Defining sedimentological and ichnological relations in modern depositional environments

地下的沉积岩蕴藏着世界上大量的石油、天然气和水资源。因此，能够预测这些储集层中沉积物的分布对于有效勘探和负责任地开发碳氢化合物和饮用水至关重要。在许多情况下，构成砂岩和砾岩的沙子和砾石是沿着海岸线沉积的，类似于今天环绕世界海洋的海岸线。研究这些海岸线上沉积物(沉积学)和动物洞穴(生物学)分布的科学家已经开发出定性(基于观察)的模型，用于预测砂岩和砾岩的整体几何形状和内部结构。然而，这些定性模型不再足以破译沉积岩固有的复杂性。改进现有模型的最佳机制是对现代海岸线上的观测结果进行量化和半量化。虽然定性模型提供了理想化的例子，但从现代得到的数学关系可以用来对沉积序列的结构和几何结构做出定量预测。这一点在地下尤其重要，在地下，现代开发的预测工具可用于推断井筒以外的地下数据并对其进行建模--无论是油井还是水井。

Sedimentary rocks in the subsurface host significant quantities of the world's oil, natural gas, and water resources. Consequently, being able to predict the distribution of sediments in these reservoirs is vital to the effective exploration for and responsible development of hydrocarbons and potable water. In many cases, the sands and gravels that comprise sandstones and conglomerates were deposited along coastlines similar to those that ring the world's oceans today. Scientists studying the distribution of sediments (sedimentology) and animal burrows (ichnology) along these coastlines have developed qualitative (observation-based) models that are used to predict the overall geometry and internal architecture of sandstones and conglomerates. These qualitative models, however, are no longer adequate for deciphering the complexities inherent in sedimentary rocks. The best mechanism for improving upon existing models is through the quantification and semi-quantification of observations made on modern coastlines. Whereas qualitative models present idealized examples, mathematical relations derived from the modern can be used to make quantitative predictions of the architecture and geometry of sedimentary successions. This is particularly important in the subsurface, where predictive tools developed in the modern can be used to extrapolate and model subsurface data beyond the well bore - be it an oil well or water well.