Approaching an Outcrop:
In order to interpret the information
preserved in sedimentary rocks it is necessary to describe them in
detail, however only rarely are sedimentary rocks well exposed, or
exposed in thick sections. In most cases a detailed description
must be pieced together from more than one exposure, and in order to do
so there are a series of steps that geologists need to take.
First, each outcrop needs to be examined and then described in detail,
following a process that often includes producing a field sketch,
taking photographs, and obtaining rock and/or fossil samples .
After geologists travel to each outcrop and record their data they can
then prepare a composite stratigraphic
section, which is a graphic log, or representation, that includes all field
observations synthesized from individual outcrops. This section of the module will walk you through
how scientists go about creating a composite stratigraphic section for
the cliffs of Calvert County.
Click on the photograph for a quick video which demonstrates a
geologist approaching and collecting information from a sedimentary
rock outcrop!