherts 653.9 Phosphate Deposits (Phosphorites) 673.10 Organic-Rich Deposits 683.11 Volcaniclastic Deposits 704 Sedimentary Rock Texture 854.1 Introduction 854.2 Sediment Grain-Size and Sorting 854.3 Grain Morphology 894.4 Sediment Fabric 914.5 Textural Maturity 944.6 Texture of Conglomerates and Breccias 954.7 Induration and Degree of Weathering 974.8 Colour of Sedimentary Rocks 995 Sedimentary Structures and Geometry of Sedimentary Deposits 1055.1 Introduction 1055.2 Erosional Structures 1055.3 Depositional Structures 1115.4 Depositional Structures of Limestones (Including Dolomites) 1455.5 Post-Depositional Sedimentary Structures 1575.6 Biogenic Sedimentary Structures 1725.7 The Geometry of Sedimentary Deposits and Lateral Facies Changes 1876 Fossils in the Field 1936.1 Introduction 1936.2 Fossil Distribution and Occurrence 1976.3 Fossil Associations and Diversity 2026.4 Skeletal Preservation (Taphonomy) and Diagenesis 2067 Palaeocurrent Analysis 2117.1 Introduction 2117.2 Palaeocurrent Measurements 2117.3 Structures for Palaeocurrent Measurement 2177.4 Presentation of Results and Calculation of Vector Means 2207.5 Interpretation of the Palaeocurrent Pattern 2228 What Next? Facies Identification and Sequence Analysis 2258.1 Introduction 2258.2 Facies Analysis 2258.3 Facies, Facies Models and Depositional Environments 2278.4 Cycle Stratigraphy and Sequence Stratigraphy 228Recommended Reading 263Index 270

"All in all, this is a fine and improved field guide for the geoscientist, befitting a fourth edition." (Environmental & Engineering Geoscience, 4 November 2012)