Marine Geology, 77 (1987) 333-337
Elsevier Science Publishers B.V., Amsterdam-- Printed in The Netherlands
B o o k Reviews
Carbonate Sands -- A Core Workshop.
P.M. Harris. SEPM Workshop No. 5, San
Antonio, May 1984. 463 pp., price: AAPG/
SEPM members US $22.00/others US $28.00
(paperback).
Deep-Water Carbonates - - A Core Workshop.
P.D. Crevello a.nd P.M. Harris. SEPM Core
Workshop No. 6, New Orleans, March 1985.
III+527 pp., price: AAPG/SEPM members
US $20.00/others US $25.00 (paperback).
Platform M a r g i n a n d Deep-Water Carbonates.
H.E. Cook, A.C. Hine and H.T. Mullins.
SEPM Short Course No. 12, U.S.A. 1983.
516 pp., price not given (paperback).
In reviewing these works I have to declare
an interest as an SEPM member. All three
volumes further the aims of the Society in
providing "in service" development for prac-
ticing geologists but there are clear differences
in approach and in the results.
"Short courses" meet two needs, to up-date
the explorationist or other professional with
developments in a specific field, and to educate
or inform younger geologists seeking guid-
ance in a particular area. Although these
readerships are self-evidently different, the aim
in each case is similar: to review a n d summa-
rize information in a balanced way which
makes it at once more accessible and more
assimilable. This teaching function separates
them from either a collection of thematic
papers or '~core workshops". There is no
distinction between the written and spoken
word in terms of the data presented.
How far does this short course on Platform
Margin and Deep-Water Carbonates succeed?
Although it contains much information the
lasting impression is of insufficient effort made
to digest this and to guide the reader (i.e.
333
teach). The Introduction and Basic Principles
is unnecessarily long since much is subse-
quently repeated. It needed to define the terms
of reference and set out signposts for the
reader and has not done so. Cook, as joint
author of many of the papers referred,
should have been able to present a coherent
summary.
The "Structural Controls of Continental
Margins" is a mine of information but once
more misses its target. In this context it is the
relationship between structure and sedimenta-
tion which is important but the geophysical
section concentrates on rehearsing the limited
value or even failure of some techniques of
investigation rather t h a n providing a model of
the structure of the Bahamas Bank. The book
is dominated by the Bahamas Province and it is
primarily about recent sediments so the title
itself is misleading.
The following chapter on shallow platform
margins defines environments but the presen-
tation of alternative classification schemes
(such as t h a t based on physical processes)
which are not ultimately used serves only to
confuse the reader. The section on reefs is also
unsatisfactory although those relating to
Hine's work on production and off-bank trans-
port are detailed and helpful.
Mullins again describes p a t t e r n s of trans-
port in relation to Slopes and Basins and in
some respects his version is clearer, but t h e r e
is duplication. Throughout the book both
themes and data are repeated together with
diagrams and references. A particular irrita-
tion is the reproduction of diagrams and
references. A particular irritation is the repro-
duction of diagrams attributed to authors who
have themselves reproduced them. Surely we
do not need the middleman. A number of
diagrams are poor. That from Folk (Fig.l-31)
was bad when first published. It is now partly
illegible and shoiuld not have been reproduced.
The final chapter, on Ancient Carbonates,