Current Hot Topics of Sedimentology: Comment on the 20^th International Sedimentological Congress

Key words: 
• International Sedimentological Congress /
• hot topics /
• anthropocene sedimentology /
• lacustrine sedimentary system /
• sedimentary process /
• deep gravity flow /
• &ldquo /
• source-to-sink&rdquo /
• system /
• microbialites /
• development trend /

Abstract: The 20^th International Sedimentological Congress was held in Quebec City (Canada) from August 13^th to 17^th in 2018. 931 scholars from 51 countries attended this conference. According to the arrangement of sessions in the conference, the current hot topics contain Anthropocene sedimentology, lacustrine sedimentology, deep-water sedimentary process, “source-to-sink” system, microbialites and the simulation of sedimentary process et al. The anthropic influence on modern geomorphological characteristics cannot be unneglected. The study of lacustrine sandbodies is not only meaningful for petroleum exploration and development but also has great implications for paleoclimate. Flow characteristics, sedimentary process and situ monitoring of deep-water sediment gravity flows have made great achievements in recent years. “Source-to-sink” perspectives are instructive to tectonic evolution of sedimentary basin, the nature of parent rocks from provenance area and the sedimentary dispersal characteristics. The recent advancement of microbialites mainly consists of mineralization and diagenesis of microorganisms and their implications for the reconstruction of paleoclimate. The weathering of sedimentary rocks as well as subsequent transportation and sedimentation in different depositional environments have become the main research focus of physical and numerical simulation. According to hot topics of recent meetings of sedimentology and the implementation of major geological plans, deep-time depositional record, process-product study, multidisciplinary investigation will be development directions of sedimentary research in the following years. Current sedimentary research in our country still concentrates on applied sedimentology, we not only pay much attention to modern experimental and testing technology, but also to fundamental field work and mechanism of sedimentary process. During the golden age of the fast development of sedimentology, youth sedimentologists should not miss this rare opportunity to grow into the tower of strength of domestic sedimentology, and reach the word-class level as soon as possible in the future.d