Abstract
This chapter introduces some of the fundamental concepts of sedimentation as a means to understanding the fabric and structures of the deposits which they generate. Sedimentation is the settling of solid matter in a liquid. Sedimentary processes are the processes that transport and deposit sediment. They include the work of water, wind, ice, and gravity. The chapter describes the physics of granular solids in fluids. The starting point of an analysis of sediment transport and deposition is Stokes' law. Stokes' law states that the settling velocity of a particle is related to its diameter, and to the difference between the particle density and the density of the ambient fluid. Stokes' law is only valid for a single sphere. The chapter describes two processes for transporting and depositing sediment: traction currents, and low-density turbidity currents. It further describes the processes for eolian sedimentation: traction carpets, and suspension. Several types of sedimentary deposit are associated with glaciation. These include loess varved clays, and the sands and gravels of fluvioglacial outwash plains.
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