MATHEMATICAL-MODELING OF SEDIMENTARY BASIN PROCESSES

Mathematical models of various sedimentary basin processes including hanging wall deformation, evaporite deposition, carbonate platform sedimentation and sequence development on active domino-style fault blocks are presented. Many of these processes may be formulated using the equation of continuity of an open system as a starting point. Sedimentary and tectonic processes may be combined into a single mathematical formulation, provided that an Eulerian coordinate system is used, and this ensures that tectonics and sedimentation are modelled as simultaneous rather than sequential processes. The resulting algorithms are fast, robust and applicable to many, geologically very different, situations, but may be limited to relatively simple examples. The conditions under which the models are numerically stable are also easily found. The abstract nature of the mathematical models requires that simply determined properties such as palaeo-water depth and palaeo-slope must be used as proxy facies markers. The main limitation of the method is that it is restricted to modelling processes which change slowly with time and space and the method can therefore not cope properly with episodic or chaotic processes.