Regressive Facies Patterns

Describe what transgressive and regressive facies patterns are. Where is there an example of where they can be found in the US? What do they tell us about geologic history through time? Why are they so prevalent? If you were to go to a rock outcrop alongside a road, what would you look for in order to identify a transgressive and regressive facies pattern looks like? Transgressive facies patterns are an upward succession in rock sequences from shallow waters to deeper waters. When there is a rise in sea level or the land sinks due to platonic activity, the shoreline moves inwards toward land making sediments sequences finer upward. A regressive facies pattern is the opposite of a transgressive; when there is an excess amount of sediments on land, sea levels decreasing, or land is being

The Tapeats Sandstone displays a basal transgressive sequence that built up as the ocean transgressed onto land. The sea transgressed so far into the Grand Canyon that shale deposited over the sandstone, and eventually the limestone was deposited over the shale. The vertical sequence of sandstone, shale, and limestone creates a transgressive facies pattern and displays offshore facies.
By looking at these layer patterns, geologists are able to figure out if sea levels were rising or dropping during the formation of these rocks. Sedimentary facies changes may show if there was a transgression or regression and can be identified on whether there are coarse-grained sediments such as sand, which indicates they are nearshore, in high energy environments. Or if they are fine-grained sediments like muds and silts, they indicate offshore, deep, low energy environments.
List and discuss in detail major problems that had to be overcome by plants and animals in order to live successfully on land. Give examples. Discuss how life has evolved from the ocean during the Paleozoic to move onto