Describing climbing ripple laminations in simple language

1. Climbing Ripple
Laminations
Prathamesh S. Pawar
M.Sc. (I) Geology,
Dept of Geology
S. P. Pune University

2. • A series of cross-laminae produced
by superimposing migrating ripples.
• Ripples climb on one another such
that the crests of vertically
succeeding laminae are out of phase.
• They appear to be advancing
upslope.
What are climbing ripple laminations?

6. Types
• Classification based on the angle of climbing
and stoss side angle
1. Sub-critically climbing ripples:
angle of climbing < stoss side angle
2. Critically climbing ripples:
angle of climbing = stoss side angle
3. Super-critically climbing ripples:
angle of climbing > stoss side angle

7. How are they formed?
• Formed when deposition takes place very
rapidly during migration of ripples.
• Formed because deposition exceeds
migration.
• Cross-laminae are produced by superimposing
migrating ripples.

8. Conditions for formation of Climbing ripples
• Abundant sediments, especially sediments in
suspension, which quickly buries and
preserves original rippled layers
• Abundant suspended sediment supply must
be combined with just enough traction
transport to produce rippling of the bed, but
not enough to cause complete erosion of
laminae front the stoss side of ripples

9. In-phase climbing ripples (Rare Case)
• Some ripple laminae may be in phase (one
ripple crests lies directly above the other),
indicating that the ripples did not migrate.
• In-phase ripple laminae form under conditions
where a balance is achieved between traction
transport and sediment supply and are
balanced so that the ripples do not migrate
despite a growing sediment surface.

10. Occurrence/ Environments
Occurs in sediments deposited in
environments characterized by rapid
sedimentation from suspension, e.g.-
• Fluvial flood plains
• Point bars
• River deltas
• Turbidite deposits

11. Thank you…