Undergraduate Course: Sedimentology, Climate and Tectonics (EASC09061)
Course Outline
| School | School of Geosciences |
College | College of Science and Engineering |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 9 (Year 3 Undergraduate) |
Availability | Available to all students |
| SCQF Credits | 20 |
ECTS Credits | 10 |
| Summary | The aims of this course are to explore the relationship between long-term tectonic processes that determine the macro-geomorphology of the Earth's surface, the physical and chemical response to these processes, and how these are then preserved in the continental and marine stratigraphic records. The uplift and erosion of mountain ranges and rift systems reflect the primary sediment sources, with sedimentary basins and ocean floors being the sinks in which sediment is preserved. The macroscale controls on weathering, erosion, sediment transport and deposition will be studied. This includes analysis of the controls on sediment flux, grainsize and the chemical isotopic record of these processes in rivers, deserts, deltas, shallow and deep seas. The course is structured into 3 major components: 1. Uplift and subsidence of the earth's surface and the generation of sediment sources and sedimentary basins. 2. The physical processes that transport siliciclastic sediment around the globe and their preservation in the geological record. 3. The chemical and biological processes that determine carbonate and other types of sediments and their geological records.
The following course is recommended but not essential as a pre-requisite: The Dynamic Earth. For those who have not done this course, or components of the Rock Cycle, we will advise background reading. |
| Course description |
LECTURE CONTENT
Lectures 1-4 Hugh Sinclair, 5-8 Mikael Attal, 9-12 Hugh Sinclair; 13-20 Rachel Wood
1. Uplift and subsidence of the Earth's surface. Controls on rates of large-scale uplift of the Earth's surface including crustal thickening and mountain building, mantle flow and dynamic topography;
2. The formation of sedimentary basins - Rift/passive margins; East Africa, Corinth, Atlantic margin;
3. Sedimentary Basins - due to flexure of the lithosphere (e.g., Alpine and Himalayan forelands).
4. Sedimentary basins due to strike slip and intracontinental settings;
5. Source to sink and sediment routing concepts as a framework;
6. Controls on sediment yield and flux from source areas;
7. Grain size, grain shape and sedimentary textures;
8. Sediment transport through mountain rivers, sediment cascades during extreme events;
9. River systems - climate and tectonic controls on their long-term evolution;
10. Deltas - climate and tectonic controls on their long-term evolution;
11. Deep marine systems - climate and tectonic controls on their long-term evolution;
12. Sediment processes in the Anthropocene: Part 1 (Dams, irrigation, climate change);
13. How to understand the marine stratigraphic record: sequence stratigraphy;
14. Chemical sedimentary processes in the context of global tectonics and climate;
15. The modern carbonate factory;
16. Tropical coral reefs;
17. Deep water and terrestrial carbonates;
18. Diagenesis of carbonates;
19. Chemical sediments - evaporites, phosphates, and ironstones;
20. Sediment processes in the Anthropocene: Part 2 The changing carbon cycle.
PRACTICAL CONTENT
There will be x10 three-hour practicals, two of which will involve a half day field trip.
1 - Sands and Sandstones - their source and composition.
2 - Field trip to Siccar Point - Reconstruction of palaeo-topography and alluvial processes in basin forming context.
3 - Sediment flux from mountain ranges - analysis of data.
4 - Grain size changes, gravels and conglomerates.
5 - Field trip to Pease Bay or Skateraw. Sedimentary logging and palaeo-environmental reconstruction
6 - Data analysis from fieldwork
7 - Modern and ancient reef processes - construction and destruction;
8 - Diagenetic processes and products.
9 - Short practical on carbonates followed by PRACTICAL EXAM.
10 - Quantifying the changing carbonate record
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
|
Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Information for Visiting Students
| Pre-requisites | None |
| High Demand Course? |
Yes |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2025/26, Available to all students (SV1)
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Quota: 100 |
| Course Start |
Semester 1 |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
200
(
Lecture Hours 20,
Supervised Practical/Workshop/Studio Hours 24,
Fieldwork Hours 6,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 4,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
146 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
60 %,
Coursework
0 %,
Practical Exam
40 %
|
| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Practical exam during practical in week 9 (40%). Final 2 hour integrative exam (60%). |
| Feedback |
All practicals will comprise formative feedback components aimed at helping them tackle the practical exam. Practical 6 will involve marking each-others work and discussion of results in terms of modes of presentation of data. |
| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the rates and magnitudes of surface uplift and subsidence across the planet, and the consequence for the macrotopography and climate through time.
- Assess how tectonics and climate interact at the earth's surface to generate and accumulate sediment.
- Explore the main physical transport mechanisms and biochemical processes responsible for the distribution and preservation of carbonate and siliciclastic sediments.
- Acquire an understanding of how earth's sedimentary systems have evolved through geological time and how human's have impacted this system.
- Apply the techniques required to interpret field observations of the stratigraphic record in terms of sediment transport and depositional processes through Earth's history.
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Reading List
Burbank, D.W. and Anderson, R.S. 2011. Tectonic geomorphology. John Wiley & Sons.
Bridge, J. and Demicco, R. 2008. Earth surface processes, landforms and sediment deposits.
Leeder M.R. 1999. Sedimentology and sedimentary basins. Blackwells.
James, N.P. and Jones, B. 2015. The Origin of Carbonate Sedimentology Rocks. Wiley Works. |
Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
Group learning in teams during practicals; Critical analysis and discussion in field; data analysis and statistics. |
| Keywords | Stratigraphy,Tectonics,Sedimentology,Surface Processes,Carbonates,Siliciclastics |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Prof Hugh Sinclair
Tel: (0131 6)50 5931
Email: Hugh.Sinclair@ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Mr Johan De Klerk
Tel: (0131 6)50 7010
Email: johan.deklerk@ed.ac.uk |
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