Changes

Image manipulation of hand specimens, cores, and thin sections using Adobe PhotoshopTM or similar software can reveal the presence of subtle sedimentary features and enable estimation of the degree of compaction of the studied mudstone<ref name=LbzSchbr>Lobza, V., and J. Schieber, 1999, Biogenic sedimentary structures produced by worms in soupy, soft muds: Observations from the Chattanooga Shale (Upper Devonian) and experiments: Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 69, p. 1041–1049.</ref><ref name=Schbr2003>Schieber, J., 2003, Simple gifts and buried treasures—implications of finding bioturbation and erosion surfaces in black shales: The Sedimentary Record, v. 1, p. 4–8.</ref>. For example, image enhancement with image processing software (following manipulation of autolevels, brightness, contrast, color balance, and saturation) can reveal subtle discontinuities and disruptions of laminae and subtle burrows in mudstones with very little variation in color, texture, and composition<ref name=Schbr2003 />. These software applications can also be used to produce an image that approximates the rock’s precompaction state. The steps we recommend for achieving this “virtual decompaction” are as follows:

Image manipulation of hand specimens, cores, and thin sections using Adobe PhotoshopTM or similar software can reveal the presence of subtle sedimentary features and enable estimation of the degree of compaction of the studied mudstone<ref name=LbzSchbr>Lobza, V., and J. Schieber, 1999, Biogenic sedimentary structures produced by worms in soupy, soft muds: Observations from the Chattanooga Shale (Upper Devonian) and experiments: Journal of Sedimentary Research, v. 69, p. 1041–1049.</ref><ref name=Schbr2003>Schieber, J., 2003, Simple gifts and buried treasures—implications of finding bioturbation and erosion surfaces in black shales: The Sedimentary Record, v. 1, p. 4–8.</ref>. For example, image enhancement with image processing software (following manipulation of autolevels, brightness, contrast, color balance, and saturation) can reveal subtle discontinuities and disruptions of laminae and subtle burrows in mudstones with very little variation in color, texture, and composition<ref name=Schbr2003 />. These software applications can also be used to produce an image that approximates the rock’s precompaction state. The steps we recommend for achieving this “virtual decompaction” are as follows:

* Select perpendicular cuts of horizontal burrows.

* Select perpendicular cuts of horizontal burrows.

* Resize image by holding the horizontal dimension constant and changing the vertical dimension stepwise until the selected burrows show circular cross sections<ref name=LbzSchbr>.

* Resize image by holding the horizontal dimension constant and changing the vertical dimension stepwise until the selected burrows show circular cross sections<ref name=LbzSchbr />.

====Microscopy====

====Microscopy====