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Cross-bedding identification and geology

Internal layering within a sedimentary bed that is inclined at an angle to the main bedding planes, formed by the deposition of sediment on the lee downstream face of a migrating bedform such as a dune or ripple. Cross-bed orientations record paleocurrent directions—the direction of water or wind flow at the time of deposition. Large-scale cross-bedding sets 1 m typically indicates eolian wind or large fluvial dune environments. Field: sedimentology. Example: The Navajo Sandstone of Utah displays spectacular large-scale cross-bedding with set heights exceeding 10 m, recording the migration of enormous sand dunes across a Jurassic desert.. Related terms: Bedding, Paleocurrent, Dune, Ripple.

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  • Bedding

Sources, scope & corrections

These authoritative resources support category-level nomenclature, terminology, identification methods, and safety. When a specimen-specific safety warning appears, the public-health source listed here directly supports that precaution. They are not line-by-line citations for every other property on this entry, and natural specimens vary.

Editorial owner
GeoMiner
Last updated
2026-03-30T15:19:41.970235+00:00
Review status
Published; not independently peer-reviewed
  • USGS Thesaurus — U.S. Geological Survey. Controlled earth-science terminology used to describe USGS information resources.
  • Glossary of Geologic Terms — U.S. National Park Service. Geologic definitions prepared by the NPS Geologic Resources Inventory.

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Common questions

What does Cross-bedding mean in geology?
Internal layering within a sedimentary bed that is inclined at an angle to the main bedding planes, formed by the deposition of sediment on the lee downstream face of a migrating bedform such as a dune or ripple. Cross-bed orientations record paleocurrent directions—the direction of water or wind flow at the time of deposition. Large-scale cross-bedding sets 1 m typically indicates eolian wind or large fluvial dune environments.
What is an example of Cross-bedding?
The Navajo Sandstone of Utah displays spectacular large-scale cross-bedding with set heights exceeding 10 m, recording the migration of enormous sand dunes across a Jurassic desert.
Which earth-science field uses the term Cross-bedding?
Cross-bedding is used in sedimentology.
Which terms are related to Cross-bedding?
Related terms in this reference are Bedding, Paleocurrent, Dune, Ripple.

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