Sedimentology is a branch of geology which is focused on the study of sedimentary rock and geological sediments. A practitioner of sedimentology is known as a sedimentologist. There are a number of avenues of interest within this field which people can pursue, and sedimentologists can pop up in some surprising places, from city planning offices to archeology departments. People who work in this field often pursue graduate degrees so that they can receive highly specialized training, and they can work for private companies, universities and colleges, and government agencies which are concerned with geology.
Sedimentary rock can form in a number of different ways, and one of the interests within the field of sedimentology is the study of how sedimentary rocks form, and which factors can impact the formation of rocks. Some form through gradual deposition of sediments which are later compressed, for example, while others form as water trickles through a formation and transports sediments which slowly solidify into a rock formation over the course of centuries. Sedimentologists are also interested in disruptive processes which can impact sedimentary rock, such as geologic uplift which breaks up geologic strata.
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Sedimentologists also are interested in how sediments form, and the deposition processes involved in the transport of sediments around the world. Sediments can cross continents and oceans, carrying along fascinating geological information, and they are formed through processes like weathering, geologic trauma, and even human activity. Understanding both how sediments develop and how sedimentary rocks form is an important part of sedimentology.
Dare Your Geological Imagination....
