『Abstract
　This paper aims to describe the use of thin sections/micromorphology in the sedimentology of unconsolidated sediments. It provides examples of the use of thin sections in a variety of sedimentary environments, from fault gouge, through caves and volcanics to aeolian, fluviatile, marine, periglacial and glacial. It demonstrates that in the latter three fields the use of micromorphology is relatively widespread and that in glacial sedimentology it has revolutionised our way of thinking about subglacial sediments. Although micromorphology has been mainly descriptive so far, methods of quantification observations are demonstrated. Some of the important aspects of micromorphology are its use for microstratigraphy and the possibility of relating observations to documented processes thereby allowing a more robust sedimentological interpretation of modern and ancient sediments.

Keywords: Thin sections; Micromorphology; Sedimentology』

1. Introduction
2. Sampling and impregnation methods
3. Terminology
4. Micromorphological description and analysis
5. Application of micromorphology to the study of unconsolidated sediments, an overview
　5.1. Organic
　5.2. Volcanic
　5.3. Slopes
　5.4. Tectonic
　5.5. Caves
　5.6. Evaporites, including carbonate crusts
　5.7. Fluviatile
　5.8. Aeolian and deserts
　5.9. marine
　5.10. Periglacial
　5.11. Lacustrine
　5.12. Glacial
　5.13. Diagenesis
6. Experiments
7. Differentiation and correlation of sedimentary environments
8. Geogenetic microstructures in soils
9. Discussion
10. Conclusions
Acknowledgements
Appendix A.Supplementary data
References