1. What are the main environmental conditions that result and influence the
morphology of deltas?
2. How are some estuaries similar to deltas? How are all estuaries different?
3. Be familiar with the standard classification system for deltas. What are the three
main end member delta types?
4. Why are ancient deltas important? Why are modern (and historic) deltas important?
5. Describe the fundamental environmental conditions/characteristics that define all
deltas systems, ancient and modern.
6. Describe the fundamental geological characteristics of ancient deltas (closely related
to the previous question).
7. Be familiar with the main sub-environments present in generic delta systems.
8. Which sub-environments/ancient facies of deltas tend to consist predominantly of
sandy sediment? Of muddy/silty sediment? Of carbonaceous (organic material-rich)
sediment?
9. We did not discuss the influence of predominant grain size (bedload versus washload
dominated) nor water depth (shallow versus deep water) on delta morphology. Have
something to say about these factors on delta morphology and facies.
10. Be familiar with the processes that are common in low gradient, river dominated
deltas (minimal wave and tidal currents) resulting from channel instability and
avulsion. We discussed this in class in terms of the “Transgressive Mississippi Delta
Model”.
11. Describe the main facies differences amongst river versus wave versus tide dominated
deltas.
12. Why are syndepositional deformation features common and potentially diagnostic of
deltas?
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