Facies

Eolianite carbonate facies (Holocene) on Long Island, Bahamas

In geology, a facies (/ˈfʃɪ.z/ FAY-shih-eez, US also /ˈfʃz/ FAY-sheez; same pronunciation and spelling in the plural)[a] is a body of rock with distinctive characteristics.[1] The characteristics can be any observable attribute of rocks (such as their overall appearance, composition, or condition of formation) and the changes that may occur in those attributes over a geographic area. A facies encompasses all the characteristics of a rock including its chemical, physical, and biological features that distinguish it from adjacent rock.[2]

The term "facies" was introduced by the Swiss geologist Amanz Gressly in 1838 and was part of his significant contribution to the foundations of modern stratigraphy,[3] which replaced the earlier notions of Neptunism.


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  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Reading was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Parker, Sybil P. (1984). McGraw-Hill Concise Encyclopedia of Science and Technology. McGraw-Hill. p. 705. ISBN 0-07-045482-5.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference Cross was invoked but never defined (see the help page).