INTRODUCTION TO SEDIMENTARY ARCHITECTURE:
of Glacial Deposits
This webinar presents an introductory-level overview of the architecture of glacial sediments, and is designed for non-expert geoscientists, engineers, and geotechnical practitioners who wish to gain insight to the sedimentary architecture of glaciogenic sediments at different scales, with a focus on its significance for subsurface geotechnical and groundwater investigations.
Learn the steps to build the architecture of glacial sediments at various scales,
from facies exposed in outcrops to regionally-correlated stratigraphy.
First, we will begin with basic overview of different glacial depositional environments. We will introduce the defining elements for facies models and the spatial relationship of glaciogenic facies. We will discuss previous studies of modern and ancient sediments exposed in outcrop, including subglacial, glaciofluvial, glaciolacustrine, and jökulhlaup deposits.
Next, we will discuss different methods for building the sedimentary architecture of glacial sediments. Case studies will illustrate how the sedimentary architecture of modern and ancient glacial sediments using sedimentological data from outcrops and core, geophysical data, and remotely sensed data from LiDAR and DEMs.
Delineation of glacial sedimentary architectures at different scales will be explored using case studies, with the intention of stimulating innovative ideas for future practice.
Modified from Slomka et al (2015)
Webinar Highlights:
- Overview of glacial depositional environments and sediment types
- Introductory exploration of the sedimentary architecture of glacial sediments at the scale of an outcrop using examples from previously published literature
- Introduction to different methods that have been previously implemented to delineate the regional scale sedimentary architecture of glacial sediments
- Case studies from the literature that demonstrate how different types of data may be used to understand the sedimentary architecture of glacial deposits
- Brief discussion about how glacial sedimentary architecture may provide insight to groundwater and geotechnical investigations
Gain an Advantage From this Webinar by:
- Learning about different glacial environments and common sediment types (facies) associated with each environment.
- Learn about the local scale architecture of glacial sediments (scale of an outcrop) including subglacial, glaciofluvial, glaciolacustrine, and jökulhlaup deposits.
- Learn about the regional scale architecture of glacial sediments based on case studies from previously published literature.
- Learn about different strategies to apply the regional scale sedimentary architecture of glacial sediments to local-scale projects.
Instructors Bio
Jessica Slomka, PhD, PGeo
Jessica Slomka, PhD is passionate about sedimentology and especially about glacial sediments. She completed her Ph.D. at McMaster University in 2014 in the School of Geography and Earth Sciences. Her doctoral work focused on characterizing the sedimentary architecture of glacial sediments in modern and ancient deposits, including a modern ice margin in Iceland.
Jessica (prefers Jess) is a registered P.Geo (APEGA) and worked as a geologist at the Alberta Geological Survey/Alberta Energy Regulator (AGS/AER) in the Subsurface Geological Framework section for three years. At the AGS, Jess worked on characterizing the glacial stratigraphy in the Peace River area as part of a multi-year project. Jess also collaborated with her colleague, G. Hartman, to characterize the sedimentology and architecture of the Grimshaw gravels, which hosts a major aquifer for communities in north-central Alberta. During her time at the AGS, Jess volunteered with the Alberta Science Network conducting classroom visits as part of the Rocks & Minerals unit, and is currently completing a graduate program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (University of Toronto).
