(Institute of Geology and Geophysics, China Academy of Sciences)

Panyuntang

(Graduate School of China Academy of Sciences)

Review of world sedimentology

Sedimentary geology started from 1800, and biostratigraphy based on standard fossils was very successful in stratigraphic division, so stratigraphic paleontology dominated the research of sedimentary geology for a long time until the 20th century [1].

However, in fact, the main progress of sedimentary geology appeared in the late19th century. From 1893 to 1894, J. Walther published a three-volume magnum opus, Modern Diagenesis, which elaborated the law of rock relative ratio and comparative petrology methods in detail. Earlier, H. C. Sarby and G. Darwin in Britain and G. K. Gilbert in the United States conducted quantitative experiments on sediment transport through running water and waves, even using fluids with different densities and viscosities.

Middleton believes that sedimentary geologists have successfully used standard fossils to divide strata for a long time, so they have neglected the research of other branches of sedimentary geology. R.h. Dot. Jr thinks that in addition to the above viewpoints, because qualitative and descriptive research viewpoints almost dominate the field of sedimentology, that is, many problems can be solved by qualitative biostratigraphy and geological maps, people rarely study quantitative things.

In fact, from the end of 18 to the beginning of 19, Von Tehoff conducted advanced experiments on chemical deposition. But it was not until decades later that sedimentologists began to pay attention to the application of physical and chemical principles in sedimentology.

The origin of sedimentary geology comes from many aspects, such as stratigraphy from the study of fossil morphology; The study of sediment composition and structure originated from petrology; The study of sedimentary environment originated from geomorphology and oceanography; The analysis of deposition process comes from physics (that is, fluid kinematics) and chemistry.

1900 or so, sedimentary petrology began to form, followed by grain size analysis, but sedimentology did not become an independent discipline until the 1920s. As Middleton pointed out in 1978, it is the Collection of Sedimentology edited by W. H. Twenhofel and the Association of Economic Paleontologists and Economic Mineralogists founded in 1926 that clearly indicate that sedimentary geology has become a special discipline.

1933, Vader put forward the concept of sedimentology, and the Journal of Sedimentary Petrology was founded. However, the specialization of sedimentology research appeared late in Europe, and the International Association of Sedimentologists (IAS) was established in Europe from 65438 to 0946. Sedimentology was founded in 1962, and the British sedimentology research group was established at the same time. Since then, the study of sedimentology has developed rapidly in the world [1].

After World War II, there have been some significant advances in sedimentology research: Shvetsov-Klinning put forward the theory that primary structures control clastic sediments, and Pettijohn's Sedimentary Petrology was published in1949; Two classic textbooks, Marine Geology, were published by Shepard and Kuenen at1950. 1950, Kuenen-Migliorini published a paper on turbidity current deposition. Sloss put forward the concept of unconformity boundary sequence in 1948. In 1970s, sequence stratigraphy finally led to the emergence of seismic stratigraphy and "Weil curve" and the surge of flume experiments. All these indicate that the comparative research method predicted by Walter has been put into practice.

In 1960s, research on seismic stratigraphy and sedimentary process appeared, and particle research became active again. With the development of paleoecology, especially the paleoenvironmental analysis supplemented by trace fossils, the golden age of sedimentary geology reached its peak in the 1960s with the appearance of deep-sea drilling plan and plate tectonic theory.

Second, China sedimentology review.

In China, the early research mainly included sedimentary petrology in the field of petrology. Compared with magmatic petrology and metamorphic petrology, these three types of rocks are not paid much attention by geologists because of their imperfect theories and methods. Few people are engaged in sedimentary petrology [2].

Before 1950s, the study of sedimentary petrology in China was very weak, and only a few sedimentary rocks (objects) and deposits were studied, such as the investigation and description of placer gold, gypsum salt, coal and refractories, and the paleogeographic distribution of iron, aluminum and phosphate deposits.

At that time, the outcrops in the field were basically described, and the exploration of regularity was mainly based on the principle of stratigraphy, especially the interpretation of paleogeography, which was basically stratigraphic paleogeography or paleontology paleogeography.

According to the division of Academician Liu Baojun, the development of sedimentology in China can be divided into four stages [2]:

(A) the foundation stage of the 1950s

In the 1950s, with the needs of national economic construction, the geological exploration of energy resources such as oil, natural gas and coal and solid minerals such as iron, manganese, aluminum and phosphorus developed rapidly, and a large number of related sedimentology studies were also carried out.

But it didn't start in the 1950s. In fact, the report on the preliminary achievements of Yumen Petroleum in Gansu published by Mr. Xie is the earliest oil exploration activity of China geologists in this area, which is of great historical significance.

In the early 1950s, the Ministry of Geology established six directly affiliated teams, two of which were coal exploration teams and iron ore exploration teams. In addition, in the national census, the research requirements of sedimentary rocks have also been standardized.

The study of paleogeography is not only based on stratigraphy, but also on the progress of sedimentary petrology and sedimentology, and many materials of sedimentary petrology are also used as an important basis for compiling paleogeographic maps. For example, the Paleogeographic Map of China compiled by Mr. Liu Hongyun was published in 1955, which is based on sedimentary petrology and is the first complete paleogeographic atlas with stratigraphy as the main part.

In 1950s, China studied the Soviet Union in an all-round way. In the field of sedimentology and sedimentary petrology, school textbooks and practical reference books are all taken from the works of Soviet scholars [3 ~ 12]. However, for example, the isoline map of rock composition [13] also draws lessons from European and American viewpoints and methods.

(2) The stage of summary and improvement in the late 1950s and early 1960s.

Since the late 1950s, in order to better explain the paleoenvironment from the origin, relevant geologists began to study lithofacies, sedimentary petrology and environmental genetic markers, and gained a further understanding of the environmental significance of grain size, bedding, mineral composition and paleontology.

Many units, especially petroleum geology departments, have carried out extensive lithofacies paleogeography research according to these marks. During this period, the lithofacies cycle analysis method is widely used in the analysis of sedimentary conditions of coal-bearing rock series and the correlation of coal-bearing strata. Some good achievements have been made in lithofacies analysis of freshwater lake sediments and red beds, and cooperation with paleoecology in the study of marine sediments has been noted [2]. In terms of solid minerals, Ye Lianjun [14] has a great influence on the analysis of the characteristics and formation conditions of phosphorite in China.

From the late 1950s to the mid-1960s, China's sedimentary petrology developed rapidly, and accumulated a lot of data in practical work, which can be summarized regularly in some aspects to improve our understanding.

In 1960s, Ye et al. published the Sinian Algal Carbonate Deposition [15]. Published Sedimentary Petrology 1962 edited by Dai, Course of Sedimentary Facies and Paleogeography edited by Zeng Yunfu and Liu Baojun, and Research Methods of Sedimentary Rocks edited by Liu Baojun. Although the discipline itself has gradually developed mature and effective methods, sedimentology has also received great attention, but in theory, it has not established a complete theoretical system with scientific logic, based on certain experimental data and theoretical reasoning, and still takes intuitive observation and perceptual reasoning as its epistemology and earth view [2].

(3) The scientific development stage of sedimentology in 1970s.

In 1960s, there were several major breakthroughs in sedimentology abroad. Sedimentologists introduced the theory and method of sediment movement mechanics, explained the formation and hydrodynamic state of sedimentary structures (bedding and wave marks), and made an important breakthrough in the study of red bed alluvium. In addition, the turbidity current theory appeared in the early 1950s, and people realized that another major sedimentary type besides traction current-non-Newtonian fluid deposition. The need to study the properties of petroleum reservoirs in 1960s promoted the study of sedimentary diagenesis, and introduced the principles and methods of physical chemistry. From the late 1950s to the early 1960s, the views on the genetic classification of limestone and the mechanical deposition of carbonate rocks were recognized. The rise of plate theory in the sixties and seventies also had a great influence on sedimentology and lithofacies palaeogeography, and sedimentologists had to seriously consider the influence of moving continents and plates on sedimentation. All these scientific achievements mean that the conditions for establishing sedimentology theory itself are basically mature, and theories such as sedimentary dynamics, diagenesis and mineralization, carbonate rock deposition and gravity flow can all become the theoretical pillars of sedimentology [2].

However, due to the influence of the Cultural Revolution, the research on sedimentology in China, which has just started to integrate with the international community, was interrupted, which delayed the development of sedimentology in China for several years.

Since 197 1, the study of sedimentary rocks has gradually resumed. In cooperation with university teachers, oilfield geologists have made a systematic and in-depth study of oil-bearing basins in eastern China. During this period, China scholars have done a lot of meaningful work, for example, Ye Desheng [1983] and others have studied the late Paleozoic sedimentary lithofacies palaeogeography in southwest China; Feng Zengzhao's Study on Lithofacies Palaeogeography of North China [18] [19] and his study on carbonate sedimentary environment and lithofacies palaeogeography [20]; 1984 Guan shicong [2 1] sedimentary facies and oil and gas in China sea-land transitional area; Wu Chongyun's Summary of Lacustrine and Delta Facies in Oil-bearing Basins in Eastern China: A Study of Sedimentary Facies and Finger Minerals in Huanghua Basin in Bohai Bay by He Jingyu and Meng Xianghua [22]; Yan Qinshang of Tongji University and Xiang Song Li [23] [24] have done a lot of work on the Yangtze River estuary, modern coast and some tertiary (Paleogene) basins; Zeng Yunfu [25] on the study of Paleozoic and Mesozoic carbonate facies and reefs in southwest China; Study on Liu Baojun's lithofacies control of Yunnan red bed alluvial facies and metal deposits. Ye Lianjun and Sun Shu [26] [27] participated in the study of the formation conditions of various lithofacies and some important sedimentary minerals from Sinian to modern times. In 1960s, the research on sedimentary salt deposits was carried out as a national priority. The first potash mine in China was discovered by Yunnan Bureau of Geology and Minerals, and Yuan Jianqi first put forward the theory of potassium formation [28] [29].

(4) Going out after 80s.

1979 sedimentology (branch) of China Mineral Rock Geochemistry Society was established, professional committee of sedimentary geology was established in geological society of china, and national lithofacies palaeogeography research and mapping collaboration group was established in the Ministry of Geology and Mineral Resources. 1982, China organized a delegation to participate in the International Conference on Sedimentology 1 1 held in Canada for the first time, and showed the research results of China. At the meeting, Ye Lianjun was elected as the director of the International Association of Sedimentologists. Since then, there have been many directors and members in China, such as Ye, Sun Shu, Liu Baojun and Li, who have successively served in the International Association of Sedimentologists, the Sedimentary Committee of the International Geoscience Union and the Global Sedimentary Geology Committee, which indicates that China's sedimentology research is in line with international standards and has participated in important development and decision-making matters in this international academic field. Journal of Sedimentology was founded in 1982, and Lithofacies Paleogeography was founded in 198 1, which played a positive role in promoting the development of sedimentology and lithofacies palaeogeography in China. Since 1980s, the national conference on sedimentology and lithofacies palaeogeography held every four years has united sedimentologists all over the country. There are 300 to 400 delegates at each meeting, which is supported by geologists all over the country. China also held regional international conferences of international sedimentology conferences in Beijing and Chengdu, that is, the international conference on sedimentary minerals and the international symposium on sedimentology database, which also had a good influence [2].

Since the late 1970s, the emergence of sequence stratigraphy and event geology, the rise of new sequence stratigraphy and the profound influence of plate movement on the evolution of sedimentation and paleogeography have greatly promoted the research of sedimentology and lithofacies paleogeography. Wang Hongzhen et al.' s Atlas of Paleogeography of China [30] published in 1985 is the representative work of the new generation of paleogeography research in China. 1994 The Atlas of Lithofacies Paleogeography in Southern China edited by Liu Baojun and Xu (Sinian-Triassic) and the Lithofacies Paleogeography Foundation and Working Methods edited by Liu Baojun and Zeng Yunfu published in 1985 are both influential works.

From 1980s to 1990s, sedimentology in China has developed by leaps and bounds, and a perfect and systematic theory has been established, which is in line with international standards in theory and method. Many achievements are distributed in various research fields of sedimentology, most of which are hot and frontier issues of contemporary disciplines. Moreover, the combination of achievements and practice has solved many major resource problems. The research achievements reflect the characteristics of China, and a large number of high-level monographs and papers have appeared, and the research team has become increasingly mature. Sedimentology in China develops at an unprecedented speed.

Nowadays, the development of geological science, the exploration and development of oil, natural gas and mineral resources, and the development of water resources have all raised many scientific problems for sedimentology. For example, Mr. Sun Shu [33] pointed out that there are still many meaningful works to be done in continental deposits, carbonate deposits, siliceous clastic deposits in coastal and shallow seas, deep-sea deposits and so on. Sedimentary basins and sequence stratigraphy, paleoclimate and sedimentation, Precambrian sedimentation, sedimentology of human living environment, regional sedimentology and global sedimentology. All environmental problems on the earth's surface that support life and human activities are becoming an important part of sedimentology research.

First of all, I would like to thank my tutor, Zhu Jingquan, a researcher at the Institute of Geology and Geophysics of China Academy of Sciences, Professor Pan Yuntang, who taught us the courses of "Paleoecology" and "History of Geological Science" at the Graduate School of China Academy of Sciences, and my classmates for their encouragement, support, guidance and help, which made this paper possible.

Take the exam and contribute.

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