CARBONATE 3D

A 3D startigraphic forward simulator for carbonate platforms and mixed carbonate siliciclastic environments

Main developer: Georg Warrlich

CARBONATE 3D was developed as part of Georg Warrlich's PhD in the SedTec modelling group at RHUL with financial assistance from the EU Comission, ELF and Royal Holloway. It is based on earlier 2D modelling work carried out by Dave Waltham and Dan Bosence over the last 10 years.

The images above show animated model outputs of an atoll subject to a 3rd order sea level curve and a dominant wind direction from NW to SE.

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CARBONATE 3D applied to the Miocene platform at Nijar SE Spain. Key to colours, see above

 

Map of the computer output with the present day topography cut in (left) and the facies distribution in DS 3 as mapped in the field by Georg Warrlich.

 

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What the program does

CARBONATE 3D  reproduces and predicts stratigraphic geometries and facies in carbonate and mixed carbonate siliciclastic depositional environments in 3 dimensions. This is done by forward modelling of the main sedimentary processes in small time steps over the geological time period of interest. The simulated sedimentary processes are:

- Carbonate platform rim production dependent on water depth, restriction and sedimentation
- Carbonate platform interior production dependent on water depth and restriction and sedimentation
- Basinal sediment production and deposition
- Siliciclastic input
- Erosion, transport and redeposition of sediment dependent on currents, slope, depth and restriction
- Subaerial dissolution

 

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Current work

At present CARBONATE 3D is applied in the SedTec modelling group to a Jurassic ramp in NE Spain (Amy Boylan) and to the subsurface Devonian Judy Creek atoll in Alberta, Canada (Charlie Wood).

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List of useful modelling links

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For further information on CARBONATE 3D or comments on this site, please mail me at: georg@gl.rhul.ac.uk

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