The upper Hawkesbury River, New South Wales, Australia: a Holocene example of an estuarine bayhead delta

Holocene deposits of the Hawkesbury River estuary, located immediately north of Sydney on the New South Wales coast, record the complex interplay between sediment supply and relative sea-level rise within a deeply incised bedrock-confined valley system. The present day Hawkesbury River is interpreted as a wave-dominated estuarine complex, divisible into two broad facies zones: (i) an outer marine-dominated zone extending 6 km upstream from the estuary mouth that is characterized by a large, subtidal sandy flood-tidal delta. Ocean wave energy is partially dissipated by this flood-tidal delta, so that tidal level fluctuations are the predominant marine mechanism operating further landward; (ii) a river-dominated zone that is 103 km long and characterized by a well developed progradational bayhead delta that includes distributary channels, levees, and overbank deposits. This reach of the Hawkesbury River undergoes minor tidal level fluctuations and low fluvial runoff during baseflow conditions, but experiences strong flood flows during major runoff events. Fluvial deposits of the Hawkesbury River occur upstream of this zone. The focus of this paper is the Hawkesbury River bayhead delta. History of deposition within this delta over the last c. 12 ka is interpreted from six continuous cores located along the upper reaches of the Hawkesbury River. Detailed sedimentological analysis of facies, whole-core X-ray analysis of burrow traces and a chronostratigraphic framework derived from 10 C-14 dates reveal four stages of incised-valley infilling in the study area: (1) before 17 ka BP, a 0–1 m thick deposit of coarse-grained fluvial sand and silt was laid down under falling-to-lowstand sea level conditions; (2) from 17 to 6·5 ka BP, a 5–10 m thick deposit composed of fine-grained fluvial sand and silt, muddy bayhead delta and muddy central-basin deposits developed as the incised valley was flooded during eustatic sea-level rise; (3) during early highstand, between 6·5 and 3 ka BP, a 3–8 m thick bed of interbedded muddy central-basin deposits and sandy river flood deposits, formed in association with maximum flooding and progradation of sandy distributary mouth-bar deposits commenced; (4) since 3 ka BP, fluvial deposits have prograded toward the estuary mouth in distributary mouth-bar, interdistributary-bay and bayhead-delta plain environments to produce a 5–15 m thick progradational to aggradational bayhead-delta deposit. At the mouth of the Hawkesbury estuary subaqueous fluvial sands interfinger with and overlie marine sands. The Hawkesbury River bayhead-delta depositional succession provides an example of the potential for significant variation of facies within the estuarine to fluvial segment of incised-valley systems.     

Holocene transgression of the Rhine river mouth area,The Netherlands/Southern North Sea: palaeogeography and sequence stratigraphy

This study presents a detailed reconstruction of the palaeogeography of the Rhine valley (western Netherlands) during the Holocene transgression with systems tracts placed in a precise sea‐level context. This approach permits comparison of actual versus conceptual boundaries of the lowstand, transgressive and highstand systems tracts. The inland position of the highstand Rhine river mouth on a wide, low‐gradient continental shelf meant that base‐level changes were the dominant control on sedimentation for a relatively short period of the last glacial cycle. Systems in such inland positions predominantly record changes in the balance between river discharge and sediment load, and preserve excellent records of climatic changes or other catchment‐induced forcing. It is shown here that the transgressive systems tract‐part of the coastal prism formed in three stages: (i) the millennium before 8·45 ka bp , when the area was dominated by fluvial environments with extensive wetlands; (ii) the millennium after 8·45 ka, characterized by strong erosion, increasing tidal amplitudes and bay‐head delta development; and (iii) the period between 7·5 and 6·3 ka bp when the Rhine avulsed multiple times and the maximum flooding surface formed. The diachroneity of the transgressive surface is strongly suppressed because of a pulse of accelerated sea‐level rise at 8·45 ka bp . That event not only had a strong effect on preservation, but has circum‐oceanic stratigraphical relevance as it divides the early and middle Holocene parts of coastal successions worldwide. The palaeogeographical reconstruction offers a unique full spatial–temporal view on the coastal and fluvial dynamics of a major river mouth under brief rapid forced transgression. This reconstruction is of relevance for Holocene and ancient transgressive systems worldwide, and for next‐century natural coasts that are predicted to experience a 1 m sea‐level rise.     

Sedimentological and ichnological implications of rapid Holocene flooding of a gently sloping mud‐dominated incised valley – an example from the Red River (Gulf of Tonkin)

The Gulf of Tonkin coastline migrated at an average rate of ca 60 m year^?1 landward during Holocene sea‐level rise (20 to 8 ka). Due to a combination of rapid coastline migration and undersupply of sand, neither coastal barriers nor tidal sand bars developed at the mouth of the Red River incised valley. Only a 30 to 80 cm thick sandy interval formed at the base of full‐marine deposits. Thus, the river mouth represented a mud‐dominated open funnel‐shaped estuary during transgression. At the base of the valley fill, a thin fluvial lag deposit marks a period of lowered sea‐level when the river did not reach geomorphic equilibrium and was thus prone to erosion. The onset of base‐level rise is documented by non‐bioturbated to sparsely bioturbated mud that occasionally contains pyrite indicating short‐term seawater incursions. Siderite in overlying deposits points to low‐salinity estuarine conditions. The open funnel‐shaped river mouth favoured upstream incursion of seawater that varied inversely to the seasonal strongly fluctuating discharge: several centimetres to a few tens of centimetres thick intervals showing marine or freshwater dominance alternate, as indicated by bioturbational and physical sedimentary structures, and by the presence of Fe sulphides or siderite, respectively. Recurrent short‐term seawater incursions stressed the burrowing fauna. The degree of bioturbation increases upward corresponding to increasing marine influence. The uppermost estuarine sediments are completely bioturbated. The estuarine deposits aggraded on average rapidly, up to several metres kyr^?1. Siphonichnidal burrows produced by bivalves, however, document recurrent episodes of enhanced deposition (>0·5 m) and pronounced erosion (<1 m) that are otherwise not recorded. The slope of the incised valley affected the sedimentary facies. In steep valley segments, the marine transgressive surface (equivalent to the onset of full‐marine conditions) is accentuated by the Glossifungites ichnofacies, whereas in gently sloped valley segments the marine transgressive surface is gradational and bioturbated. Marine deposits are completely bioturbated.     

Ecology and fluvial dynamics of an Early Holocene medium‐sized European lowland river valley (Upper Scheldt,northern Belgium)

The fluvial environment of Early Holocene small‐ to middle‐sized lowland rivers in northwest Europe is mostly unstudied due to a lack of preserved and accessible deposits. A rescue excavation in the Scheldt valley in northern Belgium offered the opportunity to study a Boreal alluvial succession in detail. The results of palaeoecological and sedimentological analyses (diatoms, pollen, botanical macro‐remains, molluscs, grain size) characterize the biotic and physical environment in the middle reach of this medium‐sized river system. Although the Early Holocene in the Scheldt Basin has often been portrayed as a period of fluvial stability with marshy conditions and diffuse discharge, this study showed evidence of point bar formation by a small, low‐energy meandering river between ~9.5 and ~8.8 cal. ka BP. The point bar was at least temporarily vegetated and shows a shift from herbaceous riparian vegetation to an open willow‐dominated alluvial forest. This evidence points to a more open vegetation and a more energetic environment than traditionally described for rivers of this size and age. A link to the 9.3 ka BP cooling event is suggested and possible reasons for the scarcity of records of this type of deposits are discussed.     

Late-Holocene evolution of the Mahakam delta, East Kalimantan, Indonesia

The late-Holocene Mahakam delta, located along the tropical eastern shore of Kalimantan, Indonesia, is considered to be a textbook example of a mixed tide–fluvial dominated delta system. The delta prograded about 60 km during the past 5000 years, which led to the development of a distinct network of distributary and tidal channels. Wave action is low due the limited fetch in the narrow strait of Makassar. Mahakam River discharge is about a quarter of the Mississippi River discharge and is characterized by absence of flood surges. Therefore, natural levees, crevasse splays and avulsions are absent in the delta plain. For the past four decennia, both modern and ancient Mahakam delta deposits have been studied in detail in order to better understand subsurface Miocene and Tertiary Mahakam deposits, which host large volumes of hydrocarbons.

This study focuses on the dynamics and stratal patterns of delta plain, delta-front platform deposits and suspended sediments. Due to the predominance of semi-diurnal tides and the associated flow reversals, depositional patterns are highly variable which has resulted in the formation of characteristic sand–mud couplets. The distribution of the sand–mud couplets found in this study differs from previously proposed conceptual models. They are limited to the fluvial domain and form in the distributary channels (lateral channel bar) or at the fluvial dominated delta-front platform, which flanks the mouth bar deposits in offshore direction. The sand–mud couplets which formed as delta-front platform and lateral channel bar deposits are similar and can only be identified based on their ¹⁴C age. The sand content decreases significantly towards the tidal dominated areas due to limitation in transport capacity. Turbidity measurements taken in front of the river mouth also show rapid settlement of river plume sediments.

Some 22 new AMS ¹⁴C dates show that late Holocene sea level history resembles the eustatic sea level curve giving a first approximation of the Late Holocene sea level history for East Kalimantan. The dates suggest that the progradational delta system evolved under conditions of slowly rising sea level, which compares well to the eustatic sea level curve. In addition, calculated averaged deposition rates of the sand–mud couplets indicate that deposition is driven by the spring–neap tide cycles instead of the daily tidal cycle.     

Late Quaternary river development in the southwest Chad Basin: OSL dating of sediment from the Komadugu palaeofloodplain (northeast Nigeria)

The Komadugu river system is the major Nigerian tributary to Lake Chad. Its large alluvial complex represents an important archive of the late Quaternary environmental history of the Chad Basin. Modern floodplains are incised into an older fluvial terrace that extends over 5000 km². Evidence from satellite images suggests that the ancient river system was dammed up by the Bama Beach Ridge during high stands of mega Lake Chad. This caused the formation of extensive wetlands with a chaotic network of relic channels. The first set of luminescence ages presented here fits well into the previously established environmental history of the Chad Basin. Both the early and mid‐Holocene pluvial periods as well as a final relatively humid period during the late Holocene are reflected by point bar to overbank deposits or channel fills. The onset of the Holocene was characterised by erosion of older dune fields as indicated by grain‐size distributions of the alluvium. Satellite images and sedimentological observations show that the floodplain was dominated by meandering channels shifted by frequent avulsion, reflecting a high variability in precipitation and discharge patterns at the beginning and end of Holocene humid periods. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

汾河裂谷晋中盆地内第四纪沉积序列与沉积环境恢复

晋中盆地是位于汾渭地堑系中部的新生代陆内断陷沉积盆地,研究晋中盆地第四纪的沉积序列对于进一步认识该盆地区域构造和区域气候环境变化具有重要意义。为查明晋中盆地第四纪沉积序列结构、研究揭示晋中盆地第四纪沉积环境及演化,通过构造岩相学方法,对晋中盆地地表和钻孔内第四纪沉积物和沉积环境进行了研究。结果表明:晋中盆地清徐地区地表第四纪沉积序列结构为盆地内部沱阳组河床相和河漫滩相-盆地边缘汾河组河流相—盆山过渡带峙峪组河流相、汾河组冲积扇相及马兰组风积相-基岩山地（盆地外围）二叠系浅海相。钻孔岩芯内第四纪沉积序列结构为下更新统浅湖相和滨湖相—中更新统浅湖相和河流相—上更新统河流相和冲积扇相—全新统冲积扇相。研究认为晋中新生代陆内断陷盆地内沉积序列和演化结构为早更新世陆相湖盆沉积环境—中更新世萎缩湖泊环境—晚更新世强烈萎缩的湖泊和河流环境—全新世再度沉降的陆相湖盆;陆相湖盆从中心向山地沉积环境分带为湖泊沉积环境—河流和湖泊沉积环境—冲积扇沉积环境（盆地边缘出山口区）。盆山过渡带地区上更新世沉积物错位现象与同沉积活动断裂有关,断裂活动性揭示了晋中盆地阶梯式断陷成盆的动力学机制。这些研究成果为区域气候环境变化和晋中盆地区域构造研究提供了新证据,也为太原市城市群建设中工程场址的选择提了供参考。      

Sedimentation in a fluvially infilling, barrier-bound estuary on a wave-dominated, microtidal coast: the Ouémé River estuary, Benin, west Africa

The Ouémé River estuary is located on the seasonally humid tropical coast of Benin, west Africa. A striking feature of this microtidal estuary is the presence of a large sand barrier bounding a 120 km² circular central basin, Lake Nokoué, that is being infilled by heterogeneous fluvial deposits supplied by a relatively large catchment (50 000 km²). Borehole cores from the lower estuary show basal Pleistocene lowstand alluvial sediments overlain by Holocene transgressive–highstand lagoonal mud and by transgressive to probably early highstand tidal inlet and flood‐tidal delta sand deposited in association with non‐preserved transgressive sand barriers. The change in estuary‐mouth sedimentation from a transgressive barrier‐inlet system to a regressive highstand barrier reflects regional modifications in marine sand supply and in the cross‐barrier tidal flux associated with barrier‐inlet systems. As barrier formation west of the Ouémé River led to an increasingly rectilinear shoreline, the longshore drift cell matured, ensuring voluminous eastward transport of sand from the Volta Delta in Ghana, the major purveyor of sand, to the Ouémé embayment, 200 km east. Concomitantly, the number of tidal inlets, and the tidal flux associated with a hitherto interlinked lagoonal system on this coast, diminished. Complete sealing of Lake Nokoué has produced a large, permanently closed estuary, where tidal intrusion is assured through the interconnected coastal lagoon via an inlet located 60 km east. Since 1885, tides have entered the estuary directly through an artificial outlet cut across the sand barrier. Although precluding the seaward loss of fluvial sediments, permanent estuary‐mouth closure has especially deprived the highstand estuary of marine sand, a potentially important component in estuarine infill on wave‐dominated coasts. In spite of a significant fluvial sediment supply, estuarine infill has been moderate, because of the size of the central basin. Estuarine closure has resulted in two co‐existing highstand sediment suites, with limited admixture, the marine‐derived, estuary‐mouth barrier and upland‐derived back‐barrier sediments. This situation differs from that of mature barrier estuaries characterized by active fluvial‐marine sediment mixing and facies interfingering.     

Upstream control of river anastomosis by sediment overloading,upper Columbia River,British Columbia,Canada

Anastomosing rivers, systems of multiple interconnected channels that enclose floodbasins, constitute a major category of rivers for which various sedimentary facies models have been developed. While the sedimentary products of anastomosing rivers are relatively well‐known, their genesis is still debated. A rapidly growing number of ancient alluvial successions being interpreted as of anastomosing river origin, including important hydrocarbon reservoirs, urge the development of robust models for the genesis of anastomosis, to facilitate better interpretation of ancient depositional settings and controls. The upper Columbia River, British Columbia, Canada, is the most‐studied anastomosing river and has played a key role in the development of an anastomosing river facies model. Two hypotheses for the origin of upper Columbia River anastomosis include the following: (i) downstream control by aggrading cross‐valley alluvial fans; and (ii) upstream control by excessive bedload input from tributaries. Both upstream and downstream control may force aggradation and avulsions in the upper Columbia River. In order to test both hypotheses, long‐term (millennia‐scale) floodplain sedimentation rates and avulsion frequencies are calculated using ¹⁴C‐dated deeply buried organic floodplain material from cross‐valley borehole transects. The results indicate a downstream decrease in floodplain sedimentation rate and avulsion frequency along the anastomosed reach, which is consistent with dominant upstream control by sediment overloading. The data here link recent avulsion activity to increased sediment supply during the Little Ice Age (ca 1100 to 1950 ad ). This link is supported by data showing that sediment supply to the upper Columbia study reach fluctuated in response to Holocene glacial advances and retreats in the hinterland. Upstream control of anastomosis has considerable implications for the reconstruction of the setting of interpreted ancient anastomosing systems. The present research underscores that anastomosing systems typically occur in relatively proximal settings with abundant sediment supplied to low‐gradient floodplains, a situation commonly found in intermontane and foreland basins.     

Late Quaternary stratigraphic development in the lower Luni,Mahi and Sabarmati river basins,western India

This study reviews the Quaternary alluvial stratigraphy in three semi-arid river basins of western India i.e., lower Luni (Rajasthan), and Mahi and Sabarmati (Gujarat alluvial plains). On the basis of OSL chronologies, it is shown that the existing intra-valley lithostratigraphic correlations require a revision. The sand, gravel and mud facies are present during various times in the three basins, however, the fluvial response to climate change, and the resulting facies associations, was different in the Thar desert as compared to that at the desert margin; this makes purely lithostratigraphic correlations unviable. It is further shown that the rivers in the Thar desert were more sensitive to climate change and had small response times and geomorphic thresholds as compared to the desert-margin rivers. This is illustrated during the early OIS 1, when the Luni river in the Thar desert was dynamic and showed frequent variations in fluvial styles such as gravel bedload braided streams, sand-bed ephemeral streams and meandering streams, all followed by incision during the early Holocene. The coeval deposits in Sabarmati, however, only show a meandering, floodplain-dominated river. Late Quaternary alluvial deposits in these basins unconformably overlie some older deposits that lack any absolute chronology. Based on the facies types and their associations, and the composition and architecture of the multistoried gravel sheets in the studied sections, it is suggested that older deposits are of pre-Quaternary age. This hypothesis implies the presence of a large hiatus incorporating much of the Quaternary period in the exposed sections     

Soil/landform relationships surrounding the Harappa archaeological site,Pakistan

A soil survey around the archaeological site of Harappa, Pakistan revealed alluvial deposits of five distinct ages based on relative position in the landscape and degree of soil profile development. the youngest deposit (age 1) is in the lowest landscape position and has received flood waters as recently as 1988. Soils there are in an incipient stage of development: only organic carbon and soluble salts have accumulated at the surface of the profile. the age 2 deposit has not undergone significant pedogenic change, but is in a slightly higher landscape position than the youngest deposit. Elevated concentrations of P, and the presence of sand-sized pottery and brick fragments, indicate that this deposit was derived at least partially from archaeological material. the presence of small, soft calcite nodules (Stage II) and some soluble salt translocation are the primary pedogenic changes observed in the age 3 deposit. the age 4 deposit shows evidence of both carbonate and gypsum accumulation. Presence of large gypsum nodules in deep By horizons suggests that a high groundwater table has altered these soils. the oldest deposit, age 5, forms a late Pleistocene stream terrace of the Ravi River. the soil formed in this deposit exhibits considerable carbonate accumulation, with large, dense nodules (Stage II + ) and an argillic horizon. A ¹⁴C date from pedogenic calcite gives an age of 7080 ± 90 years B.P., indicating a minimum age of early Holocene. the soil survey suggests that the ancient city of Harappa was built on an age 5 stream terrace remnant, surrounded by Holocene floodplains and a meandering channel of the Ravi River.     

Depositional character of a dry-climate alluvial fan system from Palaeoproterozoic rift setting using facies architecture and palaeohydraulics: Example from the Par Formation,Gwalior Group,central India

The ∼20 m thick coarse-grained clastic succession in the basal part of Palaeoproterozoic Par Formation, Gwalior Group has been investigated using process-based sedimentology and deductive palaeohydraulics. Bounded between granitic basement at its base and shallow marine succession at the top, the studied stratigraphic interval represents products of an alluvial fan and its strike-wise co-existent braided river system that possibly acted as a tributary for the fan. Detailed facies, facies association analysis allowed identification of two anatomical parts for the fan system viz. proximal and mid fan. While thin proximal fan is represented by products of rock avalanche and hyperconcentrated flows with widely varying rheology, the mid fan is represented by products of sheet floods and flows within streamlets. The interpretation found support from palaeoslope estimation carried out on the fluvial part of the mid fan that plot dominantly within the alluvial fan field demarcated by Blair and McPherson (1994). Dry climatic condition suggested from dominance of stream flow over mass flow deposition within the Par alluvial fan. Strike-wise, the fan is discontinuous and juxtaposed with a braid plain system. In contrast to the fluvial part of fan system, the palaeoslope data from the braid plain system dominantly plot within the ‘natural depositional gap’ defined by Blair and McPherson. A raised palaeoslope for the river systems, as suggested from Proterozoic braid plain deposits around the Globe, is found valid for the Par braid plain system as well. From preponderance of granular and sandy sediments within the alluvial fan and braid plain systems and a pervasive north-westward palaeocurrent pattern within the fluvial systems the present study infers a gently sloping bevelled source area in the south-southeast of the basin with occurrence of steep cliffs only locally.     

藏东南帕隆藏布现今河流地貌特征 及其晚第四纪演化

河流沉积与地貌对构造与气候的变化极为敏感,可记录区域构造活动、气候变化和环境演变等多方面的丰富信息。由于独特的构造背景与气候条件,帕隆藏布不仅成为雅鲁藏布水系水量最大的支流,而且其流域在藏东南地区占有重要的地位。帕隆藏布流域内地表过程活跃且河流地貌演化过程快速,是揭示青藏高原东南部构造地貌演化的重要载体。通过对该河流地貌的形态学和沉积学分析发现,帕隆藏布河流形态具有明显的线状特征,其干流近似直线展布,而主要支流呈羽状分布,两者多呈直角交汇,表明河流形态明显受到嘉黎断裂带的构造形迹控制。进一步利用光释光和¹⁴C定年方法,对帕隆藏布的晚第四纪河流地貌演化,尤其是干流和东久河支流的晚第四纪河流阶地进行研究后发现,末次冰期以来的气候变化导致帕隆藏布的晚第四纪河流地貌呈现出典型的分段式特征,根据海拔高度主要可划分为3段：1）海拔2 600 m以下的河谷地貌呈V形峡谷,河谷比降大,阶地沉积年龄均在9.0～2.0 kaBP间,沉积属性以河流相和坡积相为主,表明是全新世以来气候变暖条件下形成的;2）海拔2 600～3 300 m的中游段河谷呈冰蚀围谷盆地、U形槽谷等,河谷比降小,河岸谷坡坡度小,主谷两岸冰碛垄发育,存留了古冰缘地貌遗迹,阶地沉积属性以古湖相、冰水相及河流相为主,测年结果在29.8～10.9 kaBP和50.9～39.8 kaBP间,显示其曾经为末次冰期和冰消期冰缘湖泊体系,后被现今的帕隆藏布所贯通;3）海拔3 300 m以上河流地貌为典型的冰川U形槽谷,谷底平坦,发育现代冰湖,仅发育Ⅰ级阶地并上面覆有冰碛物堆积体,有末次冰期的冰缘地貌遗迹,但主要受周围海洋性冰川作用,呈现现代冰缘地貌特征。整体上看,帕隆藏布的现今河流地貌上、下游两端年轻,主要形成于全新世期间;中游的河流地貌出现较早,残留了末次冰期和冰消期的冰缘地貌特征,并保留了广泛的古冰湖相沉积物。因此,帕隆藏布现今的河流形态主要出现在末次冰期以来。     

High-resolution fluvial records of Holocene environmental changes in the Sahel: the Yamé River at Ounjougou (Mali,West Africa)

The Yamé river, in the Bandiagara Plateau, Dogon Country, Mali, is characterised by extensive alluvial sedimentary records, particularly in the 1 km long Ounjougou reach where Holocene floodplain pockets are inset in the Pleistocene formations. These alluvial records have been investigated via geomorphologic fieldwork and sedimentologic and micromorphologic analyses and are supported by 79 radiocarbon dates. The alluvial deposits of the valley floor correspond to a vertical accretion of 3–10 m. The reconstruction of fluvial style changes provides evidence of four main aggradation periods. From 11,500 to 8760 cal. BP, the alluvial architecture and grain-size parameters indicate a wandering river. This period included phases of pulsed high-energy floods and avulsion related to a northward shift of the summer monsoon to around 14°N after 11,500 cal. BP. From 7800 to 5300 cal. BP, a swampy floodplain environment with standing water pools within a Sudanian savanna/woodland mosaic corresponds to the culmination of the Holocene humid period. From 3800 cal. BP onwards, rhythmic sedimentation attests to an increase in the duration and/or intensity of the dry season, giving a precise date for the local termination of the Holocene Optimum period. During the last two millennia and for the first time during the Holocene, the alluvial formations are progressively restricted whereas the colluvial deposits increase, indicating strong soil erosion and redeposition within the watershed related to an increase in human impact. Four major periods are characterised by incision (I1: ante 11,500, I2: 8760–7800; I3: 6790–6500 cal. BP; I4; 2400–1700 cal. BP) pointing to dramatic changes in fluvial style. They result from high-energy flood flows during dry spells and confirm the capacity of the floodplain pocket in the upstream reach of the Sahelian belt to record rapid Holocene climatic change.     

准噶尔盆地车排子凸起春光区块沙湾组沉积特征新认识

准噶尔盆地车排子凸起沙湾组沉积环境存在较大争议,主流观点认为辫状河三角洲或者滩坝砂沉积。通过对研究区内钻井、古生物、地球物理资料分析认为,车排子凸起沙湾组并非水下环境,而是处于陆上暴露环境,发育冲积扇和河流沉积体系,其中研究区北部发育冲积扇体系,而中南部则发育河流体系,且不同沉积时期沉积体系类型发生变化:沙一段发育冲积扇-辫状河沉积,沙二段发育冲积扇-曲流河沉积,沙三段则缺少典型的河流沉积,以冲积扇体系及洪泛平原沉积为主。总体而言,春光区块沙湾组沉积期具有多物源、多沉积体系发育的特征,垂向上构成了两类冲积扇-河流体系沉积模式。     

萨拉乌苏组的沉积环境及地层划分问题

鄂尔多斯高原东南部,萨拉乌苏河两岸广泛出露巨厚的第四纪河湖相沉积,自其中发现丰富的哺乳动物化石以来,便成为华北晚更新世标准地层之一,命名为萨拉乌苏组。但以前多偏重于化石和石器的研究,并将这套巨厚的河湖相沉积笼统地划为晚更新世。这种情况已远远不能满足当前生产和科研发展的要求,迫切需要从沉积物特征、沉积环境、古气候等不同角度对该地层做进一步的详细划分。作者曾有机会参加萨拉乌苏河流域第四纪地质调查及古脊椎动物化石的发掘工作。     

Tidal influence in Cretaceous fluvial strata from Utah, USA: a key to sequence stratigraphic interpretation

Detailed models already exist that outline physical and temporal relationships in marine and marginal marine strata. Such models are still in their infancy in alluvial deposits. Recognition of tidal and estuarine influence in fluvial strata is critical to the development of high resolution sequence stratigraphic correlations between marine and non-marine strata. Strata that have previously been interpreted as low energy meandering river deposits contain sedimentary and biogenic structures that suggest a tidal influence. These structures include sigmoidal bedding, paired mud/silt drapes, wavy and lenticular bedding, shrinkage cracks, multiple reactivation surfaces, inclined heterolithic strata, complex compound cross-beds, bidirectional cross-beds, and trace fossils including Teredolites, Arenicolites and Skolithos. Although none of these structures is unique to tidal processes, the preponderance of data suggests that fluvial systems have been affected by tidal processes well inland of coeval shoreline deposits. These deposits rarely form a significant proportion of a depositional sequence; however, their occurrence allows time significant surfaces to be extended for tens or even hundreds of kilometres inland from coeval shoreline deposits. In Turonian through Campanian strata exposed in the Kaiparowits Plateau of southern Utah, tidally influenced facies are recognized within at least two distinct stratigraphic levels that were deposited during periods of relatively rapid base level rise. These strata form part of an alluvial transgressive systems tract. Landward of each of the marine transgressive maxima, tidal facies are present in fluvial channels that are completely encased in non-marine strata at distances up to 65 km inland from a coeval palaeoshoreline. Our work suggests that such deposits may have gone unrecognized in the past, but they form a significant component of alluvial strata in many depositional sequences. Although these tidally influenced fluvial deposits may be difficult to recognize, they are temporally equivalent to marine maximum flooding surfaces and provide a chronostratigraphic correlation between alluvial and nearshore marine deposits.     

Evidence of stream response to Holocene climatic change in a small Wisconsin watershed

During the Holocene, moderate climatic and vegetational changes triggered several episodes of adjustment in the Brush Creek fluvial system. The alluvial chronology includes an episode of erosion at 7800 – 5700 yr B.P. corresponding to the mid-Holocene precipitation minimum and an episode of floodplain construction at 5700 – 5000 yr B.P. corresponding to a rapid increase in precipitation. Holocene climatic changes have influenced the sedimentology of the alluvial deposits and soil development on them. Fluvial adjustment is caused primarily by hydrologic and hydraulic changes related to climatic change, but there is no simple model for fluvial response to climatic change. The relationship between the direction of climatic change and the type of fluvial response is complex.     

Neotectonic study along mountain front of northeast Himalaya,Arunachal Pradesh,India

To study neotectonics, the structural and morphotectonic aspects are studied along a part of mountain front region of Northeast Himalaya, Arunachal Pradesh, India. Unpaired river terraces are recognized near north of transverse Burai River exit, which is cut by an oblique fault. Across this fault, fluvial terraces are located at heights of 22.7 and 3 m, respectively, on the left and right banks. A water gap is formed along the river channel where the uplifted Middle Siwalik sandstone beds dipping 43° towards ENE direction, thrust over the Quaternary deposit consisting of boulders, cobbles, pebbles and sandy matrix. This river channel incised the bedrock across the intraformational Ramghat Thrust along which the rocks of the Middle Siwalik Formation thrust over the Upper Siwalik Formation. Recent reactivated fault activity is suggested north of the Himalayan Frontal Thrust that forms the youngest deforming front of the Himalaya. The uplifting along the stream channel is noticed extended for a distance of ~130 m and as a result the alluvial river channel became a bedrock river. The relative displacement of rocks is variable along the length of strike–slip faults developed later within the Ramghat Thrust zone. Longitudinal and Channel gradient profiles of Burai River exhibit knick points and increase in river gradient along the tapering ends of the profiles. The study suggests active out-of-sequence neotectonically active thrusting along the mountain front. Neotectonics combined with climatic factor during the Holocene times presents a virgin landscape environment for studying tectonic geomorphology.