Table Of ContentH.-E. Reineck· I. B. Singh
Depositional
Sedimentary
Environments
With Reference to Terrigenous Clastics
Second, Revised and Updated Edition
Corrected Second Printing
With 683 Figures
Springer-Verlag
Berlin Heidelberg New York
Professor Dr. HANs-ERICH REINECK
Institut fUr Meeresgeologie und Meeresbiologie
Senckenberg-Institut, SchleusenstraBe 39 A
2940 Wilhelmshaven, FRG
Dr. INDRA BIR SINGH
Department of Geology, Lucknow University
Lucknow, India
First edition 1973
1s t reprint 1975
2nd reprint 1977
3rd reprint 1979
Second edition 1980
1 st reprint 1986
ISBN-13:978-3-540-10189-5 e-ISBN-13:978-3-642-81498-3
001: 10.1007/978-3-642-81498-3
Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data. Reineck, Hans-Erich. Depositional sedi
mentary environments, with reference to terrigenqus clastics. Bibliography: p. Includes index.
1. Rocks, Sedimentary. 2. Sedimentary structures. 3. Sediments (Geology). I. Singh, Indra Bir,
joint author. II. Title. QE471.R425 1980 551.3'03 80-20429.
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2132/3130-54321
To
Harold N. Fisk and
Rudolf Richter
Preface to the Second Edition
Interest in the interpretation of depositional environment of sediments
has increased enormously since the ftrst edition of this book was
published in 1973. There were innumerable comments and critical re
views of our book, some of them through talks with both professionals
and students. Our colleagues working in modem sediments found that
we have not dealt enough with sedimentation processes. On the con
trary, fteld geologists were happy to have generalized information on
modem environments in one work. We are thankful to all who gave us
their comments.
Keeping the comments in mind, we decided to stick to the same basic
pattern of the book which we also had in the ftrst edition: to provide the
wealth of information from Recent and experimental studies to the geol
ogists working in the ancient sediments. No doubt, specialized and so
phisticated methods of study are of immense value. However, in our
book we emphasize mainly the methods which a geologist can use in the
fteld, in the outcrops, and in the cores, and we are conftdent, that even
by these simple methods much information relevant to environmental
interpretation can be obtained.
We have beneftted tremendously from information obtained by the
environmental analysis of the ancient sediments. However, in our book
we have not directly utilized the data obtained from the ancient sedi
ments. Even today, the sequences which for years were considered to be
typically aeolian deposits are being reinterpreted as fluvial deposits,
and controversies between shallow versus deep-sea deposits of certain
sequences are quite common. Nevertheless, we have mentioned a few
selected examples of each environment from the ancient sediments.
For the revision of the ftrst edition, information gathered in the last
few years has been added, although basically the old text has been re
tained to avoid unnecessary increase in the price of the book.
While working on the second edition, a few points struck us; namely
(a) much additional information is now available for certain environ
ments, (b) some sedimentation models can be better represented today,
(c) in some environments existing models have only been fortifted with
new, additional investigations. As in the ftrst edition, we have been se
lective in citation. Although many new studies are cited, some signift
cant references may have been missed. We hope that our colleagues will
excuse us for this unavoidable mistake.
Although quite hesitant in the beginning to undertake the revision of
our book, we gained courage mainly due to numerous reprints which
our colleagues sent to us. At the same time, we also felt the responsibility
of providing additional up-to-date information for our young col
leagues and students. We would welcome any comments or critiscism
offered to us on our modest compilation.
Many colleagues and publishers permitted us to reproduce their
drawings or photographs in this book, to them we are extremely thank
ful.
VIII Preface to the Second Edition
Thanksare expressed to Professor J. D. Howard, Dr. J. Hiilsemann,
Dr. A. Schafer, and Professor A. Seilacher fot' reviewing parts of the
manuscript.
One of us (I.B.S.) is grateful to the Lucknow University, India, for
granting leave of absence and to the Alexander von Humboldt Stiftung
for a research scholarship during which part of the writing was done,
and to Professor P. Wurster for providing the working facilities of the
Geologisches Institut, Bonn University.
We wish to thank Mrs. Renate FIugel for making the line drawings;
and Miss Astrid Grunert for the tedious job oft yping the manuscript for
the second edition.
We acknowledge with thanks the support of the Senckenbergische
Naturforschende Gesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, during preparation
of this edition.
A final'word of thank goes to Springer-Verlag who encouraged us,
and cooperated in every aspect for completion of this second edition.
July 1980 H.-E. REINECK
I. B. SINGH
Preface to the First Edition
This book has been written with the aim of compiling from modem en
vironments information that can be useful in the reconstruction of an
cient environments. It is intended for all those interested in recognizing
depositional environments. The study of sediments includes investiga
tions of various aspects of sediments. This needs a study by standard
methods. Methods of study have not been included, as many textbooks
exist on the subject. However, the importance of various results ob
tained from such investigations has been discussed, as far as these re
sults can be helpful in environmental reconstruction. Special attention
is given to information that has accumulated during the last decades on
the mode of genesis of various sedimentary features and their distribu
tion in present-day environments.
As far as possible, existing terminology has been used. However, in
several cases new simple groupings and classifications have been pro
posed. In making classification, generally, the form and shape of the
features have been considered, so that they can be applied easily to an
cient sediments. At the same time, the genesis of such features has been
noted, and genetic names and their characteristics have been given for
detailed work. The subject is so vast that several primary sedimentary
features that have no direct bearing on environmental interpretation
have been omitted.
The subject is vast, and numerous publications are available. Most of
the publications were consulted, but only selected works have been cit
ed. While no attempt is made to give a complete bibliography, most of
the important, modem, and comprehensive studies have been cited.
Preference has been given to articles and books that provide useful re
views of the subject and which themselves contain large, well-selected
lists of references. Thus, this book provides a working bibliography,
which hints at additional reading. We are aware, that many important
references have been omitted in this way. But this has been almost un
avoidable while compiling information from diverse fields of research.
Readers might note a significant difference in emphasis and interpre
tation of various features between this and other books. This is because
of our different approach and experience.
On several points an opinion formulated by the authors is preferred
over the other existing points ofv iew . Some critical readt:?rs more deeply
involved than us in various fields may find our opinions biased and may
find themselves in disagreement with some of the opinions expressed
herein. We have tried to be objective, but conflicting views are unavoid
able.
Any textbook is essentially a compilation of previously published
studies. The existence oft his book is due mainly to the eminent research
workers who have contributed to the better understanding of processes
of sedimentation.
Furthermore, many coUegues and publishers permitted us to repro
duce in this book their original photographs and drawings.
x Preface to the First Edition
The completion of this book is due to major efforts of Springer-Ver
lag. who cooperated in every way with the authors.
We also wish to acknowledge the criticism of those who read sections
of the manuscript.
We wish to thank Mrs. Renate Fliigel for most of the drawings; Mr.
Hermann Schiiferfordrawings of Figs. 25, 33, 36, 38 and 44; Mrs. Mar
got Bialdiga for drawings of Figs. 512 and 526; and Miss Elisabeth Ber
uda and Mrs. Gabriele Holzner for the final typing of the manuscript.
Last but not least we are greatly indebted to the Senckenbergische
Naturforschende Gesellschaft, Frankfurt am Main, which enabled us to
write this book and to the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft for fman
cial supporting most of our own researches.
Wtlhelmshaven, September 1973 H.-E. REINECK
I. B. SINGH
Contents
Part I. Primary Structures and Textures
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Depositional Environments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Physical Parameters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Primary Sedimentary Structures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8
Sediment Grain Movement .................. 9
Mode of Sediment Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 11
Hydrodynamic Factors and Bedforms in Water . . . . . . . .. 12
Flow Regime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12
Lowe~ flow R~gime . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12
TransItion Regtme . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 12
UpperFlowRegime ...................... 13
Bedforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 13
Plane Bed Without Movement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 13
Small Ripples. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 14
Megaripples .......................... 14
Plane Bed with Sediment Movement. . . . . . . . . . . . .. 15
Antidunes ........................... 15
Chutes and Pools . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16
"Sand Waves" . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 16
Megaripples and Sand Waves . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17
Study of Bedload Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 17
Rate of Migration of Bedforms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. 18
Bedforms,StreamPower,andWaterDepth . . . . . . . . .. 18
Depth-Velocity-SizeDiagram ................. 20
Current and Wave Ripples ...................... 22
General Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Description of Ripple Marks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22
Internal Structure of a Ripple . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23
Pattern of Flow over a Lee Face of a Small Ripple,
a Megaripple, and "Microdeltas" ................ 25
Zone of No Diffusion ..................... 26
Zone of Mixing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Zone of Backflow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
Development of Lamination in the Lee Face .......... 27
Variables Controlling the Shape and Slope of Foreset
Laminae ............................ 29
Causes for the Production ofForeset Laminae ofV arying
Composition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
