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Quaternary sediments: Petrographic methods for the study of unlithified rocks
Geochimica
et Cosmochimico
Ada
0016-7037/92/$5.00
Vol. 56, pp. 2143-2147
+ .oO
Copyright 0 1992 Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in U.S.A.
BOOK REVIEWS
opments of particle size distributions and the origin of magnetic properties, respectively, whereas little theory is presented in the sections on gravel lithology and sand fraction heavy mineralogy. In contrast, the presentation of grain size data is described in detail, whereas options for presenting magnetic susceptibility data in graphic form are not discussed at all. This chapter has two strong points: ( 1) the topics that am covered are generally covered well, and (2) the descriptions of the actual laboratory methodologies are excellent references for laboratory novices or experienced researchers. Because of the emphasis on gravels, tills, and soils, however, some topics that have proven very useful in the study of Quaternary deposits are either mentioned only briefly (e.g., the study of lacustrine sediments) or excluded (e.g., determinations of clay mineralogy in a wide range of sediment types). In addition, the reference lists do not include some of the major summaries of paleoenvironmental applications of these types of data; for example, none of the sections on pedogenesis and paleopedology reference any of the papers, review papers, or books by recognized experts in the field (e.g., G. Retallack or V. Wright). Chapter 5 (“Chemical composition and analysis of regolith material”) is 60 pages long and is subdivided at a scale equivalent to the subdivisions within each section of Chauter 4. Specific analytical techniques described include: ( 1) the determination of acidextractable Na, K, and Ca by flame photometry, (2) the estimation of plant organic content by loss-on-ignition, (3) the determination of calcium carbonate-equivalent content by gravimetry and gasometry, (4) the determination of acid-extractable sulfate content by gravimetry, and (5) the electrometric determination of pH. The authors judge that these techniques require no “expensive” equipment or “hazardous procedures,” and provide a detailed description of each methodology that would be very useful for any researcher using that technique. Some of these techniques do require the use of strong acids or bases, however, so that appropriate caution is necessary in the laboratory. In addition, most of these procedures have now been widely replaced (in U.S. facilities, at least) by more advanced instrumental techniques; although the authors have specifically constrained their presentation to avoid such techniques, I suspect that manuscript or proposal reviewers today would look upon carbonate or sulfate contents determined by gravimetric methods with some suspicion. As such, this chapter would not introduce novice laboratory workers to “state-ofthe-art” techniques. The final portion of the book contains 26 pages of appendices, including tables of SI units and physical constants, guides to the identification of common and heavy minerals, and a laboratory code of conduct. These are useful references, and the laboratory code of conduct should be required annual (at least!) reading for all geologists who work in the laboratory. In summary, Quaternary Sediments provides valuable practical information on basic laboratory procedures and a limited number of classic analytical techniques, but is not a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art methods for analyzing unlithified sediments. As a result, parts of this book should be mad at least once by every geologist who works in the laboratory, but few active researchers will find it sufficiently useful to require a personal copy.
Quaternary Sediments: Petrographic Methods for the Study of UnZithified Rock-s bv Stenhen J. Gale and Peter G. Hoare. J. Wilev & Sons, 1991, 323p., US $67.95 (ISBN 0470-21762-6). As STATED at the beginning of the first chapter, the goal of this book is to provide “detailed descriptions of a wide variety of physical and chemical analytical procedures for use on unlithified materials.” The authors justify this effort by noting that “the analysis of sediments, soils, and weathering products. . . is the most powerful means available of reconstructing the environmental history of the Quaternary Period.” This book meets the stated goal by describing in detail the methodology of some widely used analytical techniques; in addition, the book reviews some procedural and safety topics that should be familiar, but are not necessarily, to many geologists involved in laboratory work. However, the general usefulness of this book as a reference is significantly limited by two constraints chosen by the authors: first, they discuss only those techniques that do not require “expensive apparatus” or “hazardous procedures,” and second, they do not discuss the analysis of marine deposits. As a result of these constraints, this book is predominantly focused on techniques that can be applied to gravels, tills, and soils, and on techniques that cannot be considered “state of the art.” Quaternary Sediments is subdivided very unequally into five chapters. Chapter 1 (“Laboratory analysis of Quatemary material”) is three pages long and acts as an introduction to the book. Chapter 2 (‘Sample documentation, preparation, and storage”) is 5 1 pages long and is subdivided into sections on documentation, sample prep aration, sample storage, and subsampling. This chapter would serve: ( 1) asan excellent introduction to these necessary but tedious tasks for senior undergraduates, fimt-year graduate students, or laboratory technicians who are just beginning their research careers, or (2) as a reference for experienced researchers who are beginning to handle new lithologies or new kinds of samples. Chapter 3 (“Basic laboratory techniques and procedures”) is 38 pages long and is subdivided into sections on equipment (especially glassware and sieves), chemical solutions, laboratory notebooks, and measurements/sources of error. Like Chapter 2, this chapter would be an excellent introduction for laboratory novices or a valuable reference for experienced researchers, although the authors’ decision to exclude centrifuges because they am too “expensive” for many laboratories is puzzling. I would expect any laboratory that can afford an analytical balance, a petrographic microscope, a magnetic susceptibility meter, and a flame photometer (all of which are discussed in this book) to also possess a centrifuge. Chapter 4 (“Physical composition and analysis of regolith materials”) is 174 pages long and is subdivided into sections on particle size, shape of gravels, mesofabric of diamictons, color of regolith, lithological analysis of gravels, heavy mineralogy of sands, and magnetic susceptibility of regolith. Each section contains a discussion of: ( 1) the measures used for that parameter, (2) the physical/environmental controls on variations in that parameter, (3) a few examples of the application of that parameter to the solution of Quatemary paleoenvironmental problems, (4) the sampling requirements for analyses of that parameter, (5 ) the actual methods used to measure that parameter, and (6) the analysis and presentation of results. The extent to which each of these topics is discussed varies widely among the sections; for example, the sections on particle size and magnetic susceptibility contain extensive discussions about theoretical devel-
Department of Geological Sciences The Ohio State University Columbus, OH 43210, USA
2143
Lawrence A. Krissek
et Cosmochimico
Ada
0016-7037/92/$5.00
Vol. 56, pp. 2143-2147
+ .oO
Copyright 0 1992 Pergamon Press Ltd. Printed in U.S.A.
BOOK REVIEWS
opments of particle size distributions and the origin of magnetic properties, respectively, whereas little theory is presented in the sections on gravel lithology and sand fraction heavy mineralogy. In contrast, the presentation of grain size data is described in detail, whereas options for presenting magnetic susceptibility data in graphic form are not discussed at all. This chapter has two strong points: ( 1) the topics that am covered are generally covered well, and (2) the descriptions of the actual laboratory methodologies are excellent references for laboratory novices or experienced researchers. Because of the emphasis on gravels, tills, and soils, however, some topics that have proven very useful in the study of Quaternary deposits are either mentioned only briefly (e.g., the study of lacustrine sediments) or excluded (e.g., determinations of clay mineralogy in a wide range of sediment types). In addition, the reference lists do not include some of the major summaries of paleoenvironmental applications of these types of data; for example, none of the sections on pedogenesis and paleopedology reference any of the papers, review papers, or books by recognized experts in the field (e.g., G. Retallack or V. Wright). Chapter 5 (“Chemical composition and analysis of regolith material”) is 60 pages long and is subdivided at a scale equivalent to the subdivisions within each section of Chauter 4. Specific analytical techniques described include: ( 1) the determination of acidextractable Na, K, and Ca by flame photometry, (2) the estimation of plant organic content by loss-on-ignition, (3) the determination of calcium carbonate-equivalent content by gravimetry and gasometry, (4) the determination of acid-extractable sulfate content by gravimetry, and (5) the electrometric determination of pH. The authors judge that these techniques require no “expensive” equipment or “hazardous procedures,” and provide a detailed description of each methodology that would be very useful for any researcher using that technique. Some of these techniques do require the use of strong acids or bases, however, so that appropriate caution is necessary in the laboratory. In addition, most of these procedures have now been widely replaced (in U.S. facilities, at least) by more advanced instrumental techniques; although the authors have specifically constrained their presentation to avoid such techniques, I suspect that manuscript or proposal reviewers today would look upon carbonate or sulfate contents determined by gravimetric methods with some suspicion. As such, this chapter would not introduce novice laboratory workers to “state-ofthe-art” techniques. The final portion of the book contains 26 pages of appendices, including tables of SI units and physical constants, guides to the identification of common and heavy minerals, and a laboratory code of conduct. These are useful references, and the laboratory code of conduct should be required annual (at least!) reading for all geologists who work in the laboratory. In summary, Quaternary Sediments provides valuable practical information on basic laboratory procedures and a limited number of classic analytical techniques, but is not a comprehensive review of state-of-the-art methods for analyzing unlithified sediments. As a result, parts of this book should be mad at least once by every geologist who works in the laboratory, but few active researchers will find it sufficiently useful to require a personal copy.
Quaternary Sediments: Petrographic Methods for the Study of UnZithified Rock-s bv Stenhen J. Gale and Peter G. Hoare. J. Wilev & Sons, 1991, 323p., US $67.95 (ISBN 0470-21762-6). As STATED at the beginning of the first chapter, the goal of this book is to provide “detailed descriptions of a wide variety of physical and chemical analytical procedures for use on unlithified materials.” The authors justify this effort by noting that “the analysis of sediments, soils, and weathering products. . . is the most powerful means available of reconstructing the environmental history of the Quaternary Period.” This book meets the stated goal by describing in detail the methodology of some widely used analytical techniques; in addition, the book reviews some procedural and safety topics that should be familiar, but are not necessarily, to many geologists involved in laboratory work. However, the general usefulness of this book as a reference is significantly limited by two constraints chosen by the authors: first, they discuss only those techniques that do not require “expensive apparatus” or “hazardous procedures,” and second, they do not discuss the analysis of marine deposits. As a result of these constraints, this book is predominantly focused on techniques that can be applied to gravels, tills, and soils, and on techniques that cannot be considered “state of the art.” Quaternary Sediments is subdivided very unequally into five chapters. Chapter 1 (“Laboratory analysis of Quatemary material”) is three pages long and acts as an introduction to the book. Chapter 2 (‘Sample documentation, preparation, and storage”) is 5 1 pages long and is subdivided into sections on documentation, sample prep aration, sample storage, and subsampling. This chapter would serve: ( 1) asan excellent introduction to these necessary but tedious tasks for senior undergraduates, fimt-year graduate students, or laboratory technicians who are just beginning their research careers, or (2) as a reference for experienced researchers who are beginning to handle new lithologies or new kinds of samples. Chapter 3 (“Basic laboratory techniques and procedures”) is 38 pages long and is subdivided into sections on equipment (especially glassware and sieves), chemical solutions, laboratory notebooks, and measurements/sources of error. Like Chapter 2, this chapter would be an excellent introduction for laboratory novices or a valuable reference for experienced researchers, although the authors’ decision to exclude centrifuges because they am too “expensive” for many laboratories is puzzling. I would expect any laboratory that can afford an analytical balance, a petrographic microscope, a magnetic susceptibility meter, and a flame photometer (all of which are discussed in this book) to also possess a centrifuge. Chapter 4 (“Physical composition and analysis of regolith materials”) is 174 pages long and is subdivided into sections on particle size, shape of gravels, mesofabric of diamictons, color of regolith, lithological analysis of gravels, heavy mineralogy of sands, and magnetic susceptibility of regolith. Each section contains a discussion of: ( 1) the measures used for that parameter, (2) the physical/environmental controls on variations in that parameter, (3) a few examples of the application of that parameter to the solution of Quatemary paleoenvironmental problems, (4) the sampling requirements for analyses of that parameter, (5 ) the actual methods used to measure that parameter, and (6) the analysis and presentation of results. The extent to which each of these topics is discussed varies widely among the sections; for example, the sections on particle size and magnetic susceptibility contain extensive discussions about theoretical devel-
Department of Geological Sciences The Ohio State University Columbus, OH 43210, USA
2143
Lawrence A. Krissek