Storage of Time in Stratigraphy



The stratigraphic record, the sequential layers of sediment that geologists use to reconstruct paleo-climates and the history of landscapes, has been described as “more gaps than record.” The record, laid down over time as sediment settles out from flowing water, does not grow consistently. Pauses in sediment deposition can leave gaps, and periods of heightened erosion can wipe sections out. Though attempts have been made to identify the processes that control the completeness of the stratigraphic record, early analyses relied on parameters (such as the long-term sediment accumulation rate) that are not first-order physical landscape processes. Our group uses statistical models and laboratory experiments to examine the morphodynamical controls on time storage in stratigraphy. The aim is to develop techniques that will aid construction of age-models for stratigraphic sections and thus improve our ability to reconstruct the history of the Earth.

Recent Manuscript Titles:
Recovering geomorphic history from stratigraphy: Application of machine learning techniques to an experimental basin

Stratigraphy in space and time: A reproducible approach to analysis and visualization

Sedimentary processes and the temporal resolution of sedimentary strata

Buffered, incomplete, and shredded: The challenges of reading an imperfect stratigraphic record