| Unit name | Sedimentology |
|---|---|
| Unit code | EASC20007 |
| Credit points | 10 |
| Level of study | I/5 |
| Teaching block(s) |
Teaching Block 1A (weeks 1 - 6) |
| Unit director | Professor. Phillips |
| Open unit status | Not open |
| Units you must take before you take this one (pre-requisite units) |
Mandatory Year 1 units of an Environmental Geoscience, Geology, Geophysics or Palaeontology and Evolution programme at Bristol. |
| Units you must take alongside this one (co-requisite units) |
n/a |
| Units you may not take alongside this one |
none |
| School/department | School of Earth Sciences |
| Faculty | Faculty of Science |
Why is this unit important?
This unit will develop an understanding of the processes by which sedimentary particles are transported and deposited, how these deposits are stacked to form sedimentary sequences, and what transformations occur after deposition to form sedimentary rocks. We will investigate many of the processes occurring at the surface of the planet as a result of the interaction of rocks and loose sediment with water and air, and will examine the way in which relative sea-level, climate and tectonics control the accumulation of sedimentary sequences. The chemical and physical processes by which loose sediment is turned into rock and rock properties are altered during burial, collectively termed diagenesis, are explored. The subject areas covered will take you from eroding mountain belts, down rivers, via estuaries and deltas to the deep oceans, through arid deserts and tropical seas and down into the diagenetic environment.
By building on your understanding of modern environments, you will be able to unfold the evolution of sedimentary sequences and hence the history of sedimentary basins. The difficulties and uncertainties involved in such interpretations will become apparent as the course proceeds.
How does this unit fit into your programme of study?
The unit builds and expands upon the Level C/4 Dynamic Surface and Surface Materials sections in the first year Geology units, taking a process-based approach to sedimentology. The study and interpretation of sedimentary sequences is fundamental to many other branches of Earth Science, and to our understanding of the history of the Earth. The formalised methods for propagating uncertainty through calculations and learning around how to use computation tools (code or spreadsheets) for repeated calculations are foundational for all later quantitative units in the programme.
An overview of content
You will learn about microscale and macroscale sedimentary processes, and the relationship between these will be explored through detailed sedimentology fieldwork. The microscale processes include the fundamentals of fluid motion, how that affects particle settling and transport and the creation of sedimentary bedforms, how flows of different particle concentration create distinctive outcrop features, and how sedimentary rocks form and undergo chemical changes. The macroscale processes include how regional geological structures, climate and tectonics affect sedimentary rock formation, and thus how field sedimentary logging provides tools to interpret past depositional environments and climatic conditions.
How will students, personally, be different as a result of the unit?
On successful completion of the unit you will be able to:
Learning Outcomes
The unit learning activities will comprise
Tasks which help you learn and prepare you for summative tasks (formative):
You will conduct practical exercises using rock samples, methods for interpreting large scale field data, and methods for making sediment transport calculations including revising how to propagate uncertainty through calculations. Practical work is not assessed, and verbal feedback will be given during or after the practical class. Written feedback on each practical exercise will be given via Blackboard after each practical class.
Tasks which count towards your unit mark (summative):
Coursework components consist of a sedimentary log and a timeline (each 1 page), supplemented by a report on calculations made from the field data (2 pages). Together these constitute 50% of the total unit mark.
The examination will consist of a two-hour written paper with two compulsory multipart questions – one will comprise fundamental sediment transport calculations and the other will address aspects of palaenvironmental and palaeodepositional interpretation.
When assessment does not go to plan
The University’s Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes outline the requirements for progression on and completion of degree programmes. Students who miss an exam and self-certify their absence may complete a supplementary assessment for an uncapped mark as if taken for the first time. Resit and supplementary exams are habitually taken during the reassessment period later in the summer. As far as is practicable and appropriate, resit and supplementary assessments will be in the same form as the original assessment but will always test the same intended learning outcomes as the initial missed or failed assessment. In the case of group work, failure by a whole group would result in an appropriate group task being set and reassessed for all group members. If a single student fails a group assessment or is unable to participate for an evidenced reason, an individual reassessment will be set.
There are rigorous and fair procedures in place to support students who are ill or whose studies and assessments are affected by exceptional circumstances.
If this unit has a Resource List, you will normally find a link to it in the Blackboard area for the unit. Sometimes there will be a separate link for each weekly topic.
If you are unable to access a list through Blackboard, you can also find it via the Resource Lists homepage. Search for the list by the unit name or code (e.g. EASC20007).
How much time the unit requires
Each credit equates to 10 hours of total student input. For example a 20 credit unit will take you 200 hours
of study to complete. Your total learning time is made up of contact time, directed learning tasks,
independent learning and assessment activity.
See the University Workload statement relating to this unit for more information.
Assessment
The Board of Examiners will consider all cases where students have failed or not completed the assessments required for credit.
The Board considers each student's outcomes across all the units which contribute to each year's programme of study. For appropriate assessments, if you have self-certificated your absence, you will normally be required to complete it the next time it runs (for assessments at the end of TB1 and TB2 this is usually in the next re-assessment period).
The Board of Examiners will take into account any exceptional circumstances and operates
within the Regulations and Code of Practice for Taught Programmes.
