Soft-sediment deformation · Base of a bed, Cross section

Load casts and flame structures

Rounded bulges on the base of a sandstone bed (load casts) with narrow tongues of mud pushed up between them (flames).

How it forms

Denser sand sinks into less dense, wet mud below it.

Typical setting

Sand deposited rapidly on soft, wet mud

Way up

Load casts bulge down; flames point up into the overlying sand.

Flow direction

No.

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