11.4: Activity 11C- Identifying Depositional Environments
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- 14833
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Use the browser version of Google Earth to explore depositional environments. For each locality, think about the types of sediments that are accumulating, the types of weathering that would occur, as well as the presence of any sedimentary structures.
- Search for 39°05'52.5"N 84°30'56.2"E and zoom out to an eye altitude (camera) of 15 miles. The large-scale structures in this sedimentary environment are asymmetrical ripples (at this scale and size they are known as dunes). Zoom in and out and examine the sedimentary environment. What type of sedimentary environment is this?
- What type of weathering do you think is most prominent in this sedimentary environment?
- Mechanical weathering from a current
- Dissolution
- Frost Wedging
- Hydrolysis
- Study the large dunes in this image (zoom out to an eye altitude of ~400 miles). These structures can indicate the direction that the wind is blowing. What is the predominant wind direction in this area? (Hint: toggle between 2D and 3D to get a better perspective).
- north to south
- south to north
- east to west
- west to east
- Search for 64°01'03.6"N 16°52'56.6"W and zoom out to an eye altitude (camera) of ~25,000 ft. What type of sedimentary environment is this?
- Which type of weathering do you think is most prominent in this sedimentary environment?
- Physical weathering
- Chemical weathering
- Provide a specific example of the weathering you type you selected.
- Describe the likely appearance (rounding, sorting, size) of the sediment here?
- When the sediment you see today lithifies, what type of sedimentary rock would you expect to be most abundant in this area?
- Search for 36°07'31.4"N 116°45'34.7"W and zoom out to an eye altitude (Camera) of 23,000 ft. What type of sedimentary environment is this?
- What type of sediment would you expect to find in this depositional environment?
- Mostly mature clastic sediments with some biochemical and chemical sedimentary sediments
- Mostly biochemical and chemical sedimentary sediments with some mature clastic sediments
- Exclusively organic sediments
- Exclusively biochemical sediments
- Exclusively immature clastic sediments
- Search for 44°42'17.0"N 1°05'23.9"W and zoom out to an eye altitude (Camera) of ~17 miles. Notice the depth of this shallow bay (Arcachon Bay, France). This bay dries out at times and later greatly expands in size daily. What sedimentary structure(s) would you likely find in this area because of this?
- What type of sedimentary environment is this?
- What type of trace fossils would you expect to find at this location?
- Search for 36°40'51.6"N 117°33'22.5"W and zoom out to an eye altitude (Camera) of ~33,000 ft. What type of sedimentary environment is this?
- Which type(s) of sedimentary rocks and minerals would likely form here?
- Search for 20°20'23.9"S 150°38'29.1"E. Zoom out far enough to notice where you are in the world, then zoom back in to an eye altitude (Camera) of ~20 miles. What type of sedimentary environment is this?
- Think about the origin of this marine formation and consider the latitude to assess climatic conditions. What is the most abundant type of rock you would expect to form in this sedimentary environment?
- If the sea level dropped 1,000 feet and this sedimentary environment stopped being built and began to break down, what type of weathering would be most likely to occur on these rocks?
- Fracturing from the addition or subtraction of pressure
- Dissolution
- Frost Wedging
- Hydrolysis
- Search for 31°00'43.6"N 81°25'40.9"W and zoom out to an eye altitude (Camera) of 1,500 ft. What type of sedimentary environment is this?
- What type of sediment would you expect to find in this depositional environment?
- Mostly mature clastic sediments with some biochemical and chemical sedimentary sediments
- Mostly biochemical and chemical sedimentary sediments with some mature clastic sediments
- Exclusively organic sediments
- Exclusively biochemical sediments
- Exclusively immature clastic sediments
- Search for 36°53'02.3"N 122°01'12.1"W and zoom to an eye altitude (Camera) of 33 mi. Make sure you can still see Moss Landing in your frame. What landform is located here?
- Consider the placement of this landform. Which depositional environment is represented here?
- Which geologic process likely formed this landform?