Tectonic Signatures in the Basin Fill

A sedimentary succession is the content of a sedimentary basin. Strata are preserved in a basin due to synsedimentary tectonic subsidence. Rises in absolute base level also aid in accumulation and preservation of sediments; however, the cumulative magnitude of the rises over the life span of a sedimentary basin is far less than the thickness of sedimentary successions represented in different ancient sedimentary basins (>1 km). Hence, rise in absolute base level alone cannot produce significantly thick sedimentary successions and synsedimentary tectonic subsidence is the key characteristic of sedimentary basins. Without tectonic subsidence there would be hardly a sedimentary basin (Ingersol and Busby, 1995).