This page contains mpeg movies of simulations that Dr. Flemings discussed in class. To quit the movie, simply click on button 3 of your mouse with the pointer in the grey area at the top of the window that is displaying the movie.
If the computer that you are accessing this page from does not have the capability to view mpeg movies, then please contact Eric Barron and ask about using a machine in the Earth System Science Center to check out the movies. Even if you can't view the movies, you will still be able to view the snapshots at several time steps that I showed in class.
Movie 1: Low flux continental margin. This is the first example we went over in class. The movie illustrates the evolution of stratigraphic facies (as defined by water depth) through time. If you cannot view the movie, you can look at the images I displayed in class:
Low flux example - water depth contours at 31e6 years
Low flux example - water depth contours at 59e6 years
Low flux example - water depth contours at 87e6 years
Low flux example - water depth contours at 119e6 years
Low flux example - water depth contours at 147e6 years
Low flux example - water depth contours at the end (175e6) of the simulation
Movie 2: Low flux thermal history. This illustrates the thermal evolution through time of the sedimentary basin. The temperature is approximately linearly proportional to depth. As the basin subsides the temperature of the sediments increase. So-called 'thermal blanketing' is a key control on the generation of petroleum by the 'cooking' of organic material. Thus the sedimentation history is an extremely important component of the evolution of continental margins. If you cannot view the movie, you can look at the images I displayed in class:
Low flux example - temperature contours at 31e6 years
Low flux example - temperature contours at 59e6 years
Low flux example - temperature contours at 87e6 years
Low flux example - temperature contours at 119e6 years
Low flux example - temperature contours at 147e6 years
Low flux example - temperature contours at the end (175e6) of the simulation
Movie 3:High Flux continental margin. This contrasts the first example by showing the evolution of a continental margin when there is a larger sediment supply. The shelf-slope transition is shifted oceanward. If you cannot view the movie, you can look at the images I displayed in class:
High flux example - water depth contours at 31e6 years
High flux example - water depth contours at 59e6 years
High flux example - water depth contours at 87e6 years
High flux example - water depth contours at 119e6 years
High flux example - water depth contours at 147e6 years
High flux example - water depth contours at the end (175e6) of the simulation
Movie 4:High flux thermal history. With more sediment, the basin is deeper and the sediments are hotter than in the previous example. If you cannot view the movie, you can look at the images I displayed in class:
High flux example - temperature contours at 31e6 years
High flux example - temperature contours at 59e6 years
High flux example - temperature contours at 87e6 years
High flux example - temperature contours at 119e6 years
High flux example - temperature contours at 147e6 years
High flux example - temperature contours at the end (175e6) of the simulation
Movie 5: Glenn Spinelli and Roberta Hotinski, students in Advanced Stratigraphy, produced this movie as part of a simulation of the Baltimore Canyon, Offshore New Jersey. As sediments filled the basin sea-level synchronously rose and fell (due to ice volume changes/climate). As sea-level rises and falls a complex stratigraphic record is generated. The color bar is an indicator of the water depth at the time of sedimentation and goes from dark blue (deep) to dark orange (shallow).
Sea Floor Images - To view images of the sea floor created by Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory's Dr. Lincoln F. Pratson and Dr. William F. Haxby, please visit the Lamont United States Margins Home Page
Extra Credit! - For extra credit, please send e-mail to Peter Flemings, flemings@geosc.psu.edu and state whether this was a useful exercise or not. It would help to describe why it was or was not useful - but in EITHER case you will receive extra credit.
