Thick, lithologically repetitive successions often present a challenge to the stratigrapher attempting correlation of such units at a regional scale. The recurrence of just a few rock types generally inhibits correlation solely on the basis of lithologic criteria, and gamma ray, stable isotope, or magnetic susceptibility patterns commonly provide inadequate resolution or insufficiently distinctive signals for high-resolution correlation work. Yet reliable fine-scale correlations are required in order to address many problems in paleoecology, taphonomy, and process sedimentology (e.g., community gradients, proximality trends in tempestites). Under such conditions, establishing a high-resolution stratigraphic framework requires cm-scale analysis of individual sections to identify local marker horizons of distinctive paleontologic, ichnologic, taphonomic, or sedimentologic characteristic from which regional correlations can be built up. Critical to the success of this approach is the increasing recognition of the highly episodic nature of sediment accumulation, such that single geologic events (e.g., storms, turbidity currents, sediment slumps, ashfalls, and earthquake shocks; Seilacher, 1982; 1991; Clifton, 1988) commonly yield an event layer of regional extent.
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Brett, C.E., Algeo, T.J., Mclaughlin, P.I. (2008). Use of Event Beds and Sedimentary Cycles in High-Resolution Stratigraphic Correlation of Lithologically Repetitive Successions. In: Harries, P.J. (eds) High-Resolution Approaches in Stratigraphic Paleontology. Topics in Geobiology, vol 21. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-9053-0_9
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