Questions tagged [sedimentology]

Sedimentology encompasses the study of modern sediments such as sand, mud, and clay, and the processes that result in their deposition.

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What is the difference between eluvium and alluvium?

I was reading about kimberlite on Wikipedia and it mentioned eluvium. I've heard of alluvium, alluvial fans, alluvial deposits, etc. However, when I looked up eluvium, it sounded exactly like alluvium....
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7 votes
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In an Earth-like planet with no history of carbon-based life forms, would there be limestone?

The extent of my understanding of limestone is about what Wikipedia says at the very top of the page: Limestone is a sedimentary rock, composed mainly of skeletal fragments of marine organisms such ...
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Is there sand in Antarctica?

There's a song "Blizzard's Never Seen the Desert's Sand". Given Antarctica is a desert, someone questioned the title's validity. BUT is there sand in Antarctica? I'd imagine yes as it's a pretty ...
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13 votes
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Formation of limestone without living organisms?

Limestones are formed mostly from skeletal fragments of marine organisms. However, calcium carbonate dissolves naturally in water, so the living organisms are not the only source of it in water. Is ...
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Determining a rock age using volcanic ash layer

I wanted to know if volcanic ash deposits found in the geologic record are most useful in correlating the age of rock layers if the volcanic ash was distributed over a large area during a short period ...
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10 votes
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How much does sea level rise due to sediment deposition?

There has been a lot of noise in the news in the last few days because Congressman Mo Brooks from Alabama claimed that erosion played a role in rising sea levels. Quoting from Science magazine: ...
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No sedimentation without water?

I just found a video on sedimentary rock formation, and to my surprise, it stated that this only could occur in water! I always thought that any layer of matter, if buried deep underneath more matter, ...
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3 votes
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Why does the sandstone in Yehliu and other scenic coastal northern Taiwan look like vanilla fudge swirl ice cream?

I had the photos below handy from a recent trip, but in other areas of northern taiwan you can see very long, thin sheets of this dark, rust-like "chocolate swirl" separating very large, ...
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Are fossil fuels really formed from fossils?

Hydrocarbons have been found in great abundance elsewhere in the solar system where there is unlikely to be evidence for life past or present. No fossils involved. Petroleum and natural gas wells ...
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Are carbonated stalactite deposits sedimentary deposits?

Acording to britanica.com: sedimentary rock, rock formed at or near Earth’s surface by the accumulation and lithification of sediment (detrital rock) or by the precipitation from solution at normal ...
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