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Non‐uniqueness and symmetry in stratigraphic interpretations: A quantitative approach for determining stratal controls
Author(s) -
Xiao Jie,
Waltham Dave
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
sedimentology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.494
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1365-3091
pISSN - 0037-0746
DOI - 10.1111/sed.12549
Subject(s) - subaerial , geology , paleontology , interpretation (philosophy) , stratigraphy , sequence stratigraphy , sequence (biology) , symmetry (geometry) , sea level , canyon , uniqueness , geomorphology , geometry , oceanography , tectonics , sedimentary depositional environment , mathematical analysis , genetics , mathematics , structural basin , biology , computer science , programming language
Different combinations of stratal controls could produce identical sequence architectures. Consequently, interpretations of the stratigraphic record, for example to infer palaeo‐climate and eustatic sea‐level history, suffer from non‐uniqueness. However, variations in the multiple controls can be encapsulated through discovery of all possible solutions to an interpretation. As this paper demonstrates, a single solution can be directly transformed into an alternative solution that leaves the expected geological outcomes unaltered, which can be regarded as the existence of symmetry in the interpretation. Repetitive application of the symmetry method can therefore allow additional solutions to be rapidly derived given an existing solution. The proposed method has been adapted to a stratigraphic forward model for interpreting the Baltimore Canyon (USA) stratigraphy. Modelling results have indicated the ranges of changes in relative sea‐level, sediment supply and subaerial erosion from Oligocene to Mid‐Miocene. Using these limits, it is possible to determine what appears to be true in the palaeo‐history, even when a solution is not unique.