The Origin of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks — Wolf von Engelhardt (1977)

Published in 1977, The Origin of Sediments and Sedimentary Rocks is the third volume of the major Sedimentary Petrology series by Wolf von Engelhardt, Hans Füchtbauer and German Müller. This English-language volume presents a comprehensive account of the processes that transform pre-existing rocks and minerals into sediments and, ultimately, new sedimentary rocks.

Rather than concentrating simply on identifying rocks, Wolf von Engelhardt examines the physical and chemical processes responsible for their formation. Subjects include parent materials, weathering, erosion, transportation and deposition of clastic particles, the formation of chemical sediments, and diagenesis—the collection of processes that alter loose sediment after deposition and eventually help transform it into rock.

The book was written for advanced geoscience students and professional researchers and reflects the increasingly quantitative and process-oriented approach to sedimentology that developed during the twentieth century. Understanding these processes is fundamental not only to reconstructing Earth's geological history, but also to petroleum geology, where sedimentary environments and diagenesis strongly influence the formation and properties of reservoir rocks.

The author, Wolf von Engelhardt (1910–2008), was a prominent German geologist and mineralogist associated with the University of Tübingen. His research ranged from geochemistry and sedimentary petrology to shock metamorphism and impact geology. Engelhardt became particularly noted for his work on the Nördlinger Ries impact crater in Germany and later participated as a principal investigator in NASA's scientific examination of lunar material, including material returned during the Apollo era.

This copy is the 1977 second revised edition, translated into English by geologist William D. Johns. It contains 134 figures and 55 tables and was issued in the United States by Halsted Press / John Wiley & Sons.

Author: Wolf von Engelhardt
Translator: William D. Johns
Series: Sedimentary Petrology, Part III
Edition: Second Revised Edition
Year: 1977
Publisher: E. Schweizerbart'sche Verlagsbuchhandlung / Halsted Press, John Wiley & Sons
Length: 359 pages
Illustrations: 134 figures and 55 tables
Subject: Sedimentology / Petrology / Geology / Geochemistry

Condition: Vintage ex-library hardcover with institutional stamps, markings and spine label. This copy bears provenance from the Amoco Production Company Research Center Geological Library. Blue cloth boards with gilt lettering show moderate wear consistent with age and institutional use. Interior appears well preserved overall. Please refer to photographs for exact condition.

A substantial vintage reference in sedimentary geology with additional historical interest through Engelhardt's later contributions to impact-crater science and planetary geology.