Sediments and Sedimentary Processes

These flashcards cover important vocabulary and concepts related to sedimentary processes and environments.

Original Horizontality

A geologic principle stating that sediments are deposited in horizontal layers.

Lithification

The process of turning loose sediments into sedimentary rock through compaction and cementation.

Sedimentary Basin

A large area where sediments accumulate, often associated with plate boundaries.

Rift Basin

A type of sedimentary basin that forms at divergent plate boundaries, leading to a rift valley.

Thermal Subsidence Basin

A basin that forms as lithosphere cools and becomes denser, often filled with sediments.

Flexural Basin

A sedimentary basin formed by the bending and flexing of the crust during subduction.

Erosion Line

The line on a chart indicating the energy required to erode sediment.

Turbidity Currents

Underwater landslides that transport sediments down continental slopes.

Atoll

A coral reef that encircles a lagoon, often built on a volcanic remnant.

Crevasse Splay

A sedimentary deposit created when a river breaches its levee, spreading sediments out.

Cohesion

The property of clay particles that makes them stick together, affecting erosion.

Well Sorted Sediments

Sediments with uniform particle sizes, typically found in lower-energy environments like deltas.