Comments on: Theoretical Stratigraphy #1: Wheeler’s baselevel

By: Bob Schwartz

Bob Schwartz — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 18:36:34 +0000

Brian,

Could you send me a pdf of the Wheeler (1964). It would be much appreciated.

thanks,

Bob

By: Why I Blog: Brian Romans (Clastic Detritus)

Why I Blog: Brian Romans (Clastic Detritus) — Wed, 23 Jun 2010 16:19:53 +0000

[...] time writing, reviewing, and reading journal articles. I write posts about papers I’ve authored, brief reviews of classic influential papers, and include a monthly list of papers I’m reading. Every once in a while some great discussions [...]

By: Andrew Hollenbach

Andrew Hollenbach — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 20:08:18 +0000

I only just got the chance to read this interesting review. I would really appreciate it if you could forward along a copy of that PDF. I understand it is likely buried deep in your email or something. If it is too much of a pain, I will be happy to get it elsewhere. Thanks, Andrew

By: The future of sedimentary geology? « Clastic Detritus

The future of sedimentary geology? « Clastic Detritus — Thu, 29 May 2008 05:52:48 +0000

[...] classic paper I’ve blogged about by Harry Wheeler (1964) touched upon this notion when he stated: …stratigraphers must concern themselves with the [...]

By: Theoretical Stratigraphy #2: Barrell and the Rhythms of Geologic Time « Clastic Detritus

Fri, 09 May 2008 19:27:06 +0000

[...] found made some time to finish the second installment of the Theoretical Stratigraphy series. The first installment looked at a paper from 1964 and dealt with the concept of baselevel as it applies to sedimentation [...]

By: A note to my readers « Clastic Detritus

A note to my readers « Clastic Detritus — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 19:49:30 +0000

[...] long-awaited follow-up to Theoretical Stratigraphy #1, in which I’ll discuss a couple classic papers from the early 20th [...]

By: BrianR

BrianR — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 20:52:31 +0000

Richard says: “…the diagram depicts strata not only time”

Yes, exactly, that is the whole point.
It is attempting to integrate the physical (i.e., preserved strata) with the abstract (i.e., time value of deposition, hiatus, erosion, and what was removed).

By: BrianR

BrianR — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 15:35:26 +0000

“so we are talking of rock thickness in the diagram, not time.”

But that rock thickness took time to be deposited … so, time is being “removed” as the rock is.

You’re right though … it is a confusing diagram … I’ve been trying to understand it for years. How might you modify it?

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 15 Mar 2008 13:07:47 +0000

Brian:

Exactly. “the *amount* removed (i.e., degradational vacuity) expands towards the more proximal area” – so we are talking of rock thickness in the diagram, not time.

Again “as erosion ate into the previously-deposited strata, it started from the top (D1) and worked it’s way down (D3)” – again, the diagram depicts strata not only time.

May be I am being a little pedantic, but baselevel is a confusing topic. The diagram could be modified.

I am also thinking about baselevel transit. I don’t have the full paper – is this the movement of the baselevel curve vertically & arealy throughout the source area?

I also assume that the base level curve would extend onto the continental shelf and slope?

By: BrianR

BrianR — Fri, 14 Mar 2008 14:50:21 +0000

Richard…

A 3D Wheeler diagram would be a daunting task … it’s difficult enough to balance everything in two dimensions … but, yes, a good idea.

As for the migration of terminal degradation, the way I see it, at least for that hypothetical diagram, is that the amount removed (i.e., degradational vacuity) expands towards the more proximal area. That is, the unconformity development removes more older material in more proximal areas.

I’ve always been a bit confused by Wheeler’s use of the word ‘migration’ in this respect…this is not stricly temporal migration, but a ‘migration’ in area-time space, perhaps ‘trajectory’ is a less confusing word? I don’t know.

The D1-D3 represent phases of degradation … as erosion ate into the previously-deposited strata, it started from the top (D1) and worked it’s way down (D3) … this would be a semi-continuous and incremental process, but I think Wheeler is just trying to show how that would be represented in area-time. The time that that degradation occured would be wrapped up in the Hiatus part.