A Thinking on the Development in Sedimentology

Since 1980's, mankind has entered the era of developing the high-new science and technology. The comprchensive use of computers has brought about the changes to the working and living sturctures of (he people. Rapid development of traffic, communication and space navigation has promoted the way of the contaet between the people all over the world, resulting in close links of each aspect. People can have new and deep understanding of the nature from unceasing obtain of scientific and technological results and abundant information. Morever, the changes of concepts and way of thought, in turn, advance the research of science and technology. Being in this epoch-making stage. We, sedmentologists are inevitable impelled to take the study field of our own into account to keep abreast of the time, enabling the research of sedimentology to develop together with other subjects. On the basis of the brief overview of key advances on some subjects of geology in the last ten years and a brlef hindsight of a number of important events in the development in sedimentology, several following sig- ant views are prsented by the author on the research of sedimentology in the era of high-new science.tnd technology of today. 1. Changing concepts and way of thought needs to extricate ourselves from the method traditionally dominated by intuitional experience remarks and from lacking strict logical reasoning, which should be replaced by the methology of strict scientific logical reasoning, by which scientific experimental examination can be carried out. Mean while, theory substitutes for the fixed theory and the traditional sedimentalogical theory may be collated and stipulated with the viewpoint of plate moment. The new catastrophism subtitules for the old uniformitarianism as well. 2 Apply as much as possible the high-new thchniques and method to sedmentology in order to probe it macorscopically and microscopically to a greater extent and to bring about steady improvement in techniques and method of sedimentology as such. 3 Pay more attention to the exchange with other subjects to the overlapping and infiltration of different branches of learning so as to enrich the theories of sedimentology, to open up the new domain of sedimenlological research and to establish the new branches. 4. Place the importance on the research of the global changes, and participate in the international cooperation of GSGP in a wider range and at higher levels. 5. Take an active part in the research of International Lithosphere Program (ILP) so as to help sedimentology to be one of the chief support in this research and to improve, in turn, the theory of sedimentology. 6. Pay more attention to the research of basin analysis, give full play to the supriority of sedimentology in geophysics, geotectonics, organic geochemistry- stratigraphy and structural geology for the purpose of promoting the combination and development of varying subjects. 7. Sedimentology is supposed to take effect in solving the major problems of human being, i.e. population, resources and environment, finding the foothold and combination point of its own in society, economic consturciton and markets. 8. Break the "modelling-type" with renewal and creation of research methods and engage in scientific research in the light of specific practice.