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AAPG Home : Meetings : 2008 ACE-San Antonio : SEPM Activities : Business Meeting / Luncheon
Dr. Chris Paola
This year’s speaker is Dr. Chris Paola. He is currently a Professor in the Department of Geology & Geophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota and Director of the National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics, at NSF Science and Technology Center.
His current research is in the physical processes of sedimentation, in particular: basin filling and controls on physical stratigraphy; dynamics of braided streams, including vegetation interaction; particle fractionation in depositional systems; bedform dynamics; and autogenic processes and self-organization in landscape evolution.
His work using “Jurassic Tank” and other modeling experiments has been described as a simulation of the real world, which although not perfect, is on the leading edge of a new generation of physical models that can simulate the rise and fall of sea level, the effects of swings in climate and the sinking of tectonic plates. The model could also help oil companies save money on expensive offshore exploration (E. Stokstad, Science, 2000). In Chris’ words, “It’s easy to show that stratigraphic experiments are not even close to being dynamical scale models of natural sedimentary basins. Yet, they seem to capture some of the important dynamics of natural systems and to develop stratal patterns that have a lot in common with their field counterparts – including being surprisingly hard to interpret.”
We’ll look at highlights of several years of stratigraphic experiments and discuss why they might be applicable to the field, even when formal scaling analysis says they shouldn’t be.
The American Association of Petroleum Geologists (AAPG) does not endorse or recommend any products and services that may be cited, used or discussed in AAPG publications or in presentations at events associated with AAPG.
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