This fully revised and updated edition introduces the reader to sedimentology and stratigraphic principles, and provides tools for the interpretation of sediments and sedimentary rocks.

Sedimentary rocks contain the most important archive of environmental change through Earth history. They record changing climates, the movement of tectonic plates, and the rise and fall of sea level on timescales of a few thousand to billions of years. This fully revised and updated edition introduces the reader to sedimentology and stratigraphic principles, and provides tools for the interpretation of sediments and sedimentary rocks. The processes of formation, transport and deposition of sediment are considered and then applied to develop conceptual models for the full range of sedimentary environments, from deserts to deep seas and reefs to rivers.

Different approaches to using stratigraphic principles to date and correlate strata are also considered, in order to provide a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of sedimentology and stratigraphy. The text and figures are designed to be accessible to anyone completely new to the subject.

Different approaches to using stratigraphic principles to date and correlate strata are also considered, in order to provide a comprehensive introduction to all aspects of sedimentology and stratigraphy. The text and fi gures are designed to be accessible to anyone completely new to the subject.

COMPANION CD-ROM

A companion CD-ROM with additional illustrative material prepared by the

author is included with this book.