Studies for Students 



RELATIVE GEOLOGICAL IMPORTANCE OF CONTINEN- 

 TAL, LITTORAL, AND MARINE SEDIMENTATION^ 



JOSEPH BARRELL 



PART I 



Advance Summary 3^6 



Introduction 320 



The Importance of Correct Interpretation 324 



The Classification of Continental, Littoral, and Marine Deposits . 325 

 Origin of Tendency to Classify Littoral and Flood-Plain Deposits 



as Marine 327 



The Regions of Continental Sedimentation 328 



Geological Importance of Desert Deposits 329 



Piedmont River Deposits 'i'^o 



Basin Deposits of Pluvial Climates :i'i'i 



Delta Deposits ■ • ■ ■ 12>^ 



Relation of Deltas to Regions of Subsidence 337 



Factors Governing Delta Land Deposits 340 



Submarine Topset Delta Deposits 347 



Relation of Waves and Nature of Deposit 347 



Effect of Variable Point of Discharge 348 



Effect of Variable Water-Level 349 



Interior Seas 349 



Marine Deltas 35 1 



Conclusions on General Nature of Delta Deposits ....... 353 



Conclusions on Present Continental Sedimentation 354 



ADVANCE SUMMARY 



The purpose of the following articles is to give a proportionate 

 view as to the relative geological importance of continental, littoral, 

 and marine deposits, and to discuss the use of some criteria for 

 separating them. This is in accordance with the movement 

 which is now taking place from the preliminary qualitative state of 

 geological science to a more balanced quantitative state. To this 

 end, use has been made of the facts of observation concerning present 



I The contents of the three parts are outlined here. Parts II and III will appear 

 in later numbers. 



316 



