Course Overview:
Sed/Strat is a 4-credit course including lecture and labs. We also have 2 field trip opportunities in Ohio to view Paleozoic sedimentary sections. Sediments and sedimentary rocks are the primary repository of information about processes, conditions, environments, and life at the earth’s surface, in both the present and the past. In addition, sediments and sedimentary rocks are, or hold, a variety of important resources. The goal of this course is to develop the knowledge base and observational skills needed to 1) describe sediments/sedimentary rocks, and 2) interpret processes of deposition and their environmental implications from the sedimentary record.
In this course, we will begin by becoming familiar with the types of data and the classification schemes used to name sediments and common sedimentary rocks. We will then discuss the various approaches to stratigraphy, i.e., the various approaches used to subdivide the sedimentary record. Because many types of sediment are deposited by moving fluids, we will discuss the general characteristics of fluid flow, particle transport and deposition, and their effects on an underlying bed. With this background, we will then be able to discuss “depositional environments”, which are geographic settings characterized by specific depositional processes and their sedimentary products.
Picture: The Sed./strat class visited the Glen Helen State Preserve in Yellow Springs, Ohio on a Saturday excursion to view Paleozoic sedimentary sections in SW Ohio. The class is sitting around Yellow Springs where the town gets its name.
Photo above. Sep. 29th, 2020: earth science students enrolled in the Sedimentation & Stratigraphy course work on a newly designed laboratory assignment during the 2020 fall semester. The exercise takes advantage of Orton Hall’s unique exterior of natural Ohio formations arranged in stratigraphic order and provides a valuable outdoor and hands-on experience. (Photo Derek Sawyer).
Oct. 10th, 2020: earth science students enrolled in the Sedimentation & Stratigraphy course volunteer to spend their Saturday examining fossil-rich outcrops in Caesar Creek State Park in SW Ohio while observing social distancing and mask guidelines. This field site allows students to observe some of the same formations used in Orton Hall and also providing a sense of camaraderie and break from virtual classes (Photo Derek Sawyer).