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Sequence and Parasequences

A sequence is a stratigraphic unit bounded by unconformities and composed of genetically related strata. It forms during a cycle of sea level change and is composed of systems tracts. Parasequences are conformable successions of beds bounded by marine flooding surfaces, which indicate an abrupt increase in relative sea level. Parasequences can be identified by their coarsening or fining upwards trends and changes in lithology and bed thickness across marine flooding surfaces. Parasequence sets are successions of parasequences bounded by major marine flooding surfaces that exhibit characteristic stacking patterns of progradation, retrogradation, or aggradation.

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46 views16 pages

Sequence and Parasequences

A sequence is a stratigraphic unit bounded by unconformities and composed of genetically related strata. It forms during a cycle of sea level change and is composed of systems tracts. Parasequences are conformable successions of beds bounded by marine flooding surfaces, which indicate an abrupt increase in relative sea level. Parasequences can be identified by their coarsening or fining upwards trends and changes in lithology and bed thickness across marine flooding surfaces. Parasequence sets are successions of parasequences bounded by major marine flooding surfaces that exhibit characteristic stacking patterns of progradation, retrogradation, or aggradation.

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Aqib khan
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© © All Rights Reserved
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Sequence and Parasequences

SEQUENCE
A stratigraphic unit composed of a relatively conformable
succession of genetically related strata bounded at its top
and base by unconformities or their correlative
conformities.

Thus sequences are units bounded by significant subaerial


erosion surfaces.

A complete SEQUENCE forms during a cycle of relative


change of sea level & is composed of SYSTEMS TRACTS.
Parasequences
• ‘A relatively conformable succession of genetically related
beds or bedsets bounded by marine flooding surfaces or
their correlative surfaces’(Van Wagoner et al. 1990)

• Marine Flooding Surface: a surface across which there is an


abrupt increase in water depth
Marine Flooding Surfaces
Indicate an abrupt increase in relative sea level
Characteristics:
• Abrupt change in bed thickness and lithology
(shallower water rocks overlain by deeper water rocks)
• Generally planar surface – may be some truncation
• Evidence of non-depositional
• Log profile commonly shows a ‘kick’ to higher gamma
Sedimentary trend:
•Coarsening upwards: increase in sand content and grain size of
sand upwards
•Sandstone bed thickness increases upwards
•Identified as a PARASEQUENCE
•Parasequence boundary – Change in lithology, bed thickness and
depositional environment
•Increase in water depth (abrupt deepening) – Marine Flooding
Surface
•Sedimentary trend:
•Fining upwards: decrease in sand
content and grain size of sand upwards
•Sandstone bed thickness decreases
upwards
•Shallowing upwards – progradational
from marine sandstones into non-marine
muds
•Identified as a PARASEQUENCE
•Parasequence boundary – Change in
lithology, bed thickness and depositional
environment
•Increase in water depth (abrupt
deepening) – Marine Flooding Surface

Fining upwards parasequence: from


non-marine muds into shoreface sands
Bounding surfaces & their definition

Marine Flooding Surface

Marine Flooding Surface

Marine Flooding Surface

“Sequence Stratigraphy – Basics”


C. G. St. C. Kendall
Parasequence Sets or Cycle sets
•A succession of genetically related parasequences or cycles
forming a stacking pattern, bounded by major marine flooding
surfaces and their correlative conformities.
•Characteristic stacking patterns:
• Progradational
• Retrogradational
• Aggradational
•Identified in cores and well logs by examining the vertical stacking
of facies between parasequences
•Transgression – landwards migration of the coastline
•Retrogradation – overall deepening
•In seismic terms it is an upwards shift in coastal onlap

• Sediment Supply < Accommodation = Retrogradation


•Regression – basinwards migration of coastline
•Progradation – overall shallowing
•In seismic terms it is a downwards shift in coastal onlap

• Sediment Supply > Accommodation = Progradation


•Aggradation – stationary coastline

• Sediment Supply = Accommodation = Aggradation


•Coastal onlap – where coastal sediments onlap the ‘basement’ or depositional
surface– seismic term

Transgression
=
Retrogradation

Regression
=
Progradation

Stationary
Shore
=
Aggradation

From Vail et al, (1977)

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