Influential Polish publications in sedimentary geology 1996-2016

Abstract

The list of thirty highest cited recent Polish publications (after 1995) on diverse themes resulted from study of sedimentary rocks, usually referred as sedimentary geology, is presented. The progressively successful fields include in first order large-scale palaeogeographic and lithofacies analyses in supra-regional geotectonic framework (by Golonka), and also tectonic-regional varieties of basin analysis, developed by several research groups in Cracow, Warsaw and Wrocław, in agreement with one of the leading research front in worldwide geosciences. Ecological and Integrative stratigraphic-event characteristics of sedimentary successions are another well-known Polish specialties, the best exemplified by flysch ichnology (Uchman) and Devonian studies at University of Silesia. On the other hand, sedimentary geochemistry is still in infancy in Poland, despite a big progress in last years (in particular organic topics - Marynowski). The dominance of Cracow geological school is obvious, derived from a long-lasting tradition of mostly Carpathian studies in Jaggielonian University, even if this research is well advanced as well in many other institutions in Poland. For example, a newly emerging Polish specialty in tsunami hazard studies (Szczuciński) is markedly located at Adam Mickiewicz University. Nevertheless, Carpathian and post-Palaeozoic stratigraphic-sedimentological themes were still the most popular, although simultaneously an evolution toward effective cooperation in largely international groups (also outside of Poland, especially in Ukraine) appears to be the most significant tendency in modern Polish geology.