Sedimentation in Continental Rifts

Continental rift basins have long been of interest to sedimentologists. Of all the terrestrial settings, rift basins typically provide the greatest accommodation space, and consequently have some of the longest records of continental sedimentation. These records are a product of a complex interplay between several factors that include geological structure and tectonic activity, volcanism, climate and its temporal variability, hydrology, biology and time. Sedimentation in Continental Rifts is a timely update on this exciting interdisciplinary field and presents new approaches and insights into tectonic and structural controls of sedimentation. Other topics included are lacustrine and fluviatile depositional environments and some lesser-known settings, such as springs, wetlands, and paleosols. Several papers consider the behavior of silica in rift lakes, particularly the roles of microorganisms in silica precipitation, whereas others examine the paleoenvironmental importance of freshwater carbonates. The contents of the volume show that sedimentological research in rift basins has progressed beyond basic facies description and general models, and is now focused on understanding the integrative effects of physical, chemical and biological processes in rifts.
Pedogenic Mud Aggregates in Rift Sedimentation
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Published:January 01, 2002
Abstract
Pedogenic mud aggregates are sand-size particles composed of clay flakes and silt grains, produced in vertic soils with expandable clays during seasonal cycles of wetting and drying. The aggregates are commonly reworked from floodplain soils and transported as bedload, but they tend to be destroyed by compaction during burial. Their identification is important for interpreting floodplain dynamics, i.e., bedload transport rather than suspension settling of clay. Expandable clays, principally smectite, are necessary for aggregate formation, and are commonly produced during weathering of mafic volcanicrocks and ash, which are prominent constituents of many rift-basin fills. To date, pedogenic mud aggregates...