Aim of thesis: Contribute to our understanding of what factors influence the development of clinoforms.
Objectives: To systematically analyze the geometries of a clinoform system and tie them to the depositional environment and processes in order to document and discuss the factors controlling the development of various geometries (grain size, depositional processes, sedimentation rates, sea-level changes, etc.).
Research method and dataset:
The project will be based on fieldwork (logging, facies analysis, sampling) and photogrammetric analysis (drone photography, model building, geometric evaluation, slope curvature analysis). The field-work will be based in Utah/Wyoming and will consist of sedimentological logging and drone-imagery collecting along the Chimney Rock succession in Flaming Gorge.
Project 1 – Logging, facies analysis, sample collection, and thin section analysis
Project 2 – Drone imagery collection, virtual outcrop construction, geometrical analysis of clinoforms
The students will learn:
- Project 1: Field-based sedimentological logging, facies analysis, use of a microscope, and thin section analysis
- Project 2: Sedimentological field-work, use of virtual outcrop software, outcrop model building, and analysis, geometric analysis of clinoform geometries
- Independent research, literature search, academic writing, and presentation skills
