Active Tectonics and Alluvial Rivers

Describes how rivers respond to active tectonics for graduate students, consultants and academic researchers.

Stanley A. Schumm (Author), Jean F. Dumont (Author), John M. Holbrook (Author)

9780521890588, Cambridge University Press

Paperback, published 21 February 2002

292 pages, 6 tables
24.5 x 16.9 x 1.8 cm, 0.473 kg

'Find out how patterns of rivers may be used to trace movements of the Earth, from major faults such as the San Andreas to subtle uplifts such as the one along the Mississippi.' New Scientist

The interactions between tectonic uplift, river erosion and alluvial deposition are fundamental processes which have acted to shape the landscape we see today. These processes are of course ongoing, and are important not only in geomorphology, sedimentology and structural geology, but also hydrology and river engineering. The authors have combined their specialities to bring together evidence and a variety of examples from both field and experimental studies to demonstrate how alluvial rivers are responding to uplift, subsidence and lateral tilting. Such recognition of the nature of river response yields criteria for the identification of active tectonics elsewhere, especially in areas without a history of seismic activity, or in the stratigraphic record. This volume will be of interest to graduate students, consultants and academic researchers in geomorphology, sedimentology and stratigraphy, structural geology, hydrology, geophysics and geography.

Part I. Background: 1. Introduction
2. Deformation and river response
Part II. Effects of Known Measurable Deformation: 3. Experimental studies
4. Measured active tectonics
5. Earthquake effects
Part III. Effects of Unmeasured Deformation: 6. Response of channel morphology, sedimentology, hydrology, and hydraulics
7. Lateral response
Part IV. Applications: 8. Tectonics and fluvial sedimentation
9. Identification of active and neotectonic structures
10. Applications
References
Index.

Subject Areas: Geological surface processes [geomorphology RBGD], Soil science, sedimentology [RBGB], Earth sciences [RB]