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Υ4206 - SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENTS AND PROCESSES

INSTRUCTORS

Lectures:

C. Drinia, Prof.

J. Panagiotopoulos, Assist. Prof.

G. Kontakiotis, Laboratory Teaching Staff

P. Makri, Laboratory Teaching Staff

Lab. Training:

C. Drinia, Prof.

J. Panagiotopoulos, Assist. Prof.

G. Kontakiotis, Laboratory Teaching Staff

E. Stathopoulou, Laboratory Teaching Staff

P. Makri, Laboratory Teaching Staff

O. Koumoutsakou, Laboratory Teaching Staff

eClass Webpage

COURSE KEY ELEMENTS

LEVEL / SEMESTER:

EQF level 6; NQF of Greece level 6 / 4th

TYPE:

General background (obligatory)

TEACHING ACTIVITIES - HOURS/WEEK  - ECTS:

Lectures-seminars & laboratory work and exercises, optional fieldwork
3 hours of lecturing,
2 hours of practical exercises per week,
6 ECTS credit

Prerequisites:

None

Language of instruction and Assessment:

Greek  (V.S.1 English)

Availability to Erasmus+ Students:

YES in English

COURSE CONTENT:

A. Lectures

  • Introduction - Basic concepts of Sedimentology, basic principles, and applications in the industrial use of sediments and sedimentary rocks, historical review of the development of the object of Sedimentology in Greece.
  • Physical Sedimentology - Sediment transport mechanisms - Basic types of deposition - Sediment classification - reference is made to the properties of sedimentary granules, to the methods of construction of granulometric distributions, to the use of basic concepts of descriptive statistics, to the processing and evaluation of statistical parameters of granulometric curves, and to the sediment classification. In addition, the modes of sediments transport and the various granules sources are examined, and an attempt is made to understand how sediments are transported and deposited. At the same time, the basic types of deposition, and the basic principles that govern the granulometric distributions, as well as their relation to the environmental analysis are mentioned.
  • Sedimentary Structures – Processes on sedimentary inorganic and biogenic structures, photographic representations, and graphs are given to acquire the necessary skills for the recognition during fieldwork of the basic processes that take place during the formation of sedimentary structures. The way and the processes of formation of the inorganic structures are described.
  • Sedimentation Environments and Sedimentary Phases - refers to sedimentation environments and sedimentary phases, as determined based on the physical, chemical and biological processes that take place during the formation, transport and deposition of sediments. In addition, the techniques and methods of description and interpretation of sedimentation environments and sedimentary phases and how they change spatio-temporally are included.
  • Continental Sedimentation Environments - (a) glacial, (b) aeolian, (c) alluvial, (d) riverine, and (e) lake.
  • Marginal marine/transitional sedimentary environments - (a) deltas, (b) lagoons, (c) coastal marshes, (d) dam islands, (e) tidal plains, and (f) estuaries. Mechanishms of formation and evolution of these coastal environments, the effect of climate, tectonics and geomorphological evolution of the area. As environmentally sensitive ecosystems and in most cases protected from international treaties, special reference is made to the impact of human activity and climate change on them. A variety of examples from Greece are described as case studies.
  • Marine sedimentary environments - sedimentary environments that develop in shallow marine environment and in the deep open sea, and which can be distinguished in coastal deposits, subwater fans, and pelagic depositional environments. Modern and past marine environments, worldwide but also from the Mediterranean Sea.
  • Volcanoclastic sedimentation - classification of volcanic sediments, pyroclastic flows and responsible mechanisms for their formation, volcanoclastic sequences, ignimbrite deposits and structures.
  • Carbonate sedimentation - factors that control carbonate sedimentation and its components, classification and microphases analysis of carbonate rocks, formation processes of carbonaceous sequences, carbonate sedimentation environments: neritic carbonate environments (low-slope carbonate platforms, tidal environments, sub-tidal environments, continental toe, and reefs), pelagic carbonate environments. Examples of neritic and pelagic environments, worldwide and within the Mediterranean basin.
  • Basic Principles of Sedimentary Sequence Stratigraphy: Description and analysis of the main stratigraphic surfaces during the cyclical changes of the sea level (transgressions and regressions).

B. Practical and Laboratory Exercises

  • EXERCISE 1: Triangular systems of sediments classification in lithological types.
  • EXERCISE 2: Granulometric analysis - Physical properties of sediments.
  • EXERCISE 3: Calculation of magnetic susceptibility.
  • EXERCISE 4: Sediment erosion thresholds.
  • EXERCISE 5: Gravitational movements of sediment masses (slips, clastic flows/mudflows, viscous flows: turbiditic currents).
  • EXERCISE 6: Sedimentary Structures.
  • EXERCISE 7: Carbonate sedimentation - Components and Classification of carbonate sequences

C. One-day fieldwork in Alepochori

Neogene sediments in the Megara basin, stratigraphic column of the Neogene marine, lagoonal and alluvial sedimentary phases, collection of samples, recording of on-site observations on sediments and construction of a lithostratigraphic column, and interpretation of the paleo-sedimentary environment.

LEARNING ACTIVITIES - TEACHING METHODS:

PLANNED LEARNING ACTIVITIES:

Activity Student’s effort
Lectures39 hours
Practical exercises26 hours
Fieldwork15 hours
Unguided Study27 hours
Prparation for laboratory progressive exams25 hours
Preparation for final Assessment )18 hours
Total student effort150 hours

ASSESSMENT METHODS AND CRITERIA

The assessment process is conducted in Greek (there is the possibility of examination in English for Erasmus students).

In the theoretical part of the course, grades are determined primarily through a written examination, which covers the following components (70% of the final grade):

  • Responses to critical questions related to the field exercise.

In the laboratory portion, the assessment of the lab section is based on individual practical projects and two written examinations, labeled as A & B Progress. These components collectively make up 30% of the final grade and encompass the following topics:

  • Methodology for examining the texture of classical sediments.
  • Identification of sedimentary structures and lithofacies.
  • Techniques for identifying, studying, and interpreting fractal and carbonate sedimentary sequences and processes

RECOMMENDED BIBLIOGRAPHY

Suggested Bibliography:

  • Mike Leeder,2011. Sedimentology and Sedimentary Basins: From Turbulence to Tectonics, 784 pages, Wiley- Blackwell, ISBN: 978-0-632-03627-1
  • Harold G. Reading,(Editor), 1996. Sedimentary Environments, Facies and Stratigraphy, 704 pages, Wiley, ISBN: 978-0-632-03627-1.
  • Gary Nickols, 2009. Sedimentology and Stratigraphy,432 pages Wiley-Blackwell, ISBN-13: 978-1405135924, ISBN-10:1405135921.
  • Catuneanu O. (2006). Principles of Sequence Stratigraphy, 1st Edition. Elsevier: The Netherlands
  • Flügel, E. Microfacies Analysis of Limestones: Analysis, Interpretation and Application; Springer Verlag: Berlin, Germany, 2004; p. 976.
  • Flügel, E. Microfacies Analysis of Carbonate Rocks; Springer Verlag: Berlin, Germany, 2010; p. 745.
  • Selley Richard C., 2000. Applied Sedimentology. Elsevier. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-636375-3.X5001-0
  • McLane, Michael, 1995. Sedimentology. Oxford University Press. p.448.

Related Scientific Journals:

 

 

 

1 V.S.: Visitor Students (e.g. ERASMUS)

STUDY: