Building a {3D} Wheeler Diagram for Stratigraphic Modeling

in: Proc. 25th Gocad Meeting, Nancy

Abstract

Sedimentary unit modeling which respects fault and layering is an important aspect of modern 3D numerical stratigraphic approaches. In particularly a major challenge is the representation of the clinoform geometry (S–shape form) because it pervades stratigraphic sequences across a variety of scales. This paper suggests to simplify the traditional approaches to describe clinoform geometry and its boundaries, by using the GeoChron parameterization in order to model separately the geometry in the geological space (x, y, z) and the properties in the geochronological space (u, v, t). The suggested solution simplifies the description of the stratigraphic architectures and of the lithofacies distributions. This approach extends the method used in 2D by the sequence stratigraphists to 3D. It is shown that it is equivalent to build a Wheeler diagram or to model the stratigraphy in the geochronological space. A Wheeler diagram differs from the GeoChron model because it may contain some empty cells corresponding to non-deposition areas. The advantage of the presented method is to provide a straightforward way to build the GeoChron model from the Wheeler diagram taking into account the non-deposition areas. The extraction of isochronous surfaces in this new (u, v, t) space is easy because it corresponds to horizontal planes. Formulas to project this planar isochronous surface onto the geological space are given. The method has been tested on a synthetic data set.

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    BibTeX Reference

    @inproceedings{Kedzierski05GM,
     abstract = { Sedimentary unit modeling which respects fault and layering is an important aspect of modern
    3D numerical stratigraphic approaches. In particularly a major challenge is the representation of
    the clinoform geometry (S–shape form) because it pervades stratigraphic sequences across a variety
    of scales. This paper suggests to simplify the traditional approaches to describe clinoform geometry
    and its boundaries, by using the GeoChron parameterization in order to model separately the
    geometry in the geological space (x, y, z) and the properties in the geochronological space (u, v, t).
    The suggested solution simplifies the description of the stratigraphic architectures and of the lithofacies
    distributions. This approach extends the method used in 2D by the sequence stratigraphists
    to 3D. It is shown that it is equivalent to build a Wheeler diagram or to model the stratigraphy in
    the geochronological space. A Wheeler diagram differs from the GeoChron model because it may
    contain some empty cells corresponding to non-deposition areas. The advantage of the presented
    method is to provide a straightforward way to build the GeoChron model from the Wheeler diagram
    taking into account the non-deposition areas. The extraction of isochronous surfaces in this new
    (u, v, t) space is easy because it corresponds to horizontal planes. Formulas to project this planar
    isochronous surface onto the geological space are given. The method has been tested on a synthetic
    data set. },
     author = { Kedzierski, Pierre AND Royer, Jean-Jacques },
     booktitle = { Proc. 25th Gocad Meeting, Nancy },
     title = { Building a {3D} Wheeler Diagram for Stratigraphic Modeling },
     year = { 2005 }
    }