1. Shapes, Scales and Spacing of Channel-belt Sand Bodies
in Ancient and Experimental Avulsion-dominated Alluvial Basins
Paul Heller - Dept. of Geology & Geophysics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
Snehalata Huzurbazar - Dept of Statistics, University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071
Chris Paola - Dept. of Geology & Geophysics, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN 55455
This study demonstrates that there is a range of scales of organization of channel sand bodies in at least some alluvial basins. These include:
single story sand bodies formed as individual rivers avulse across flood plains
multistory sand bodies that form by reoccupation of topographic lows where preexisting channels existed.
avulsion clusters that appear to form by local avulsions where the river avulses from spot to spot but within one part of the alluvial basin
at the largest scale the distribution of avulsion clusters may be controlled by regional avulsion of the river across the basin.