GEOL 440

Sedimentology and stratigraphy:

processes, environments and
deposits

Lecture 5: Bedforms and

sedimentary structures in
unidirectional flows

movie

Today: UNIDIRCTIONAL FLOW BEDFORMS

character?
formation?
flow type?
palaeoenvironment?

Uses of
sedimentary
structures
Rogers flute image

depositional environments
palaeoflow - e.g.
magnitude/direction
way-up of beds
affects porosity &
permeability (important for
diagenesis/fluid flow)

Depositional Sedimentary
Structures
Bedform: a morphological feature
generated by sediment movement

Depositional Sedimentary
Structures - Unidirectional flows
Bedform
phase
diagram

Ripples & dunes:

flow transverse bedforms
Ripples: height <~3cm (height
independent of flow depth);
wavelength ~ cm - dm
Dunes: height > ~4 cm (height
dependent on flow depth);
wavelength dm - m

Asymmetrical bedforms
steep
leeside

lower-angle
stoss side

ripples
Leeside: angle-ofrepose of sediment
(~20-35)
Stoss side: (~5-10)

flow

coarser
sand in
trough

flow

lee
stoss

sinuous crestline

Flow over transverse bedforms

Transverse bedforms (ripples/dunes):

terminology

Bridge and Demicco, 5.35

Transverse bedforms (ripples/dunes):

planform shape

deposits: cross-stratification

but to get preservation you need

aggradation

An ESSENTIAL and SUPERB

and ADDICTIVE! website:
http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/seds/bedforms
Quicktime Rubin 2D la

deposits: cross-stratification

planar cross-stratification

trough cross-stratification..here a desert dune

planar & trough cross-stratification

Bridge and Demicco, 5.60

..what we see preserved is a function of

migration rate and aggradation rate

and stoss
side
deposits
( aggradation
rate high)
leesides

dunes

erosion
(bounding)
surfaces
between dune
cross-sets

planar crossstratification

cross-stratification: set terminology

Lindholm - 1.17 & HO

the transition to uspb

Bridge and Demicco, 5.64

and eventually an upper-stage plane bed

upper-stage plane beds

uspb in a flume.

but on uspbs

upper-stage plane beds: in section

parallel laminae
(mm thick; cm-m long)

uspb laminae - formation by bedwaves

but turbulent
impacts on bed exist
to produce primary
current lineations
(pcl)

upper-stage plane beds: in plan

primary current lineation

parallel to flow
(mm wide; cm long)

antidunes

Note:
lower stage plane beds
only for sandswhat about
gravels?

Transverse ribs

Pebble Clusters

Pebble Clusters

..and bedform superimposition

flow

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250

200

150

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50

Things to take away from this lecture.

The BEDFORM PHASE diagram
2D and 3D transverse bedforms/structures
Bedform transitions
Major flow processes
Think of palaeoflow directions

Reading:

B&D: Chapter 5, p.157-192

Leeder: Chapter 7
Collinson and Thompson
Boggs Chapter 4, 74-92

Rubins websiteyoull be hooked!