Advances in genetic mechanism research on hummocky and hummocky-like cross-stratifications

Hummocky and hummocky-like cross-stratification(HCS and HCS-like)as the identification criteria for sedimentary environments have recently become confused because of the little knowledge on their genetic mechanism based on the following facts: HCS and HCS-like are often associated with storm deposits and turbidity current deposits,respectively; the views on HCS produced in shallow water environments and HCS-like produced in deep-water environments have been abandoned recently. According to the detail reviews on structural and morphologic characteristics and vertical sequence of HCS and HCS-like from literatures,here we found that: (1) the special features of HCS include the sharp or erosional basal contact,the internal truncation surface,close relationship with swaley cross-stratification,and the missing zone or amalgamation of HCS in vertical sequence;(2) the special features of HCS-like often include various thickness of individual lamina,hummocky layer interbedded with parallel bedding or small-scale cross-bedding under continuous deposition,and alternating sedimentary structures of upper and lower flow regime in vertical sequence. According to hydrodynamic theory and flume experiment achievements,these results show that the genetic mechanism of HCS and HCS-like could be divided into two parts,hydrodynamic mechanism and depositional mechanism. The hydrodynamic mechanism of HCS and HCS-like is same and could be interpreted by vertical vortex generated by baroclinic wave in nature. However,depositional mechanism of HCS and HCS-like is very different: HCS and HCS-like could be interpreted by erosion suspending sand mechanism and suspending sand settling mechanism,respectively,and the special features in HCS and HCS-like are due to the different sediment suspension concentration and depositional flow energy. The division for hydrodynamic and depositional mechanism of HCS and HCS-like is very significant in determining sedimentary environments from depositional flow evolution perspective.