Towards the Standardization of Sequence Stratigraphy: An important scientific proposition of sequence stratigraphy

Key words: 
• sequence stratigraphy /
• standardization /
• sequence models /
• system tract /
• the Post-Exxon times

Abstract: In the Post-Exxon times of sequence stratigraphy, scientists came up with various sequence models of the complex stratigraphic records as well as its response mechanism, and endowed all models with strong pertinence, which aroused inconsistencies in conceptual system. Therefore, the standardization of sequence stratigraphy aiming at seeking the consistency of terminology has become an important scientific proposition of today's sequence stratigraphy. During the development process of sequence stratigraphy, the identification and distinguishing between normal regression and forced regression has laid an important groundwork for the system description of the sequence development, and has become the first step towards the standardization as these processes are model-independent. The introduction of unconventional system tracts in fluvial sequence models, namely, low and high-accommodation system tract, turned to be another successful attempt of the standardization of sequence stratigraphy because of its model-independent feature. Considering the four particularities of the stratigraphic records—the complexity and the cyclicity in the stratigraphic accumulating process, the non-gradual change and the non-integrity of the stratigraphic records, chasing the variability represented by the diversity of sequence models and the nature of standardization containing variability will provide more clues and approaches for further development of sequence stratigraphy.