ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Cyclic sediments

Okay, so imagine you are playing with sand on the beach. You take a scoop of sand and pour it on the ground. Then you take another scoop and pour it on top of the first one.

Now imagine you keep doing this over and over again, creating layer upon layer of sand. This is kind of like how cyclic sediments work.

Cyclic sediments are layers of sediment (like sand, mud, and rocks) that have built up over time in a repeating pattern. Just like the sand on the beach, these layers repeat themselves over and over again.

Scientists think that these repeating layers are caused by changes in the environment where the sediments were formed. For example, in a lake, there might be seasonal changes in the amount of sediment that gets deposited. In the summer, there might be more sediment because of increased runoff from rainfall. In the winter, there might be less sediment because the water is colder and less active.

These changes in sediment deposition can cause the layers to repeat themselves in a rhythmic pattern, kind of like a cycle. Scientists can study these cyclic sediments to learn more about what the environment was like when they were formed, and even to learn about past climate and weather patterns.

So, in summary, cyclic sediments are layers of sediment that were formed in a repeating pattern because of changes in the environment where they were deposited. By studying these sediments, scientists can learn more about what the environment was like in the past.