Alluvial fans of the Eastern Italian Alps: morphometry and depositional processes

Abstract

Alluvial fans are abundant in many valleys of the Alps, consisting of important sites for human settlements. Relationships between alluvial fan morphometry and drainage basin characteristics have been investigated in six valleys of the Eastern Italian Alps, displaying different geological and morphological conditions. Both debris flow fans and fluvial fans are present in the studied region, the latest occurring only in quite large basins. Expansion of alluvial fans is greatly determined by the topographic characteristics of receiving valleys. Fan gradient is mainly affected by basin ruggedness conditioning depositional processes, by debris size, and, in some cases, by post-depositional reworking of fan surfaces.     

Autogenic dynamics of alluvial fans in endorheic basins: Outcrop examples and stratigraphic significance

Alluvial fans are relatively simple depositional systems, due to the direct coupling of sediment sources and adjacent accumulation areas. Nonetheless, general models of alluvial‐fan evolution and stratigraphy remain elusive, due to the great sensitivity of such systems to allogenic controls and their strongly case‐specific responses. Autogenic processes intrinsic to alluvial‐fan dynamics can complicate stratigraphic architectures, with effects not easily distinguishable from those of allogenic forcing. A distinction is made here between lateral autogenic dynamics, tied to spatial sediment distribution over fan surfaces, and vertical autogenic dynamics, related to independent incision‐aggradation cycles. Autogenic mechanisms have been highlighted recently by modelling studies, but remain poorly constrained in field‐based studies. Examples are presented here from the margins of the Cenozoic Teruel and Ebro basins (Spain), where alluvial fans accumulated thick successions during phases of basin topographic closure and endorheic drainage which promoted forced aggradation. Fan successions consist of conformable architectures of stacked clastic sheets, laterally continuous and with no evidence of internal unconformities, inset architectures, fan segmentation or preserved incised channels. Continuous aggradation in these closed basins strongly inhibited ‘vertical’ autogenic dynamics in the form of fan head and through fan incision, due to the forced rise in geomorphic base level and the creation of positive accommodation. Furthermore, the lack of incised channels favoured widespread sediment transport and aggradation over broad fan sectors in relatively short time spans, in contrast to the typical occurrence of active lobes and abandoned fan surfaces caused by ‘lateral’ autogenic dynamics. Stratigraphic records of alluvial fans developed in endorheic basins are essentially complete and largely unaffected by autogenic processes. The latter characteristic implies that they can be more unambiguously interpreted in terms of allogenic forcing, because stratigraphic signatures are not complicated by the effects of complex fan autodynamics.     

祁连山东段宝积山—红会煤盆地沉积环境与聚煤规律

位于祁连山东段的宝积山—红会盆地是一个典型的侏罗纪沉积盆地,侏罗纪煤系由冲积扇沉积体系,经过河流、湖泊三角洲沉积体系向湖泊沉积体系过渡的沉积序列组成,并充填于印支运动后的裂陷盆地内。盆地活动断裂边界的内侧发育冲积扇裙,向着不活动边缘的另一侧,逐渐被河流沉积体系和湿地沼泽系统替代。扇前湿地是主要聚煤场所,形成的煤层层数少,主煤层厚度变化大,煤体呈简单指状。扇前湿地泥炭沼泽具有富滋养或低位性质,形成的煤层灰分产率高,硫含量有明显的分带性,其变化取决于泥炭沼泽与冲积扇体的相应空间位置。     

构造活动盆地沉积层序形成过程模拟——以断陷和前陆盆地为例

应用二维层序地层模拟系统开展了构造活动盆地沉积层序的形成过程的动态模拟分析,揭示了同沉积断裂活动、湖平面变化及沉积物供给量变化相互作用对沉积层序形成的控制作用。模拟表明,快速的构造沉降、相对高的湖平面和大量的沉积物供给是形成相对深水扇三角洲的必要条件;而沉积物的供给量变小或构造沉降量加大时有利于形成近岸湖底扇或水下扇。模拟揭示出断陷湖盆陡坡边缘断裂形成的古地貌坡折控制着低水位域浊积扇或湖底扇的发育部位,同时对水进或高位域的三角洲前缘的沉积中心的分布具控制作用。断裂坡折带的构造沉降是控制可容纳空间变化的关键因素。在陆内前陆逆冲构造边缘,层序发育早期（底部）发育冲积扇和河流沉积,但由于相对快的构造沉降形成水进序列;在快速沉降的晚期沉降速率减小,碎屑体系向盆地方向推进,形成广泛河流三角洲沉积。由隐伏逆冲断裂形成的构造坡折带对低位域的分布具控制作用。在构造坡折带下的低位域砂体与上覆的水进域泥岩组合可形成重要的地层油气藏。     

冲积扇沉积构型研究进展*

冲积扇是发育于盆地边缘的一种重要的沉积相类型。近20年来,在冲积扇分布的控制作用、内部构型及储集层特征研究等方面取得了很大的进展:(1)深化了断层活动、物源岩性条件及不同级次基准面旋回对冲积扇沉积构型的控制作用机理;(2)建立了碎屑流主控、碎屑流与河流主控、河流主控的冲积扇以及末端扇的沉积构型模式;(3)分析了冲积扇沉积机制及沉积构型对储集层质量的控制作用。今后有必要充分应用水槽模拟实验、沉积数值模拟和探地雷达等先进技术,对冲积扇沉积过程、内部构型及储集层非均质性进行更为深入的研究。     

Recent colluvial sedimentation in Jordan: fans evolving into sand ramps

Abstract High‐angle accumulations of sand and escarpment‐derived gravel along the outcrop walls of Plio‐Pleistocene sandstones, eastern Jordan, form small, coalesced colluvial fans, built by rockfalls, rockfall‐derived debris flows, dry sandfalls and sandy grainflows. These deposits are sourced through wind erosion of fault‐controlled outcrops of weakly cemented sandstone and a hard, gypsum‐cemented sandstone and fine conglomerate caprock exposed in sandpits. Eroded sediment is supplied to the fans directly as rockfalls and sandfalls, and indirectly as gully‐confined sandy grainflows. The preserved colluvium fans comprise sandy, matrix‐rich rockfall, rockfall‐derived, dry debris‐flow lenticular gravel deposits and minor lenticular sandy grainflow deposits. The fans develop initially against the footwall escarpment and, as erosion continues, the outcrop and the fans become covered by stable sand sheet ramps in a self‐regulatory geomorphic system. Preserved fan–sand ramp systems in eastern Jordan are characterized by a threefold hierarchy of genetically related bounding surfaces, which develop over short time scales. Rapid fault‐controlled uplift and/or rapid stream incision may produce non‐equilibrium scarp faces, identical to those in the sandpits, associated with the colluvial fan–sand ramp systems. Thus, such systems have the potential to identify fault‐related unconformities, rapid uplift events and episodes of rapid downcutting in the rock record. Colluvium deposits have good preservation potential, but are often associated with complex, coarse, basin‐margin facies, and are thus difficult to identify in the stratigraphic record; a problem exacerbated by the lack of adequate colluvium facies models and diagnostic sedimentary criteria.     

The Pliocene initiation and Early Pleistocene volcanic disruption of the palaeo-Gediz fluvial system,Western Turkey

In this paper, we report our latest observations concerning a Pliocene and Early Pleistocene record from Western Turkey. The sedimentary sequence described comprises the fluvial deposits of an Early Pleistocene palaeo-Gediz river system and its tributaries prior to the onset of volcanism around Kula and the subsequent lacustrine, volcaniclastic and fluvial deposits associated with the first phase of volcanism (∼1.2 Ma) in this area.Early development of an east–west drainage system in this area resulted from tectonic adjustments to north–south extension and the formation of east–west-oriented grabens. Headward erosion of drainage entering the main Alaşehir graben led to the progressive capture of pre-existing drainage systems as eastward (headward) erosion upstream tapped drainage networks previously formed in internally draining NNE–SSW-oriented basins. Within one of these, the Selendi Basin, part of this evolutionary sequence is preserved as a buried river terrace sequence. Eleven terraces are preserved beneath alluvial fan sediments that are, in turn, capped by basaltic lava flows. Using the available geochronology these terraces are considered to represent sedimentation–incision cycles which span the period ∼1.67–1.2 Ma. Although progressive valley incision is a fluvial system response to regional uplift, the frequency of terrace formation within this time period suggests that the terrace formation resulted from sediment/water supply changes, a consequence of obliquity-driven climate changes. The production of sub-parallel terraces suggests that during this period the river was able to attain a quasi-equilibrium longitudinal profile adjusted to the regional uplift rate. Thus, the incision rate of 0.16 mm a⁻¹ during this period is believed to closely mirror the regional uplift rate.After the onset of volcanism at ∼1.2 Ma, there is a destruction of the dynamic link between fluvial system behaviour and climate change. The repeated damming of the trunk river and its tributaries led to the construction of complex stratigraphic relationships. During the first phase of volcanism the palaeo-Gediz river was dammed on numerous occasions leading to the formation of a series of lakes upstream of the dams in the palaeo-Gediz valley. Variations in lake level forced localised base-level changes that resulted in complex fluvial system response and considerable periods of disequilibrium in profile adjustment. Furthermore, response to these base-level changes most likely disrupted the timing of the incisional adjustment to the on-going regional uplift, thus making the use of this part of the archive for inferring regional uplift rates untenable.     

Bedrock lithology control on contemporaneous alluvial fan facies, Oligo-Miocene, southern Pyrenees, Spain

Climate and tectonics play important roles in controlling processes of transport and deposition on alluvial fans, but the bedrock lithology in the fan catchment area is also a significant, independent factor. Adjacent Oligo-Miocene alluvial fan deposits on the northern margin of the Ebro Basin display contrasting depositional characteristics with one dominated by the deposits of debris flows and the other by deposition from flows of water. A difference in clast compositions indicates that the two studied fans (the Nueno and San Julián fans) had contrasting bedrock lithology in their drainage basins. The proximal facies of the Nueno fan body contains matrix-supported conglomerate beds with up to 80% pebble clasts of gypsum in a matrix of gypsiferous sand, interbedded with gypsarenite beds. The drainage basin of this fan was dominated by Triassic bedrock consisting of beds of gypsum, marl and micritic limestone. The San Julián fan body comprises clast-supported, polymict conglomerate beds containing pebbles from Triassic, Cretaceous and Palaeogene limestone units that are exposed in the adjacent part of the basin margin. The interfingering of the deposits of these two fans demonstrates that they were contemporaneous. Given the consistent climate, the differences in fan depositional processes must therefore be attributed to the contrasting bedrock lithology in their drainage basins. A drainage basin consisting mainly of marl and gypsum bedrock provided sufficient fine-grained material to generate debris flows, whereas more dilute, water-lain processes dominated where the drainage basin was largely limestone strata.     

Morphometric analysis of Suketi river basin,Himachal Himalaya,India

Suketi river basin is located in the Mandi district of Himachal Pradesh, India. It encompasses a central inter-montane valley and surrounding mountainous terrain in the Lower Himachal Himalaya. Morphometric analysis of the Suketi river basin was carried out to study its drainage characteristics and overall groundwater resource potential. The entire Suketi river basin has been divided into five sub-basins based on the catchment areas of Suketi trunk stream and its major tributaries. Quantitative assessment of each sub-basin was carried out for its linear, areal, and relief aspects. The analysis reveals that the drainage network of the entire Suketi river basin constitutes a 7th order basin. Out of five sub-basins, Kansa khad sub-basin (KKSB), Gangli khad sub-basin (GKSB) and Ratti khad sub-basin (RKSB) are 5th order sub-basins. The Dadour khad sub-basin (DKSB) is 6th order sub-basin, while Suketi trunk stream sub-basin (STSSB) is a 7th order sub-basin. The entire drainage basin area reflects late youth to early mature stage of development of the fluvial geomorphic cycle, which is dominated by rain and snow fed lower order streams. It has low stream frequency (Fs) and moderate drainage density (Dd) of 2.69 km/km ². Bifurcation ratios (Rb) of various stream orders indicate that streams up to 3rd order are surging through highly dissected mountainous terrain, which facilitates high overland flow and less recharge into the sub-surface resulting in low groundwater potential in the zones of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd order streams of the Suketi river basin. The circulatory ratio (Rc) of 0.65 and elongation ratio (Re) of 0.80 show elongated nature of the Suketi river basin, while infiltration number (If) of 10.66 indicates dominance of relief features and low groundwater potential in the high altitude mountainous terrain. The asymmetry factor (Af) of Suketi river basin indicates that the palaeo-tectonic tilting, at drainage basin scale, was towards the downstream right side of the drainage basin. The slope map of Suketi river basin has been classified into three main zones, which delineate the runoff zone in the mountains, recharge zone in the transition zone between mountains and valley plane, and discharge zone in the plane areas of Balh valley.     

Tectonic controls on the geomorphic evolution of alluvial fans in the Piedmont Zone of Ganga Plain,Uttarakhand, India

The Piedmont Zone is the least studied part of the Ganga Plain. The northern limit of the Piedmont Zone is defined by the Himalayan Frontal Thrust (HFT) along which the Himalaya is being thrust over the alluvium of the Ganga Plain. Interpretation of satellite imagery, Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) and field data has helped in the identification and mapping of various morphotectonic features in the densely forested and cultivated Piedmont Zone in the Kumaun region of the Uttarakhand state of India. The Piedmont Zone has formed as a result of coalescing alluvial fans, alluvial aprons and talus deposits. The fans have differential morphologies and aggradation processes within a common climatic zone and similar litho-tectonic setting of the catchment area. Morphotectonic analysis reveals that the fan morphologies and aggradation processes in the area are mainly controlled by the ongoing tectonic activities. Such activities along the HFT and transverse faults have controlled the accommodation space by causing differential subsidence of the basin, and aggradation processes by causing channel migration, channel incision and shifting of depocentres. The active tectonic movements have further modified the landscape of the area in the form of tilted alluvial fan, gravel ridges, terraces and uplifted gravels.     

库车坳陷古近系库姆格列木组高精度层序地层分析及其油气勘探意义

库车坳陷古近系库姆格列木组是盆地内重要的含油气层段。本文应用高精度层序地层学的理论和方法，在库车坳陷古近系库姆格列木组地层中划分出3个三级层序、14个四级层序和数十个五级层序(准层序)。四级层序中发育有冲积扇、辫状河、曲流河、辫状河三角洲和滨浅湖等沉积体系，局部地区发育下切水道、干旱盐湖、泻湖—海湾、半深湖、浊流—重力流等沉积。该组下部四级层序：Psk1、Psk5和中上部四级层序Psk7、Psk12等的砂质沉积形成区内的主力储层，主要分布在盆地北—西北缘和东—东南缘，与其上覆的泥岩、膏泥岩形成有利的储盖组合。     

松辽盆地十层断陷沉积特征与油气前景

十屋断陷沉积特征表现为近物源、粗碎屑快速沉积、冲积扇、扇三角洲、湖底扇与深水湖组合构成了特有的“扇－湖”沉积面貌，正常三角洲缺乏。断陷沉积发展经历了早期充填、中期扩张、晚期萎缩3个阶段：早期充填阶段发育有冲积扇、辫状河及成煤沼泽；中期扩张阶段沉积特征为深水湖泊与湖底扇、扇三角洲组合；晚期萎缩阶段为浅湖与三角洲、湖岸洪泛平原组合。良好的沉积盆地类型决定了丰富的生油气物质基础，众多的沉积体系构成了多样化的复合圈闭，因此十屋断陷具有良好的找油气前景。     

Morphotectonic analysis of alluvial fan dynamics: comparative study in spatio-temporal scale of Himalayan foothill,India

Alluvial fan is a depositional fluvial landform that is characterised by sediment flow and hydrological processes and is also controlled by tectonic activity. These extraordinary features have always attracted researchers since the past as they preserve the past records, but now, this study is focused on the formation meso-level fans with its spatio-temporal dynamic nature. These tributaries have formed secondary alluvial fans at their debouching points. The dynamics of the fans are controlled by the hydrological responses and tectonic base and also by the sedimentation processes. The origin of these tributaries and their respective fans are related to the last stage of Himalayan uplift. This is the region of Himalayan foreland basin which contains the main frontal thrust and makes the region tectonically very active. The region is drained by many large rivers and their numerous tributaries. The active tectonism, the configuration of the basin and also the deposition of the sediments carried by these rivers have formed alluvial fans where the channel debouches into the widened valley. In the present study, the meso-level alluvial fans formed by River Gish and the Rivers Neora and Murti have been studied. Both these fans are present in the piedmont region of the Himalayas, but they deliver different characteristics, and the nature of their deposition is also different. This is mainly because of the influence of the minor faults in the region which control the channel pattern and also have a great influence in the sediment delivery to the downstream section of the channels. Thus, in order to understand the influence of tectonics in the dynamics of these fans, some morphotectonic parameters have been taken into consideration. These include mountain front sinuosity index, valley floor width-to-depth ratio, and tectonic tilt. The calculated hypsometric integral also depicts that the two fans are at different stages of development.     

Variable style of transition between Palaeogene fluvial fan and lacustrine systems, southern Pyrenean foreland, NE Spain

Two Palaeogene fluvial fan systems linked to the south‐Pyrenean margin are recognized in the eastern Ebro Basin: the Cardona–Súria and Solsona–Sanaüja fans. These had radii of 40 and 35 km and were 800 and 600 km² in area respectively. During the Priabonian to the Middle Rupelian, the fluvial fans built into a hydrologically closed foreland basin, and shallow lacustrine systems persisted in the basin centre. In the studied area, both fans are part of the same upward‐coarsening megasequence (up to 800 m thick), driven by hinterland drainage expansion and foreland propagation of Pyrenean thrusts. Fourteen sedimentary facies have been grouped into seven facies associations corresponding to medial fluvial fan, channelized terminal lobe, non‐channelized terminal lobe, mudflat, deltaic, evaporitic playa‐lake and carbonate‐rich, shallow lacustrine environments. Lateral correlations define two styles of alluvial‐lacustrine transition. During low lake‐level stages, terminal lobes developed, whereas during lake highstands, fluvial‐dominated deltas and interdistributary bays were formed. Terminal lobe deposits are characterized by extensive (100–600 m wide) sheet‐like fine sandstone beds formed by sub‐aqueous, quasi‐steady, hyperpycnal turbidity currents. Sedimentary structures and trace fossils indicate rapid desiccation and sub‐aerial exposure of the lobe deposits. These deposits are arranged in coarsening–fining sequences (metres to tens of metres in thickness) controlled by a combination of tectonics, climatic oscillations and autocyclic sedimentary processes. The presence of anomalously deeply incised distributary channels associated with distal terminal lobe or mudflat deposits indicates rapid lake‐level falls. Deltaic deposits form progradational coarsening‐upward sequences (several metres thick) characterized by channel and friction‐dominated mouth‐bar facies overlying white‐grey offshore lacustrine facies. Deltaic bar deposits are less extensive (50–300 m wide) than the terminal lobes and were also deposited by hyperpycnal currents, although they lack evidence of emergence. Sandy deltaic deposits accumulated locally at the mouths of main feeder distal fan streams and were separated by muddy interdistributary bays; whereas the terminal lobe sheets expand from a series of mid‐fan intersection points and coalesced to form a more continuous sandy fan fringe.     

Coupling within Fluvial Geomorphic Systems:Spatial and Temporal Implications

INTRODUCTIONHow fluvial systems respond to environmental changedepends on how rapidly the effects of changes in sediment loadsupplied from upstream or changes in base level affectingdownstream zones are propagated through the system.Thisproperty has been defined as the coupling of the system(Harvey,2 0 0 0 a,1997a;Brunsden,1993;Brunsden andThornes,1979) .Coupling therefore relates to connectivity between thedifferent zones of the fluvial system,defined by Schumm(1977) as source areas,tra…     

Facies and basin architecture of the Late Carboniferous Salvan-Dorénaz continental basin (Western Alps, Switzerland/France)

The Salvan‐Dorénaz Basin formed during the Late Palaeozoic within the Aiguilles‐Rouges crystalline basement (Western Alps) as an asymmetric, intramontane graben elongated in a NE–SW direction and bounded by active faults. At least 1700 m of fluvial, alluvial fan and volcanic deposits provide evidence for a strong tectonic influence on deposition with long‐term, average subsidence rates of > 0·2 mm yr^?1. The early basin fill was associated with coarse‐grained alluvial fans that were dominated by braided channels (unit I). These issued from the south‐western margin of the basin. The fans then retreated to a marginal position and were overlain by muddy floodplain deposits of an anastomosed fluvial system (unit II) that drained towards the NE. Deposition of thick muds resulted from a reduction in the axial fluvial gradient caused by accelerated tectonic subsidence. Overlying sand‐rich meandering river deposits (unit III) document a reversal in the drainage direction from the NE to the SW caused by synsedimentary tectonism, reflecting large‐scale topographic reorganization in this part of the Variscides with subsidence now preferentially in the W and SW and uplift in the E and NE. Coarse‐grained alluvial fan deposits (unit IV) repeatedly prograded into, and retreated from, the basin as documented by coarsening‐upward cycles tens of metres thick reflecting smaller scale tectonic cycles. Volcanism was active throughout the evolution of the basin, and U/Pb isotopic dating of the volcanic deposits restricts the time of basin development to the Late Carboniferous (308–295 Ma). ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of detrital white mica indicate rapid tectonic movements and exhumation of the nearby basement. In unit I, youngest ages are close to that of the host sediment, but the age spectrum is wide. In unit II, high subsidence and/or sedimentation rates coincide with very narrow age spectra, indicating small, homogeneous catchment areas. In unit III, age spectra became wider again and indicate growing catchment areas.     

西秦岭北缘断裂带黄香沟段晚第四纪 活动表现与滑动速率*

文章对西秦岭北缘断裂带黄香沟段的沉积建造、构造地貌等开展了野外调查与研究。冲沟位错、断裂剖面、山脊位错、线性槽地、洪积扇变形与断塞塘等详细的构造地貌分析,显示断裂带在黄香沟段晚第四纪具有较强的活动性,以左旋走滑兼有倾滑分量为特征。根据其中两条晚更新世末期以来的冲沟左旋水平位错平均值30.5±3.0m,及其¹⁴ C限定的冲沟发生位错的年龄为13480±240aB.P.,获得断裂晚第四纪的水平滑动速率为2.3±0.2mm/a。 同时,由断裂位错洪积扇形成的1.05±0.30m垂直位移量,与该期洪积扇形成的¹⁴ C年龄3690±100aB.P. ,估算了断裂晚第四纪的垂直滑动速率为0.28±0.08mm/a。     

龙门山北东段山前涪江第四纪冲洪积扇地貌演化及其构造响应

青藏高原东缘龙门山北东段山前涪江冲积扇在武都盆地内的覆盖面积约为25 km2,区域构造上为江油断层、香水-让水断层等组成的江油断裂带右旋走滑构造域。通过宇宙核素成因埋藏年龄测试技术精确地测定发源于龙门山北东段主要河流-涪江自第四纪以来发育的三期冲积扇形成年代,即早更新世冲积扇（1.84 Ma）、中更新世冲积扇（0.54 Ma）和全新世冲积扇。由于龙门山北东段-江油断裂的右旋走滑兼逆冲运动,导致涪江早更新世冲积扇扇头右旋错动约3.2 km,之后形成新的冲积扇（中更新世积扇）。随着江油断裂继续的继续活动,中更新世冲积扇扇头又被右旋错动了约0.8 km,之后形成全新世的冲积扇。涪江形成以来总共右旋错动距离约为4 km。同时,早、中更新世冲积扇褶皱隆升了约50 m,早更新世冲积扇总共褶皱隆升了约100 m。这在一定程度上反映了龙门山构造带北东段第四纪以来沉积对构造演化的响应过程。     

Post-glacial landform evolution in the middle Satluj River valley,India: Implications towards understanding the climate tectonic interactions

Late Quaternary landform evolution in monsoon-dominated middle Satluj valley is reconstructed using the fragmentary records of fluvial terraces, alluvial fans, debris flows, paleo-flood deposits, and epigenetic gorges. Based on detailed field mapping, alluvial stratigraphy, sedimentology and optical chronology, two phases of fluvial aggradations are identified. The older aggradation event dated between ～13 and 11 ka (early-Holocene), occurred in the pre-existing topography carved by multiple events of erosion and incision. Climatically, the event corresponds to the post-glacial strengthened Indian summer monsoon (ISM). The younger aggradation event dated between ～5 and 0.4 ka (mid- to late-Holocene), was during the declining phase of ISM. The terrain witnessed high magnitude floods during transitional climate (～6.5–7 ka). The fluvial sedimentation was punctuated by short-lived debris flows and alluvial fans during the LGM (weak ISM), early to mid-Holocene transition climate and mid- to late-Holocene declining ISM. Based on the terrace morphology, an event of relatively enhanced surface uplift is inferred after late Holocene. The present study suggests that post-glacial landforms in the middle Satluj valley owe their genesis to the interplay between the climate variability and local/regional tectonic interactions.