isSedimentary

isSedimentary is a designation used in geology and related data models to indicate that a material is sedimentary in origin or classification. In databases and ontologies, it is often a boolean property (true/false) or a categorical tag used to identify rocks, sediments, or stratigraphic units, helping distinguish sedimentary materials from igneous and metamorphic ones.

Sedimentary rocks form at or near the Earth's surface by lithification of accumulated sediments through compaction, cementation, precipitation, or deposition of organic material. They frequently preserve bedding, ripple marks, and fossils, recording past environments.

Practically, isSedimentary is assigned from petrographic analysis, grain size and mineralogy, textures, and stratigraphic setting. In field notes and GIS databases, it is used alongside related properties (isIgneous, isMetamorphic) to classify samples and enable data retrieval and analysis.

Limitations include mixed origins or metamorphic overprinting that obscure sedimentary features, making classification uncertain without supporting evidence.

See also: sedimentary rocks, lithology, stratigraphy, diagenesis.