The Geology of Stratigraphic Sequences

Contents

Part I

THE EMERGENCE OF MODERN CONCEPTS

1 HISTORICAL AND METHODOLOGICAL BACKGROUND

1.1 introduction

1.2 Methodologies in geology

1.2.2 The significance of sequence stratigraphy

1.2.3 Data and argument in Geology

1.2.4 The hermeneutic circle and the emergence of sequence stratigraphy

1.2.5 Paradigms and exemplars

1.3 The development of descriptive stratigraphy

1.3.1 The growth of modern concepts

1.3.2 Do stratigraphic units have "time" significance?

1.3.3 The development of modern chronostratigraphy

1.4 The continual search for a "pulse of the earth"

1.5 Problems and research trends: the current status

1.6 Current literature

1.7 Stratigraphic terminology

2 THE BASIC SEQUENCE MODEL

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Elements of the model

2.2.1 Accommodation and supply

2.2.2 Stratigraphic architecture

2.2.3 Depositional systems and systems tracts

2.3 Sequence models in clastic and carbonate settings

2.3.1 Marine clastic depositional systems and systems tracts

2.3.2 Nonmarine depositional systems

2.3.3 Carbonate depositional systems

2.3.3.1 Breaks in sedimentation in carbonate environments

2.3.3.2 Platform carbonates: catch-up versus keep-up

2.4 Sequence definitions

Figures

3 OTHER METHODS FOR THE STRATIGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF CYCLES OF BASE-LEVEL CHANGE

3.1 Introduction

3.2 Facies cycles

3.3 Areas and volumes of stratigraphic units

3.4 Hypsometric curves

3.5 Backstripping

3.6 Sea-level estimation from paleoshorelines and other fixed points

3.7 Documentation of metre-scale cycles

3.8 Integrated tectonic-stratigraphic analysis

Figures

Part II

THE STRATIGRAPHIC FRAMEWORK

4 The major types of stratigraphic cycle <4.1 Introduction

4.2 Sequence hierarchy

4.3 The supercontinent cycle

4.4 Cycles with episodicities of tens of millions of years

4.5 Cycles with million-year episodicities

4.6 Cycles with episodicities of less than one million years

Tables

Figures

5 CYCLES WITH EPISODICITIES OF TENS TO HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF YEARS

5.1 Climate, sedimentation and biogenesis

5.2 The supercontinent cycle

5.2.1 The tectonic-stratigraphic model

5.2.2 The Phanerozoic record

5.3 Cycles with episodicities of tens of millions of years

5.3.1 Regional to intercontinental correlations

5.3.2 Tectonostratigraphic sequences

5.4 Main conclusions

Figures

6 CYCLES WITH MILLION-YEAR EPISODICITIES

6.1 Continental margins

6.1.1 Clastic platforms and margins

6.1.2 Carbonate cycles of platforms and craton margins

6.1.3 Mixed carbonate-clastic successions

6.2 Foreland basins

6.2.1 Foreland basin of the North American Western Interior

6.2.2 Other foreland basins

6.3 Arc-related basins

6.3.1 Forearc basins

6.3.2 Backarc basins

6.4 Cyclothems and mesothems

6.6 Conclusions

Figures

7.1 Introduction

7.2 Neogene clastic cycles of continental margins

7.2.1 The Gulf Coast basin of the United States

7.2.2 Wanganui Basin, North Island, New Zealand

7.2.3 Other examples of Neogene high-frequency cycles

7.2.4 The deep-marine record

7.3 Pre-Neogene marine carbonate and clastic cycles

7.4 Late Paleozoic cyclothems

7.5 Lacustrine clastic and chemical rhythms

7.6 High-frequency cycles in foreland basins

7.7 Main conclusions

Figures

Part III

MECHANISMS

8 SUMMARY OF SEQUENCE-GENERATING MECHANISMS

Figures

9 LONG-TERM EUSTASY AND EPEIROGENY

9.1 Mantle processes and dynamic topography

9.2 Supercontinent cycles

9.3 Cycles with episodicities of tens of millions of years

9.3.1 Eustasy

9.3.2 Dynamic topography and epeirogeny

9.3.3 The origin of Sloss sequences

9.4 Main conclusions

Figures

10 TECTONIC MECHANISMS

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Rifting and thermal evolution of divergent plate margins

10.2.1 Basic geophysical models and their implications for sea-level change

10.2.2 The origins of some tectonostratigraphic sequences

10.3 Tectonism on convergent plate margins and in collision zones

10.3.1 Magmatic arcs and subduction

10.3.2 Rates of uplift and subsidence on convergent margins

10.3.3 Tectonism versus eustasy in foreland basins

10.3.3.1 The North American Western Interior Basin;

10.3.3.2 The Appalachian foreland basin.

10.3.3.3 Pyrenean and Himalayan basins

10.4 Intraplate stress

10.4.1 The pattern of global stress

10.4.2 In-plane stress as a control of sequence architecture

10.4.3 In-plane stress and regional histories of sea-level change

10.5 Basement control

10.6 Sediment supply and the importance of big rivers

10.7 Environmental change

10.8 Main conclusions

Figures

11.1 Introduction

11.2 The nature of Milankovitch processes

11.2.1 Components of orbital forcing

11.2.2 Basic climatology

11.2.3 Variations with time in orbital periodicities

11.2.4 Isostasy and geoid changes

11.2.5 Nonglacial Milankovitch cyclicity

11.2.6 The nature of the cyclostratigraphic data base

11.3 The geologic record

11.3.1 The sensitivity of the earth to glaciation

11.3.2 The Cenozoic record

11.3.3 Glacioeustasy in the Mesozoic?

11.3.4 Late Paleozoic cyclothems

11.4 Distinguishing between orbital forcing and tectonic driving mechanisms

11.5 Main conclusions

Figures

CHRONOSTRATIGRAPHY AND CORRELATION: AN ASSESSMENT OF THE CURRENT STATUS OF "GLOBAL EUSTASY"

12 THE CONCEPT OF THE GLOBAL CYCLE CHART

12.1 From Vail to Haq

12.2 The two-paradigm problem

12.3 Defining and deconstructing global eustasy and complexity texts

12.4 Invisible colleges and the advancement of knowledge

12.5 The global-eustasy paradigm-a revolution in trouble?

12.6 Conclusions

Figures

13.1 Introduction

13.1 Hierarchies of time and the completeness of the stratigraphic record

13.2 Main conclusions

14.1 Introduction

14.2 Chronostratigraphic models and the testing of correlations

14.3 Chronostratigraphic meaning of unconformities

14.4 A correlation experiment

14.5 Testing for eustasy: the way forward

14.5.1 Introduction

14.5.2 The dating and correlation of stratigraphic events: potential sources of uncertainty

14.5.2.1 Identification of sequence boundaries

14.5.2.2 Chronostratigraphic meaning of unconformities

14.5.2.3 Determination of the biostratigraphic framework

14.5.2.4 The problem of incomplete biostratigraphic recovery.

14.5.2.5 Diachroneity of the biostratigraphic record.

14.5.3 The value of quantitative biostratigraphic methods

14.5.4 Assessment of relative biostratigraphic precision

14.5.5 Correlation of biozones with the global stage framework

14.5.6 Assignment of absolute ages and the importance of the modern time scale

14.6 Modern tests of the global eustasy paradigm

14.6.1 Cretaceous-Paleogene sequence stratigraphy of New Jersey

14.6.2 Other modern high-resolution studies of Cretaceous-Paleogene sequence stratigraphy

14.6.3 Sequence stratigraphy of the Neogene

14.6.4 The growing evidence for glacioeustasy in the Mesozoic and Cenozoic

14.7 Cyclostratigraphy and Astrochronology

14.7.1 Historical background of cyclostratigraphy

14.7.2 The building of a time scale

14.8 Main conclusions

Tables

Figures

15 FUTURE DIRECTIONS

15.1 Research methodology

15.2 Remaining questions

15.2.1 Future advances in cyclostratigraphy?

15.2.2 Tectonic mechanisms of sequence generation.

15.2.3 Orbital forcing

15.2.4 The codification of sequence nomenclature

Figures

From the reviews of the second edition:

"In this new edition ... Miall (Univ. of Toronto) examines in detail the results of Vail and his followers, showing where he agrees with those results and where he feels that the Vail/Exxon model has gone too far in extrapolating from these results. ... A must-read book for those actively involved in stratigraphy. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Graduate students and above." (C. W. Dimmick, Choice, Vol. 48 (5), January, 2011)

"The considerably expanded and updated second edition of this book is subdivided into four parts ... . These four parts contain 15 chapters altogether. ... the book is a most welcome update and overview of the rapidly developing field of sequence stratigraphy. All students and professional geologists working in basin analysis will certainly like to have it available in their private libraries. Considering the relatively low price, I can therefore wholeheartedly recommend it." (T. J. A. Reijers, The Sedimentary Record,January, 2011)