Recent Developments In Carbonate Sedimentology In Central Europe

In the field of sedimentary research, ever increasing emphasis has been put on the investigations of carbonates and carbonate rocks during the past 30 years. It is thus quite natural that in Central Europe - where c1assical carbonate in vestigations have already been carried out 100 years ago - numerous scholars turned to the study of this sediment type. On the occasion of a visiting professorship of G. M. FRIEDMAN at the Labora torium für Sedimentforschung, Heidelberg University, a seminar on "Recent Developments of Carbonate Sedimentology in Central Europe" was held in July 1967. 90 persons involved in carbonate investigations participated, and 35 lectures were held. The present volume contains 30 papers summarizing the different subjects of the seminar. Of course these contributions only represent a small part of the work actually performed in the field of carbonate research in Central Europe. We believe, however, that they give a general survey of the work and the working methods employed in the different sectors of carbonate investigations. One of the purposes of the present symposium is to acquaint the English speaking countries with our recent results which usually - due to the language barrier - are not accessible to them.

This book provides an up-to-date compilation of the latest research on the petrography, facies, paleonvironmental significance and economic aspects of continental carbonates. The overall organization of the book first emphasizes the descriptive aspects and processes operating on carbonate deposits in greatly varied settings, and then considers applications for basin analysis, as well as economic and historical aspects. This volume will be a valuable tool for graduate and postgraduate students as well as for experienced researchers. The second part (volume 62 in this series) will deal with the geochemistry, diagenesis and applications of carbonates in continental settings. Covering the greatly varied aspects of carbonate deposits from continental settings deposits Clear and easy to follow organization Up to date information, so readers can find references from the classic literature to the most recent research

This is a book for beginners. Not geological beginners, because an introductory course in paleontology and some knowledge of the petrographic microscope is assumed, but for beginners in the study of the petrography of fossil constituents in sedimentary rocks. Fossils are studied for various reasons: 1) to provide chron ologic (time) frameworks, 2) to delineate rock units and ancient environments, or 3) to understand the past development (evolu tion) of living plants and animals. All of these uses may be at tained through petrographic studies of thin sections of fossils embedded in sedimentary rocks. Some knowledge of the appear ance of fossils in thin section is also fundamental for general stratigraphic studies, biofacies analyses, and is even useful in studying some metamorphic rocks. Commonly, fossils are essen tial for the delineation of carbonate rock types (facies or bio facies). We have written this book for sedimentary petrologists and stratigraphers, who routinely encounter fossils as part of their studies but who are not specialists in paleontology, and for students who are seeking a brief review and an introduction to the literature of the petrography of fossiliferous sedimentary rocks. Although experienced paleontologists may be appalled by the many generalized statements on size, shape, and principal fossil characters recited herein, we counter that we have had some success in introducing non-paleontologically oriented geologists to the use and identification of fossil constituents without using excessive paleontological terminology and detailed systematics.

Coated grains have always attracted attention, at first of naturalists, and later of geologists, and the interest in these peculiar bodies was re lated both to their intriguing form and their significance in facies inter pretation and sedimentology and to their relevance to accumulations of hydrocarbons and other mineral deposits. This resulted in numerous publications on this subject, and the intention of this volume is to sum marize the present state of knowledge on coated grains. The idea of the book was to unite some general papers with papers reporting case studies of both recent and ancient coated grains. The organization of the book follows this intention. The papers presented in this volume have been invited by the editor; the theme of the book merits a few words of personal history. The development of studies of coated grains during the last two decades has not only resulted in a great increase in knowledge of recent and ancient environments of coated grain formation, but also numerous important and controversial questions of classification, environmental significance, mineralogical composition etc. of ancient coated grains have arisen. To answer these questions, in 1978 I started the study of many ancient and recent occurrences of coated grains at the Institut fUr Geologie, Ruhr-UniversiUH Bochum, following the invitation of Hans Fiichtbauer and sponsored by the Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung.

Sedimentology has seen many significant advances and changes over the past 40 years, ranging from facies modelling to sequence stratigraphy; chemostratigraphy to basin analysis; and the integration of studies of physical, chemical and, increasingly, biological processes in the interpretation and prediction of sedimentary environments and products. The subject is becoming ever more interdisciplinary and applied, and now has far more links to other physical sciences. Research and debate are continuing afresh as we move into this new interdisciplinary phase and promise many developments and increased uses of our subject. Now seemed a good time to publish a series of review papers concerning some key current areas of research. We hope that these papers will provide comprehensive starting points for those wishing to become acquainted with an area, act as stimuli for debate, and provide awareness and ideas for future research avenues. No issue of this sort can, of course, ever be truly comprehensive in its coverage: these reviews concern only selected snippets from the wide scope of sedimentology and each has, of necessity, been selective in its own area.

Carbonate Microfabrics is the first attempt to bring together in one reference the application of microfabric analysis to the solution of problems in the fields of geology, geophysics and geotechnique. This book, the result of a symposium and workshop on carbonate microfabrics, explores the relationship of microfabrics to fundamental properties and processes in carbonates. Carbonate Microfabrics will be of particular interest to geologists and is intended to be of general interest to researchers in such related fields as geochemistry, geophysics, and geotechnique.

The origin, dispersal, deposition and burial of natural sediment grains is the central concern of sedimentology. The subject is truly inter disciplinary, commands the attention of Earth scientists, is of consider able interest to fluid dynamicists and civil engineers, and it finds widespread practical applications in industry. Sedimentology may be approached from two viewpoints: a descrip tive approach, as exemplified by traditional petrography and facies analysis, and a quantitative approach through the physical and chemical sciences. Both approaches are complementary and must be used in tandem if the recent remarkable progress in the field is to be sustained. This text aims to introduce such a combined approach to senior undergraduate students, graduate students and to interested professional Earth scientists. Thus the many descriptive diagrams in the text are counterbalanced by the use of basic physical and chemical reasoning through equations. I have tried to construct a text that follows logically on from the origin of sediment grains through fluid flow, transport, deposition and diagenesis (the change from sediment to rock). The text has been written assuming that some basic previous instruction has been given in the Earth sciences and in general physics and chemistry. Certain important derivations are given in appendices. I have avoided advanced mathematical treatment since it is my opinion that recogni tion of the basic physical or chemical basis to a problem is more important to the student than the formal mathematical reduction of poorly gathered data. As T. H.

Knowledge of the principles and methods of petroleum sedimentology is essential for oil and gas exploration and exploitation. This book is designed as an introductory text for students in petroleum geology and applied sedimentology as well as a useful companion for advanced technicians, explorationists, geophysicists and petroleum engineers. Source rock, lithology and type of trap define the quality of a hydrocarbon accumulation. This interrelationship is exemplified by seven case histories worldwide (NW Europe, Saudi Arabia, U.S.A., Mexico, CIS, China). Moreover, successful exploitation and enhanced oil recovery often depend on an adequate knowledge of the sedimentology of a reservoir. Photographs illustrate macroscopic and microscopic aspects of source rocks as well as reservoir sandstones and limestones that are most important for hydrocarbon exploration. A comprehensive list of references encourages further study.