After getting the test back, I am still confused about unconformities and angular unconformities. Can someone please help about what the difference is. I thought that an angular unconformity was just an unconformity that was angled. One of the questions on the test that I got wrong suggests that maybe I am wrong about this.

-- Deb Richards (Kizmet727@yahoo.com), April 17, 2001

Answers

An uncoconformity is simply the boundry along which the two exisiting formations meet. There is a great picture of this on page 193 figure 9.6 in our textbook.

An angular unconformity is when the upper layers overlie lower beds that have been folded by tectonic process and then erroded to a more or less even plane. These layers of bedding planes are not parallel. There is also a picture of this on 193 figure 9.8. Hope this helps! :)

-- Carla Scott (smileycar@yahoo.com), April 18, 2001.