Do seismic reflections necessarily have chronostratigraphic significance?

Abstract

Abstract Many seismic reflections from within sedimentary successions are thought to be generated along stratal surfaces because those surfaces are laterally continuous and have marked acoustic impedance contrasts. As stratal surfaces are isochronous, those reflections are then also taken as being chronostratigraphically significant. In contrast, seismic reflections are thought not to be generated along the boundaries of lithostratigraphic units because those boundaries are discontinuous and gradational. Nevertheless, synthetic seismic analysis shows that seismic reflections should in many circumstances be expected to follow lithostratigraphic unit boundaries, not stratal surfaces. As these lithostratigraphic unit boundaries will generally be diachronous, seismic reflections from within sedimentary successions should evidently not be treated as necessarily having chronostratigraphic significance.