Clastic Detritus

My overall research objective is to utilize the sedimentary record to investigate and understand past and present Earth conditions. The sedimentary record is a representation of Earth surface processes through time and, as such, can be analyzed to reconstruct ancient environments as they relate to tectonism, climatic and sea-level fluctuations, oceanic conditions, and intrinsic dynamics of depositional systems.

My recently-completed Ph.D. research was focused on ancient and modern deep-marine depositional systems with an emphasis on the distribution of terrigenous sediment in basins adjacent to active continental margins. Preserved strata in these settings are commonly the most complete record of the transfer of sediment from continents to oceans over geologic time scales. Moreover, the character of the sediment itself (e.g., composition, age, etc.) holds clues to the nature of eroded orogenic belts. Analyses of modern and Recent systems are important for deciphering relative contributions of factors controlling distribution and timing of sediment delivery to deep-marine basins.

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The papers about my own research aren’t out (yet) and I will wait to post any data/results until such time. In the meantime, check out these posts about papers I’ve co-authored:

Highstand Fans of the California Continental Borderland

Conglomeratic Injectites in Patagonia

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I am also very interested in fundamental concepts and theory in sedimentary geology and stratigraphy:

Theoretical Stratigraphy #1: Wheeler’s Baselevel

Theoretical Stratigraphy #2: Barrell and the Rhythms of Geologic Time

Sediment Accumulation Rate and Measurement Interval Bias: The Sadler Effect

The future of sedimentary geology?

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Hubbard, S.M., Romans, B.W., and Graham, S.A., 2008, Deep-water foreland basin deposits of the Cerro Toro Formation, Magallanes basin, Chile: Architectural elements of a sinuous basin axial channel belt: Sedimentology, v. 55, doi: 10.1111/j/1365-3091.2007.00948. [html]

Hubbard, S.M., Romans, B.W., and Graham, S.A., 2007, An outcrop example of large-scale conglomeratic intrusions sourced from deep-water channel deposits, Cerro Toro Formation, Magallanes Basin, Southern Chile: in A. Hurst and J. Cartwright, eds., Sand Injectites: Implications for Hydrocarbon Exploration and Production: American Association of Petroleum Geologists, Memoir 87, p. 199-207.

Covault, J.A., Normark, W.R., Romans, B.W., and Graham, S.A., 2007, Highstand fans of the California Borderland: The overlooked deep-water depositional system: Geology, v. 39, p. 783-786. [html], [pdf]

Romans, B.W., Hubbard, S.M., and Graham, S.A., in press, Stratigraphic evolution of an outcropping continental slope system, Tres Pasos Formation at Cerro Divisadero, Chile: Sedimentology.

Romans, B.W., Normark, W.R., McGann, M.M., Covault, J.C., and Graham, S.A., in review, Coarse-grained sediment delivery and distribution in the Holocene Santa Monica Basin, California: Implications for evaluating source-to-sink flux at millennial time scales. GSA Bulletin.

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SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS

Romans, B.W., Shultz, M.R., Hubbard, S.M., and Graham, S.A., 2007, Facies architecture of slope channel complexes, Tres Pasos Formation at Cerro Divisadero, southern Chile: in T. Nilsen, R. Shew, G. Steffens, and J. Studlick, eds., Atlas of Deep-Water Outcrops: AAPG Studies in Geology, 56, p. 132-137.

Hubbard, S.M., Romans, B.W., and Graham, S.A., 2007, Deepwater channel margin architecture, Cerro Toro Formation (Campanian), Cerro Mocho, Chile: in T. Nilsen, R. Shew, G. Steffens, and J. Studlick, eds., Atlas of Deep-Water Outcrops: AAPG Studies in Geology, 56, p. 128-131.

Hubbard, S.M., Romans, B.W., Erohina, T., and Lowe, D.R., 2007, Facies and internal architecture of deepwater channel fill in the Cerro Toro Formation, Sarmiento Vista, Chile: in T. Nilsen, R. Shew, G. Steffens, and J. Studlick, eds., Atlas of Deep-Water Outcrops: AAPG Studies in Geology, 56, p. 140-142.

Fildani, A., Crane, W.H., Romans, B.W., Hubbard, S.M., and Shultz, M.R., 2007, Mesozoic through early Tertiary stratigraphic evolution and deep-water deposition of the Magallanes Basin, southern Patagonia, Chile: in T. Nilsen, R. Shew, G. Steffens, and J. Studlick, eds., Atlas of Deep-Water Outcrops: AAPG Studies in Geology, 56, p. 140-142.

Normark, W.R., Piper, D.J.W., Romans, B.W., Covault, J.A., and Dartnell, P., in press, Submarine canyon and fan systems of the California Continental Borderland: in H. Lee & W.R. Normark, eds., Earth Science in the Urban Ocean, Geological Society of America Special Publication.

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CONFERENCE ABSTRACTS

Romans, B.W., Covault, J.C., Hubbard, S.M., and Fildani, A., 2008, Sedimentologic processes and stratigraphic record of linked delta-continental slope progradation, Magallanes Basin, Chile: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Hedberg Research Conference, Ushuaia, Argentina.

Romans, B.W., Hubbard, S.M., and Covault, J.C., 2008, Application of turbidite bed amalgamation metric to slope deposits of the Tres Pasos Formation of southern Chile: Implications for evaluating reservoir connectivity and sedimentary body architecture from one-dimensional data: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention Official Program, San Antonio, Texas.

Romans, B.W., Normark, W.R., McGann, M.M., Covault, J.A., and Graham, S.A., 2007, Controls on coarse-grained sediment delivery and distribution in the Holocene Santa Monica Basin, California: Implications for evaluating source-to-sink flux at millennial time scales. AGU Fall Meeting. [html]

Hubbard, S.M., Fildani, A., and Romans, B.W., 2007, Cretaceous slope deposits of the Tres Pasos Formation, Sierra Dorotea, Chile: Insight into the sedimentary fill of deepwater foreland basins: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs. [html]

Fildani, A., Hubbard, S.M., Romans, B.W., and Fosdick, J.C., 2007, Orogenesis of the Patagonian Andes as reflected by basin evolution in southernmost South America: Ores and Orogenesis Meeting, Arizona Geological Society, Tuscon, Arizona.

Romans, B.W., and Normark, W.R., 2007, High-resolution spatial and temporal patterns of sand accumulation on an active highstand submarine fan in Santa Monica Basin, offshore California: Implications for controls on deep-marine sedimentation: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention Official Program, Long Beach, California.

Romans, B.W., and Hubbard, S.M., 2007, Multi-scale comparison of proximal lobe and channel-fill deposits on a prograding deep-marine slope, Tres Pasos Formation, Cerro Divisadero, Chile: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention Official Program, Long Beach, California.

Romans, B.W., and Normark, W.R., 2006, Distribution and rates of terrigenous sediment accumulation on the Hueneme submarine fan in the late Holocene (4.3 ka – present), Santa Monica Basin, California: EOS Trans. AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS23A-1633.

Fosdick, J.C., Romans, B.W., and Hubbard, S.M., 2006, Exhumation of the Magallanes foreland basin, Patagonian Andes, Chile (51°S): EOS Trans. AGU, 87(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract T31C-0457.

Romans, B.W., Fildani, A., Hubbard, S.M., Crane, W.H., and Graham, S.A., 2006, Emplacement of thrust-sheets recorded in Upper Cretaceous basin fill, Magallanes (Austral) Basin, southern Chile: Geological Society of America and Asociación Geológica Argentina joint meeting, Mendoza, Argentina.

Normark, W.R., Paull, C.K., Ussler, W., Mitts, P., and Romans, B.W., 2006, Redondo and Hueneme sand-rich canyon-fan systems, offshore southern California: EOS Trans. AGU, 87(36), Ocean Sci. Meet. Suppl., Abstract OS45A-02.

Normark, W.R., Piper, D.J.W., Romans, B.W., Covault, J.A., and McGann, M., 2006, Late Quaternary (MIS 1-3) turbidite deposition in the California Continental Borderland; comparison of close and open basin settings: Geological Society of London and SEPM Burlington House Meeting, March 27-29.

Gardner, M.H., Melick, J.J., Borer, J.M., Kling, E., Baptista, N., and Romans, B.W., 2006, Evaluating intrinsic and extrinsic controls on the Permian record of deep-water sedimentation in the Delaware Basin, west Texas, USA: Geological Society of London and SEPM Burlington House Meeting, March 27-29.

Romans, B.W., and Normark, W.R., 2005, Temporal patterns of deposition at the termination of an active submarine channel-levee: Hueneme Fan (4 ka – present), Santa Monica Basin, California Borderland: EOS Trans. AGU, 86(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., Abstract H51D-0397.

Romans, B.W., and Hubbard, S.M., 2005, Facies and architectural complexity within and among outcropping slope channel complexes, Upper Cretaceous Tres Pasos Formation, Sierra de los Baguales, southern Chile: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention Official Program, Calgary.

Hubbard, S.M., Romans, B.W., and Graham, S.A., 2005, Large-scale sedimentary intrusions sourced from deep-water channel deposits, Cerro Toro Formation, Chilean Patagonia: An outcrop analog to North Sea reservoirs: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention Official Program, Calgary.

Hubbard, S.M., Romans, B.W., Graham, S.A., and Lowe, D.R., 2004, Downstream variability in deep-water channel deposit character and associated sedimentary processes, Cretaceous Cerro Toro Formation outcrop belt, Magallanes basin, Chile: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 36, no. 5.

Romans, B.W., and Gardner, M.H., 2003, Patterns of Permian basinal sedimentation in the western Delaware Basin, Cutoff, Brushy Canyon, and Cherry Canyon formations, west Texas: A new stratigraphic model for deep-water clastics: American Association of Petroleum Geologists Annual Convention Official Program, Salt Lake City.

Romans, B.W., 2001, Proximal-distal relationships of the Permian Brushy Canyon Formation, west Texas: Geological Society of America Abstracts with Programs, v. 33, no. 6, p. 36.