首页 | 本学科首页   官方微博 | 高级检索  
相似文献
 共查询到20条相似文献，搜索用时 46 毫秒
1.
Varnish microlamination (VML) dating is a correlative age determination technique that can be used to date and correlate various geomorphic features in deserts. In this study, we establish a generalized late Quaternary (i.e., 0–300 ka) varnish layering sequence for the drylands of western USA and tentatively correlate it with the SPECMAP oxygen isotope record. We then use this climatically correlated varnish layering sequence as a correlative dating tool to determine surface exposure ages for late Quaternary geomorphic features in the study region. VML dating of alluvial fan deposits in Death Valley of eastern California indicates that, during the mid to late Pleistocene, 5–15 ky long aggradation events occurred during either wet or dry climatic periods and that major climate shifts between glacial and interglacial conditions may be the pacemaker for alteration of major episodes of fan aggradation. During the Holocene interglacial time, however, 0.5–1 ky long brief episodes of fan deposition may be linked to short periods of relatively wet climate. VML dating of alluvial desert pavements in Death Valley and the Mojave Desert reveals that pavements can be developed rapidly (< 10 ky) during the Holocene (and probably late Pleistocene) in the arid lowlands (< 800 m msl) of these regions; but once formed, they may survive for 74–85 ky or even longer without being significantly disturbed by geomorphic processes operative at the pavement surface. Data from this study also support the currently accepted, “being born at the surface” model of desert pavement formation. VML dating of colluvial boulder deposits on the west slope of Yucca Mountain, southern Nevada, yields a minimum age of 46 ka for the emplacement of these deposits on the slope, suggesting that they were probably formed during the early phase of the last glaciation or before. These results, combined with those from our previous studies, demonstrate that VML dating has great potential to yield numerical age estimates for various late Quaternary geomorphic features in the western USA drylands.  相似文献   

2.
The past decade has seen the development and application of over a dozen new methods for quantitative age-determinations of geomorphic surfaces. Some surface exposure dating methods are numerical, including the accumulation of cosmogenic radionuclides 10Be, 14C, 26Al, 36Cl, and 41Ca, accumulation of cosmogenic stable nuclides 3He and 21Ne, 14C dating of organic matter encapsulated in rock coatings, and dendrogeomorphology. Calendar ages are obtained by dendrogeomorphological analysis. Calibrated ages can be obtained by analysis of rock-varnish chemistry, lichenometry, weathering, and soils. Various methods can be used in combination to overcome individual limitations. Whereas conventional methods provide age control on stratigraphic profiles, surface-exposure dating methods are especially suitable for geographic problems, such as analyzing not only temporal, but also spatial variations in the rates of geomorphic processes. [Key words: geomorphology, process, geochronology, cosmogenic nuclides, Quaternary, surface exposure dating, rock varnish, weathering, soils.]  相似文献   

3.
Sackungs are the largest gravitational deformation observed in mountains. They are characterized by the long-term slowness of the movements, but their mechanism is still not well understood. Nowadays cosmic ray exposure (CRE) dating methods allow dating the morphologic structures involved in sackung and can contribute at the understanding of their origin. In the Alps, the 5.3 km long Arcs sackung initiated during the activity of rock glaciers. Three samples from these faulted rock glaciers provide their first CRE ages and show that at 2000 m elevation these block accumulations moved during the Younger Dryas and stopped in early Holocene. Six 10Be ages of fault scarps show that the Arcs sackung lasted only a few thousand years and stopped at about 8462 ± 432 10Be yr. They also reveal that deformation migrated upslope in agreement with a mechanism of flexural toppling of vertical layers. This unique and long gravitational event, characterized by migration of the deformation, does not support earthquake shaking as triggering mechanism for individual faults. It shows that, in the upper Isère valley, slope deformation was delayed of several thousand years after glacial debuttressing, and is not anymore active despite its fresh morphology.  相似文献   

4.
Large debris-flow units commonly occur on the distal sides of subaqueous end moraines deposited by surges of Svalbard tidewater glaciers, but have rarely been described in terrestrial settings. Some researchers have argued that these kinds of debris flows reflect processes unique to the subaqueous environment, such as the extrusion of subglacial deforming layers or extensive failure of oversteepened moraine fronts. In this paper, we describe terrestrial and subaqueous parts of a single late Holocene moraine system deposited by a major surge of the tidewater glacier Paulabreen in west Spitsbergen. The ice-marginal landforms on land closely resemble the corresponding landforms on the seabed as evidenced by geomorphic mapping and geophysical profiles from both environments. Both onland and offshore, extensive areas of hummocky moraine occur on the proximal side of the maximum glacier position, and large mud aprons (interpreted as debris flows) occur on the distal side. We show that the debris-flow sediments were pushed in front of the advancing glacier as a continuously failing, mobile push moraine. We propose that the mud aprons are end members of a proglacial landforms continuum that has thrust-block moraines as the opposite end member. Two clusters of dates (~ 8000 YBP and ~ 700 YBP) have previously been interpreted to indicate two separate surges responsible for the moraine formation. New dates suggest that the early cluster indicates a local extinction of the abounded species Chlamys islandica. Other changes corresponding to the widespread 8.2 ka event within the fjord, may suggest that the extinction of the C. islandica corresponds to that time.  相似文献   

5.
T.C. Hales  J.J. Roering 《Geomorphology》2009,107(3-4):241-253
In the Southern Alps, New Zealand, large gradients in precipitation (< 1 to 12 m year− 1) and rock uplift (< 1 to 10 mm year− 1) produce distinct post-glacial geomorphic domains in which landslide-driven sediment production dominates in the wet, rapid-uplift western region, and rockfall controls erosion in the drier, low-uplift eastern region. Because the western region accounts for < 25% of the active orogen, the dynamics of erosion in the extensive eastern region are of equal importance in estimating the relative balance of uplift and erosion across the Southern Alps. Here, we assess the efficacy of frost cracking as the primary rockfall mechanism in the eastern Southern Alps using air photo and topographic analysis of scree slopes, cosmogenic radionuclide dating of headwalls, paleo-climate data, and a numerical model of headwall temperature. Currently, active scree slopes occur at a relatively uniform mean elevation ( 1450 m) and their distribution is independent of hillslope aspect and rock type, consistent with the notion that frost cracking (which is maximized between − 3 and − 8 °C) may control rockfall erosion. Headwall erosion rates of 0.3 to 0.9 mm year− 1, measured using in-situ 10Be and 26Al in the Cragieburn Range, confirm that rockfall erosion is active in the late Holocene at rates that roughly balance rock uplift. Models of the predicted depth of frost activity are consistent with the scale of fractures and scree blocks in our field sites. Also, vegetated, paleo-scree slopes are ubiquitous at elevations lower than active scree slopes, consistent with the notion that lower temperatures during the last glacial advance induced pervasive rockfall erosion due to frost cracking. Our modeling suggests temporally-averaged peak frost cracking intensity occurs at 2300 m a.s.l., the approximate elevation of the highest peaks in the central Southern Alps, suggesting that the height of these peaks may be limited by a “frost buzzsaw.”  相似文献   

6.
Distinct rock fragment displacements occur on the ambas, or structurally determined stepped mountains of the Northern Ethiopian Highlands. This paper describes the rock fragment detachment from cliffs by rockfall, quantifies its annual rate, and identifies factors controlling rock fragment movement on the scree slopes. It further presents a conceptual model explaining rock fragment cover at the soil surface in these landscapes. In the May Zegzeg catchment (Dogu'a Tembien district, Tigray), rockfall from cliffs and rock fragment movement on debris slopes by runoff and livestock trampling were monitored over a 4-year period (1998–2001). Rockfall and rock fragment transport mainly induced by livestock trampling appear to be important geomorphic processes. Along a 1500-m long section of the Amba Aradam sandstone cliff, at least 80 t of rocks are detached yearly and fall over a mean vertical distance of 24 m resulting in a mean annual cliff retreat rate of 0.37 mm y− 1. Yearly unit rock fragment transport rates on scree slopes ranged between 23.1 and 37.9 kg m− 1 y− 1. This process is virtually stopped when exclosures are established. Corresponding mean rock fragment transport coefficients K are 32–69 kg m− 1 y− 1 on rangeland but only 3.9 kg m− 1 y− 1 in densely vegetated exclosures. A conceptual model indicates that besides rockfall from cliffs and argillipedoturbation, all factors and processes of rock fragment redistribution in the study area are of anthropogenic origin.  相似文献   

7.
This study focuses on the upper part of the Muskegon River system in north-central Lower Michigan and is the first to reconstruct the post-glacial history of fluvial landform development in the core of North America's Great Lakes region. Results indicate that the upper Muskegon River valley contains four alluvial terraces and numerous paleomeanders. Radiocarbon dating of peats within these old channels provides a good chronology for stream behavior and landform development. The T-4 terrace is a paired Pleistocene outwash/lacustrine surface that probably formed about 12,500 years ago. The T-3 terrace is a fill-strath surface that was cut between about 12,000 and perhaps 9500 years ago. The geometry of macromeanders on this surface suggests that stream discharge was  8 times greater than during the Holocene.The Pleistocene/Holocene transition is marked by a major period of downcutting that likely began as the climate warmed/dried and sediment yield diminished. This period of downcutting potentially lasted through the drier middle Holocene, creating a 6-m-high escarpment in the valley. The Muskegon River then began to aggrade when the climate became wetter. Subsequently the river again incised, creating the paired T-2 terrace, about 3400 years ago when the climate became still wetter. T-2 paleomeanders indicate that stream discharge at this time was consistent with the modern river. In the past 2500 years, the stream has constructed a poorly defined complex of T-1 terraces. These surfaces likely formed due to complex response associated with more variable climate. This study demonstrates that the upper Muskegon River has a similar post-glacial history as streams on deglacial and periglacial landscapes elsewhere in the world.  相似文献   

8.
The Late Glacial and Holocene geomorphology of the Manx uplands has received scant attention in previous researches. Solifluction deposits and terraces provide the earliest evidence for geomorphic activity after deglaciation. Fluvial incision into drift-choked valleys is correlated with the formation of the large mountain front alluvial fans that flank the Manx uplands. Formation of these alluvial fans is constrained to 15,000–10,500 cal. years BP by 14C dates on organic deposits beneath and above the alluvial fan gravels. Alluvial fan and river terraces along four valleys postdate this incision. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and 14C dating provide a tentative chronology for these landforms. The higher terraces are Late Glacial fluvial surfaces that were probably occupied by rivers into the Holocene. Incision during the Late Holocene led to the abandonment of the higher surfaces, producing a suite of younger river terraces and alluvial fan surfaces. Independent dating constrains this fluvial activity to post-Bronze Age (3500–2800 cal. years BP). Increased human activity and climatic change during the Late Holocene are possible causes for this increased geomorphic activity.  相似文献   

9.
The Holocene sediments of two catchments in the southern Upper Rhine valley have been quantified as part of the German LUCIFS Programme (RheinLUCIFS), which aims to quantify sediment fluxes in the Rhine catchment since the onset of agriculture in the Neolithic about 7500 years ago.The spatial distribution of the alluvial and colluvial sediments was derived using geological maps, with information on the thickness of these sediments from various sources including auger profiles and data from excavations. The sediments were subdivided into characteristic sedimentary storage types according to the different types of landscapes. For each of the sedimentary storage types an average thickness was assessed so that an integral sediment balance for the Holocene could be derived.For the different types of landscapes in the study area, 32 Holocene sedimentary storage types were determined, 21 in the Elz catchment (1500 km2) and 11 in the Möhlin catchment (230 km2). By adding up the sediment volumes of all single sedimentary storage types the total Holocene sediment volumes for the two catchments were calculated. Erosion depths were determined by dividing the sediment volumes through the potential erosion areas (slope > 2%) and by assuming a sediment delivery ratio (SDR) between 0 and 0.4. The total erosion for the potential erosion areas during the Holocene was calculated as 31–61 cm in the Elz catchment and 44–79 cm in the Möhlin catchment.  相似文献   

10.
Low-temperature apatite (U–Th)/He (AHe) thermochronology on vertical transects of leucogranite stocks and 10Be terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide (TCN) surface exposure dating on strath terraces in the Lahul Himalaya provide a first approximation of long-term (104–106 years) exhumation rates for the High Himalayan Crystalline Series (HHCS) for northern India. The AHe ages show that exhumation of the HHCS in Lahul from shallow crustal levels to the surface was ~ 1–2 mm/a and occurred during the past ~ 2.5 Ma. Bedrock exhumation in Lahul fits into a regional pattern in the HHCS of low-temperature thermochronometers yielding Plio-Pleistocene ages. Surface exposure ages of strath terraces along the Chandra River range from ~ 3.5 to 0.2 ka. Two sites along the Chandra River show a correlation between TCN age and height above the river level yielding maximum incision rates of 12 and 5.5 mm/a. Comparison of our AHe and surface exposure ages from Lahul with thermochronometry data from the fastest uplifting region at the western end of the Himalaya, the Nanga Parbat syntaxis, illustrates that there are contrasting regions in the High Himalaya where longer term (105–107 years) erosion and exhumation of bedrock substantially differ even though Holocene rates of fluvial incision are comparable. These data imply that the orogen's indenting corners are regions where focused denudation has been stable since the mid-Pliocene. However, away from these localized areas where there is a potent coupling of tectonic and surface processes that produce rapid uplift and denudation, Plio-Pleistocene erosion and exhumation can be characterized by disequilibrium, where longer term rates are relatively slower and shorter term fluvial erosion is highly variable over time and distance. The surface exposure age data reflect differential incision along the length of the Chandra River over millennial time frames, illustrate the variances that are possible in Himalayan river incision, and highlight the complexity of Himalayan environments.  相似文献   

11.
Interest in the Holocene development of small to medium-sized river catchments in Western and Central Europe in relation to changes in land use and climate has increased over the past years. In this study we reconstruct the Holocene landscape development and fluvial dynamics of the Geul River (The Netherlands) and the main forcing mechanisms of environmental change. Field studies were carried out and we used OSL and 14C dating methods to reconstruct the Holocene valley development. Our study shows that 2 periods of deforestation (during the Roman Period and the High Middle Ages) led to severe soil erosion and increased floodplain sedimentation in the catchment of the Geul River, possibly combined with periods of increased wetness during the High Middle Ages. Alluvial fans have been active since the Roman deforestation phase. Our results show that the Geul catchment is highly sensitive to changes in land use.  相似文献   

12.
Longitudinal (linear) sand dunes of the Simpson and Strzelecki dunefields in eastern central Australia present a paradox. Low levels of activity today stand in contrast to luminescence dating which has repeatedly shown deep deposits of sand on dune crests dating to within the late Holocene. In order to investigate the nature of dune activity in the Simpson–Strzelecki dunefield, vegetation and sand mobility were investigated by detailed vegetation survey and measurement of rippled area and loose sand depth of dunes at three sites along a climatic gradient. The response of both vegetation and sand movement to inter-annual climate variability was examined by repeat surveys of two sites in drought and non-drought conditions. Projected plant cover and plant + crust cover were found to have inverse linear relationships with rippled area and the area of deep loose sand. No relationship was found between these measures of sand movement and the plant frontal area index. A negative exponential relationship between equivalent mobile sand depth on dune surfaces and both vascular plant cover and vascular + crust cover was also found. There is no simple threshold of vegetation cover below which sand transport begins. Dunes with low perennial plant cover may form small dunes with slip faces leading to a positive feedback inhibiting ephemeral plant growth in wet years and accelerating sand transport rates. The linear dunefields are largely within the zone in which plant cover is sufficient to enforce low sand transport rates, and in which there is a strong response of vegetation and sand transport to inter-annual variation in rainfall. Both ephemeral plants (mostly forbs) and crust were found to respond rapidly to large (> 20 mm/month) rainfall events. On millennial time-scales, the level of dune activity is controlled by vegetation cover and probably not by fluctuations of wind strength. Land use or extreme, decadal time-scale, drought may destabilise dunes by removing perennial plant cover, accelerating wind erosion.  相似文献   

13.
Dozens of references recognizing pediment landforms in widely varying lithologic, climatic, and tectonic settings suggest a ubiquity in pediment forming processes on mountain piedmonts worldwide. Previous modeling work illustrates the development of a unique range in arid/semiarid piedmont slope (< 0.2 or 11.3°) and regolith thickness (2–4 m) that defines pediments, despite varying the initial conditions and domain characteristics (initial regolith thickness, slope, distance from basin to crest, topographic perturbations, and boundary conditions) and process rates (fluvial sediment transport efficiency and weathering rates). This paper expands upon the sensitivity analysis through numerical simulation of pediment development in the presence of spatially varying rock type, various base level histories, various styles of sediment transport, and various rainfall rates to determine how pediment development might be restricted in certain environments. This work suggests that in landscapes characterized by soil and vegetation types that favor incisive fluvial sediment transport styles coupled with incisive base level conditions, pediment development will be disrupted by the roughening of sediment mantled surfaces, thereby creating spatial variability in topography, regolith thickness, and bedrock weathering rates. Base level incision rates that exceed the integrated sediment flux along a hillslope derived from upslope weathering and sediment transport on the order of 10− 3 m y− 1 restrict pediment development by fostering piedmont incision and/or wholesale removal (stripping) of regolith mantles prior to footslope pediment development. Simulations illustrate an insensitivity to alternating layers of sandstone and shale 3–15 m thick oriented in various geometric configurations (vertical, horizontal, and dip-slope) and generating different regolith hydrologic properties and exhibiting weathering rate variations up to 3-fold. Higher fluxes and residence times of subsurface groundwater in more humid environments, as well as dissolution-type weathering, lead to a thickening of regolith mantles on erosional piedmonts on the order of 101 m and an elimination of pediment morphology. An initial test of the model sensitivity analysis in arid/semiarid environments, for which field reconnaissance and detailed geomorphic mapping indicate the presence of pediments controlled by climatic conditions (soil hydrologic properties, vegetation characteristics, and bedrock weathering style) that are known and constant, supports our modeling results that pediments are more prevalent in hydrologically-open basins.  相似文献   

14.
The impact of large twentieth century floods on the riparian vegetation and channel morphology of the relatively wide anabranching and braided Nahal Arava, southern Israel, was documented as part of developing tools to (a) identify recent large floods, (b) determine these flood's respective magnitudes in alluvial ungauged streams, and (c) determine long-term upper bounds to flood stages and magnitudes. Along most of its course Nahal Paran, a major tributary that impacts the morphology, floods and sediments of Nahal Arava at the study reach, is a coarse-gravel, braided ephemeral stream. Downstream of the Arava–Paran confluence, aeolian and fluvial sand delivered from eastern Arava valley alters the channel morphology. The sand has accreted up to 2.5 m above the distinct current channels, facilitating the recording of large floods. This sand enhances the establishment of denser riparian vegetation (mainly Tamarix nilotica and Haloxylon persicum) that interacts with floods and affects stream morphology. A temporal association was found between specific floods recorded upstream and tree-ring ages of re-growth of flood-damaged tamarix trees (‘Sigafoos trees’) in the past 30 years. This association can be utilized for developing a twentieth century flood chronology in hyperarid ungauged basins in the region. The minimum magnitude of the largest flood that covered the entire channel width, estimated from flood deposits, is approximately 1700–1800 m3s− 1. This is a larger magnitude than the largest gauged flood of 1150 m3s− 1 that occurred in 1970 about 30 km upstream in Nahal Paran. Our estimation agrees with flood magnitude estimated from the regional envelope curve of the largest floods. Based on Holocene alluvial stratigraphy and OSL dating in the study reach we also conclude that flood stages did not reach the late Holocene ( 2.2 ka) surface and therefore we estimate a non-exceedance upper bound of  2000 m3s− 1 flood magnitudes for Nahal Arava during that interval. This study indicates that in unfavorable areas the combination of hydrology, fluvial morphology and botanic evidence can increase our understanding of ungauged basins and give information crucial for hydrology planning.  相似文献   

15.
The arctic islands of the Lofoten-Vesterålen archipelago in northern Norway have a wide distribution of weathered land surfaces commonly located above 250 m with several apparent similarities. In order to investigate the characteristics of (deep) weathering in this region, northern Langøya and Hadseløya were chosen for in-depth analyses. Eight weathering profiles were excavated from various surfaces, and the stratigraphies were logged in detail. Material was collected throughout the weathering horizons, and all samples were subsequently analysed for clay mineralogy (< 63 μm fraction) and grain size distribution. The sampling strategy was complemented by samples from additional saprolites and other landforms such as moraines and rock glaciers. The XRD results indicate that the presence of secondary minerals, such as gibbsite (Al(OH)3) and kaolinite (Al2Si2O5(OH)4), are very common throughout the profiles. Gibbsite is an extreme end product of silicate weathering and usually associated with a warmer and more humid climate, as found in Scandinavia during the Tertiary. The grain size analyses (< 63 μm) show that the finer silt fractions (< 8 μm) tend to be high in the profiles (20–40%), with significant amounts of clay (5–15%) demonstrating that the regolith itself is susceptible to frost sorting mechanisms.10Be exposure dates from in situ quartz knobs on tors and boulders of local origin suggest > 40,000 years of subaerial conditions. Considering the steady surface erosion, this figure should be viewed as an absolute minimum age estimate. Mapping of the superficial sediments and geomorphological features of the study areas has revealed several common morphological features, which indicate dominance of glacial and periglacial processes in the areas lying below the lower boundary of blockfields (c. 250 m). The weathering mantles are not a periglacial end product, but rather a relict tertiary landform that were modulated by permafrost processes as well as biological processes at later stages. The regolith cover constrain the vertical extension of warm-based Quaternary ice sheets challenging the notion of a parabolic ice mass consuming every mountain top of Lofoten and Vesterålen.  相似文献   

16.
Samples of manganiferous rock varnish collected from fluvial, bedrock outcrop and Erie Barge Canal settings in New York state host a variety of diatom, fungal and bacterial microbial forms that are enhanced in manganese and iron. Use of a Dual-Beam Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscope to manipulate the varnish in situ reveals microbial forms that would not have otherwise been identified. The relative abundance of Mn-Fe-enriched biotic forms in New York samples is far greater than varnishes collected from warm deserts. Moisture availability has long been noted as a possible control on varnish growth rates, a hypothesis consistent with the greater abundance of Mn-enhancing bioforms. Sub-micron images of incipient varnish formation reveal that varnishing in New York probably starts with the mortality of microorganisms that enhanced Mn on bare mineral surfaces; microbial death results in the adsorption of the Mn-rich sheath onto the rock in the form of filamentous networks. Clay minerals are then cemented by remobilization of the Mn-rich material. Thus, the previously unanswered question of what comes first - clay mineral deposition or enhancement of Mn - can be answered in New York because of the faster rate of varnish growth. In contrast, very slow rates of varnishing seen in warm deserts, of microns per thousand years, make it less likely that collected samples will reveal varnish accretionary processes than samples collected from fast-accreting moist settings.  相似文献   

17.
A detailed geomorphologic and morphostratigraphic investigation of raised marine terraces at Cape Cuvier, Western Australia, reveals two morphologically distinct units. A lower, well-developed accretional reef terrace between 3 and 5.5 m above MLWS (mean low-water springs; hereafter denoted as “+”) represents an extended interval of stable sea level. An upper erosional terrace and incipient coralgal rim between + 8.5 to 10.5 m represents a brief sea-level stillstand at this higher elevation. These features suggest the lower and upper terraces developed during discrete sea-level events. In an attempt to better define the timing of emplacement of each marine unit, 20 coral samples collected along vertical and lateral reef growth axis from both terraces were analysed with U-series dating. Unfortunately, all coral samples exhibited elevated δ234Uinitial values, suggesting that pervasive uptake of 234U-enriched uranium and 230Th thorium had occurred. Despite the shortcomings of absolute dating, a succession of events can be resolved though morphostratigraphic relationships. Comparison of the facies relationships, coral growth, and morphostratigraphic features between the lower and upper terraces indicates that an early to mid MIS 5e stillstand at + 3 to 5 m was followed by a late rise to + 8.5 to 10.5 m. This agrees with an emerging global view of MIS 5e sea-level history derived from stable carbonate platforms, rejecting the hypothesis that these higher sea-level benchmarks are an artefact of localized tectonic processes.  相似文献   

18.
J.A. Moody  R.H. Meade 《Geomorphology》2008,99(1-4):387-403
Flood processes no longer actively increase the planform area of terraces. Instead, lateral erosion decreases the area. However, infrequent extreme floods continue episodic aggradation of terraces surfaces. We quantify this type of evolution of terraces by an extreme flood in May 1978 on Powder River in southeastern Montana. Within an 89-km study reach of the river, we (1) determine a sediment budget for each geomorphic feature, (2) interpret the stratigraphy of the newly deposited sediment, and (3) discuss the essential role of vegetation in the depositional processes.Peak flood discharge was about 930 m3 s− 1, which lasted about eight days. During this time, the flood transported 8.2 million tons of sediment into and 4.5 million tons out of the study reach. The masses of sediment transferred between features or eroded from one feature and redeposited on the same feature exceeded the mass transported out of the reach. The flood inundated the floodplain and some of the remnants of two terraces along the river. Lateral erosion decreased the planform area of the lower of the two terraces (~ 2.7 m above the riverbed) by 3.2% and that of the higher terrace (~ 3.5 m above the riverbed) by 4.1%. However, overbank aggradation, on average, raised the lower terrace by 0.16 m and the higher terrace by 0.063 m.Vegetation controlled the type, thickness, and stratigraphy of the aggradation on terrace surfaces. Two characteristic overbank deposits were common: coarsening-upward sequences and lee dunes. Grass caused the deposition of the coarsening-upward sequences, which had 0.02 to 0.07 m of mud at the base, and in some cases, the deposits coarsened upwards to coarse sand on the top. Lee dunes, composed of fine and very fine sand, were deposited in the wake zone downstream from the trees. The characteristic morphology of the dunes can be used to estimate some flood variables such as suspended-sediment particle size, minimum depth, and critical shear velocity. Information about depositional processes during extreme floods is rare, and therefore, the results from this study aid in interpreting the record of terrace stratigraphy along other rivers.  相似文献   

19.
Rates and processes of rock weathering, soil formation, and mountain erosion during the Quaternary were evaluated in an inland Antarctic cold desert. The fieldwork involved investigations of weathering features and soil profiles for different stages after deglaciation. Laboratory analyses addressed chemistry of rock coatings and soils, as well as 10Be and 26Al exposure ages of the bedrock. Less resistant gneiss bedrock exposed over 1 Ma shows stone pavements underlain by in situ produced silty soils thinner than 40 cm and rich in sulfates, which reflect the active layer thickness, the absence of cryoturbation, and the predominance of salt weathering. During the same exposure period, more resistant granite bedrock has undergone long-lasting cavernous weathering that produces rootless mushroom-like boulders with a strongly Fe-oxidized coating. The red coating protects the upper surface from weathering while very slow microcracking progresses by the growth of sulfates. Geomorphological evidence and cosmogenic exposure ages combine to provide contrasting average erosion rates. No erosion during the Quaternary is suggested by a striated roche moutonnée exposed more than 2 Ma ago. Differential erosion between granite and gneiss suggests a significant lowering rate of desert pavements in excess of 10 m Ma− 1. The landscape has been (on the whole) stable, but the erosion rate varies spatially according to microclimate, geology, and surface composition.  相似文献   

20.
A traversing micro-erosion meter (TMEM) was used to measure micro-scale surface changes in a 45 cm2 area of an intertidal mudstone shore platform on Kaikoura Peninsula, New Zealand, with hourly readings taken over 5 days for two seasons, within 4 h either side of low tide. For all monitoring events, the relative height of a total of 120 co-ordinates were obtained, resulting in 4200 and 4800 measurements for the summer and winter seasons respectively. Within seasons, samples were grouped according to the presence of rain or no rain. Significant changes were found in the micro-topography with variations in temperature and among rain and no rain sample groups. For both seasons, in the absence of rain, there were positive linear relationships between rock surface temperatures and rock surface elevations, and regression analysis explained 42.3% and 46.5% of this variation for the summer (y = 0.098 + 0.004x; p-value = 0.007) and winter (y = 0.007 + 0.012x; p-value < 0.001) seasons respectively. It is suggested that incorporating weather readings alongside measurements of surface change could not only improve extrapolations of shore platform erosion from short-term studies, but also differentiate fluctuations in rock surfaces due to changes in rock surface temperatures from other processes involved in shore platform erosion.  相似文献   

设为首页 | 免责声明 | 关于勤云 | 加入收藏

Copyright©北京勤云科技发展有限公司  京ICP备09084417号