Rosgen stream classification and fluvial processes of the Shiyang River,China

The Shiyang River is an important ecological pillar in northwest China,sustaining Minqin oasis and its surrounding society.However,the basin has long been plagued by water scarcity and ecological fragility.Although the river classification is critical for understanding the complexity,diversity,and ecological functions of rivers,and the foundation of river management and watershed ecological restoration,it has not received adequate attention in this region.To obtain a deeper and comprehensive understanding of the Shiyang River,this study utilizes the Rosgen stream classification system to assess the river morphology,geomorphic features,and hydrologic processes.The results showed that seven first-level and fourteen second-level river types can be identified along 53 river sections of the Shiyang River.Further comparison analysis on the hydrologic parameters for each river type demonstrated a strong positive correlation between discharge and all river parameters.As discharge increased,channels with moderate to high width/depth ratios experienced significant lateral adjustments.A consistent channel gradient,coupled with higher discharge,facilitated the transition from single to multiple channels.Braiding tendencies were more pronounced in rivers where riverbeds were wider and shallower with higher stream power.Additionally,water-flow shear stress decreased with the increase in the width/depth ratio.This study offered critical insights into the Shiyang River’s forms and processes and for the river management and ecological restoration practices.

Intelligent architecture modeling for multilevel fluvial reservoirs based on architecture interface and elements

At present,the architecture modeling method of fluvial reservoirs are still developing.Traditional methods usually use grids to characterize architecture interbeds within the reservoir.Due to the thin thickness of this type of the interlayers,the number of the model grids must be greatly expanded.The number of grids in the tens of millions often makes an expensive computation;however,upscaling the model will generate a misleading model.The above confusion is the major reason that restricts the largescale industrialization of fluvial reservoir architecture models in oilfield development and production.Therefore,this paper explores an intelligent architecture modeling method for multilevel fluvial reservoirs based on architecture interface and element.Based on the superpositional relationship of different architectural elements within the fluvial reservoir,this method uses a combination of multilevel interface constraints and non-uniform grid techniques to build a high-resolution 3D geological model for reservoir architecture.Through the grid upscaling technology of heterogeneous architecture elements,different upscaling densities are given to the lateral-accretion bedding and lateral-accretion bodies to simplify the model gridding.This new method greatly reduces the number of model grids while ensuring the accuracy of lateral-accretion bedding models,laying a foundation for large-scale numerical simulation of the subsequent industrialization of the architecture model.This method has been validated in A layer of X oilfield with meandering fluvial channel sands as reservoirs and B layer of Y oilfield with braided river sands as reservoirs.The simulation results show that it has a higher accuracy of production history matching and remaining oil distribution forecast of the targeted sand body.The numerical simulation results show that in the actual development process of oilfield,the injected water will not displace oil in a uniform diffusive manner as traditionally assumed,but in a more complex pattern with oil in upper part of sand body being left behind as residual oil due to the influences of different levels of architecture interfaces.This investigation is important to guiding reservoir evaluation,remaining oil analysis,profile control and potential tapping and well pattern adjustment.

Tectonic and climatic controls for fluvial terraces of the Yellow River over the past 2.6 Ma at Northeast Tibetan Plateau and Ordos Block

The Yellow River is usually assumed to record tectonic activities and climatic changes;however,a systematic study was lack in the sedimentology,stratigraphy,geomorphology and geochronology for the entire Yellow River though various geologic scholars have conducted numerous works in individual basins.This review focused on well-preserved fluvial terrace sequences that formed along this river on northeastern(NE)Tibetan Plateau and Ordos Block over the past 2.6 Ma.After comparing numerous initial incision ages at different segments along the Yellow River,we found out that the youngest initial incision may occur at ca.150 ka at the Longyang Gorge.The Yellow River may transit from multiple separated endorheic drainages to an entire external drainage after 150 ka,which may cause differentiations in the apparent incision rates before and after 150 ka;thus apparent net incision rates were calculated respectively for the Yellow River before 150 ka and the drainage network post 150 ka.Apparent net incision rates prior to 0.15 Ma were calculated as 0.15,0.29,0.10,0.12 and 0.03 mm/a respectively in Tongde-Xunhua,Lanzhou-Linxia basins,Heishan,Jinshan and Fenwei-Sanmen Gorges in this review,which mainly reflected Kunhuang-Gonghe Tectonic Event,generated by the Indo-Asian collision and diminishing as the NE Tibetan Plateau eastward extruding at ca.1.8-0.15 Ma.Apparent net incision rates post 0.15 Ma were calculated respectively for NE Tibetan Plateau and Ordos Block,considering their different base level.On NE Tibetan Plateau,four fluvial degradational phases were identified between ca.105~70,53~40,25~16 and 12~6 ka associated with terrace levels respectively,at average elevations of 96,40,20 and 10.5 meters above the current river level(m arl)within a range of 5~96 m arl;and four broad periods in the last 150 ka on Ordos Block:possibly marine oxygen isotope stage(MIS)5,ca.118 to 72 ka,most of MIS 3,ca.44~28 ka,transition from LGM to last deglacial ca.20 to 16 ka,and 4~3 ka at average elevations of 67.5,26,19 and 11.5 m arl.These degradational phases post 0.15 Ma were associated with multiple processes including enhanced fluvial discharge with an increase in monsoonal precipitation and/or melt water in deglaciation.

Fluvial reservoir characterization through channel belt dimension and petrophysical analysis

The dimensions and connectivity of fluvial reservoirs vary greatly, making it challenging to characterize them using conventional approaches. In this study integrated channel belt dimension analysis from seismic geomorphology and empirical equations, well log facies, and petrophysical analysis were performed to characterize the fluvial reservoirs. The study interval consists of fluvial deposits and is divided into three reservoir zones, which are defined by four key regional markers (B, D, K, O). In these intervals, six (6) fluvial facies have been identified. Based on the log facies proportions and their stacking relationships, it is interpreted that the reservoirs in zone 1 (B to D) were deposited in a proximal reach of a meandering system, zone 2 (D to K) in a marginal marine setting, and zone 3 (K) in a distal reach of a meandering system. The dimensions of fluvial channels and channel belts were determined using empirical equations. The results were compared with the observed dimensions of fluvial channels and channel belts from the seismic horizon and stratal slices of the same intervals. Zones 1 and 3 are characterized by broad meander belts (1000–4000 m) compared to zone 2 (600–1300 m). Petrophysical analysis showed zones 1 and 3 have the better petrophysical properties compared to zone 2. Though zone 3 has the most well-developed sand bodies, the best reservoir interval is zone 1 because of its higher porosity. Although channel belt dimensions have a significant influence on reservoir connectivity, they do not seem to have control on reservoir properties. The channel belt dimensions obtained from the empirical equations and interpreted from the seismic geomorphology analysis were found to be strikingly similar. Since three-dimensional seismic data is not available everywhere and seismic imaging quality decreases with depth, empirical equations can be used to analyze fluvial reservoir parameters and their connectivity at greater depths.

The impact of geological uncertainty on primary production from a fluvial reservoir

Deposition of fluvial sandbodies is controlled mainly by characteristics of the system, such as the rate of avulsion and aggradation of the fluvial channels and their geometry. The impact and the interaction of these parameters have not received adequate attention. In this paper, the impact of geological uncertainty resulting from the interpretation of the fluvial geometry, maximum depth of channels, and their avulsion rates on primary production is studied for fluvial reservoirs. Several meandering reservoirs were generated using a process-mimicking package by varying several con- trolling factors. Simulation results indicate that geometrical parameters of the fluvial channels impact cumulative pro- duction during primary production more significantly than their avulsion rate. The most significant factor appears to be the maximum depth of fluvial channels. The overall net-to-gross ratio is closely correlated with the cumulative oil production of the field, but cumulative production values for individual wells do not appear to be correlated with the local net-to-gross ratio calculated in the vicinity of each well. Connectedness of the sandbodies to each well, defined based on the minimum time-of-flight from each block to the well, appears to be a more reliable indicator of well-scale production.

The concept, characteristics and significance of fluvial fans

The concept and characteristics of fluvial fan are elucidated through literature review and case analysis.Firstly,the concept and terminology of fluvial fan are introduced.Secondly,the progress and controversy on the formation mechanism,analysis methods and sedimentary models of fluvial fan are elaborated,and fluvial fan is compared with alluvial fan,river and lacustrine delta.Finally,ten identification signs of the fluvial fan are proposed.It is found through the study that development and scale of fluvial fan are affected by external factors such as climate,tectonic,provenance and wind field.The facies and lithofacies association inside the fan are controlled by the activity of the internal channel.It is pointed that fluvial fans are widely distributed in the world not only today but also in the geological history.The occurrence of fluvial fan will change the traditional continental deposition system dominated by alluvial fan-river-lacustrine.Meanwhile,the research of fluvial fan will be of great significance in the fields of sedimentology and oil and gas exploration.

Distribution and Forming Model of Fluvial Terrace in the Huangshui Catchment and its Tectonic Indication

The Huang Shui River, a main tributary of the Yellow River, crosses a series of tectonically subsided and uplifted areas that show different patterns of terrace formation. The distribution of fluvial terrace of the Huang Shui River is studied through topographic and sedimentologic terrace mapping. Three terraces in the Haiyan Basin, four terraces in the Huangyuan Basin, 19 terraces in the Xi＇ning Basin （the four high terraces may belong to another river）, nine terraces in the Ping＇an Basin, five terraces in the Ledu Basin and 12 terraces in the Minhe Basin are recognized. Sedimentology research shows that the geomorphologic and sedimentological pattern of the Huang Shui River, which is located at the margin of Tibet, are different from that of the rivers at other regions. The formation process of the terrace is more complicated at the Huang Shui catchment： both accumulation terrace and erosion terrace were formed in each basin and accumulation terraces were developed in some basins when erosion terraces were formed in other basins, indicating fluvial aggradation may occur in some basins simultaneously with river incision in other basins. A conceptual model of the formation process of these two kinds of fluvial terraces at Huang Shui catchment is brought forward in this paper. First, the equilibrium state of the river is broken because of climatic change and/or tectonic movement, and the river incises in all basins in the whole catchment until reaching a new equilibrium state. Then, the downstream basin subsides quickly and the equilibrium state is broken again, and the river incises at upstream basins while the river accumulates at the subsidence basin quickly until approaching a new equilibrium state again. Finally, the river incises in the whole catchment because of climatic change and/or tectonic movement and the accumulation terrace is formed at the subsidence basin while the erosion terrace is formed at other basins. The existence of the accumulation terrace implied the tectonic subsidence in the sub-basins in Huang Shui catchment. These tectonic subsidence movements gradually developed from the downstream Minhe Basin to the upstream Huangyuan Basin. Dating the terrace sequence has potential to uncover the relationship between the subsidence in the catchment and the regional tectonic at the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.

Fluvial sediments in the Alagxa Plateau as a dust source: iron mineralogical and geochemical evidence

The Alagxa Plateau, in the margin of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, is one of the most important dust source areas in East Asia, and the widespread sandy desert in the area is important both as a reservoir and a source of eolian silty. The northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau is one of the most actively-growing mountain belt on earth, and has large amounts of debris, with masses of fine grained material, which were continuously mobilized and deposited in the Alagxa Plateau by rivers, forming broad alluvial fans. It is possible that the role of fluvial sediments as a source of silty dust in the Alagxa Plateau has been underestimated. In this study, we test this hypothesis by investigating the iron mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the fluvial sediments and the surface material of the sandy desert in the Alagxa Plateau, and comparing them with paleo-eolian dust deposits(loess) in the adjacent Chinese Loess Plateau(CLP) to investigate the possible linkages among the fluvial sediments, sandy desert and the last glacial loess of the CLP. The results show that sandy desert typically have high contents of goethite, and high ratios of goethite to hematite, similar to the fluvial sediments in the Alagxa Plateau. Based on the major element characteristics, field investigations and the results of previous studies, we found a genetic link between the silt component of the fluvial sediments and the sandy desert in the Alagxa Plateau with high value of Gt(goethite) and similarity of the Gt/(Hm(hematite)+Gt) ratio. But the silt component of the sandy desert main come from the adjacent fluvial sediments. The iron mineralogical characteristics(χ(magnetic susceptibility), χARM(anhysteretic susceptibility), SIRM(saturation isothermal remanent magnetization) and SIRM_(AF100 mT)(SIRM demagnetized at 100 mT)) of the CLP samples overlap with those of the fluvial sediments in the Alagxa Plateau, but there is a mismatch with the sandy desert samples. This suggests that the fluvial sediments are the source of a large amount of silty material which could be transported to the CLP. Therefore, we conclude that the fluvial sediment in the Alagxa Plateau is an important source of eolian silt, which is deposited in downwind region, and that this source has been previously underestimated.

Wandering gravel-bed rivers and high-constructive stable channel sandy fluvial systems in the Ross River area,Yukon Territory,Canada

Mid-Cretaceous strata within the Tintina Trench, 3 km west of the community of Ross River, contain evidence of deposition in two distinct, alternating, fluvial settings. Coal-bearing, mud-dominated strata are commonly associated with high-constructive sandy channel systems, with extensive overbank, levee and splay deposits. Channels are between 3 and 30 m wide and 0.4-7 m thick. They show repetitive development of side and in-channel bar-forms, as well as up-channel widening of the rivers by selective erosion of associated overbank and levee deposits. Levees extended for several hundred metres away from the channels. In this setting low-angle inclined stratification and epsilon cross stratification may reflect lateral migration of crevasse channels or small streams. The paucity of exposure prevents recognition of the channels as products of multiple channel anastomosed systems or single channel high-constructive systems. Gravel-dominated strata, inter-bedded with, and overlying coal-bearing units, are interpreted as deposits of wandering gravel-bed rivers, with sinuosity approaching 1.4. In most exposures they appear to be dominated by massive and thin planar-bedded granule to small pebble conglomerates, which would traditionally be interpreted as sheet-flood or longitudinal bar deposits of a high-gradient braided stream or alluvial fan. Architectural analysis of exposures in an open-pit shows that the predominance of flat bedding is an artefact of the geometry of the roadside exposures. In the pit the conglomerates are dominated by large scale cross stratification on a scale of 1-5.5 m. These appear to have developed as downstream and lateral accretion elements on side-bars and on in-channel bars in water depths of 2-12 m. Stacking of strata on domed 3rd order surfaces suggests development of longitudinal in-channel bar complexes similar to those observed in parts of the modern Rhone River system. Mudstone preserved in some of the channels reflects intervals of channel abandonment or avulsion. Minimum channel width is from 70 to 450 m.

Ecological function regionalization of fluvial corridor landscapes and measures for ecological regeneration in the middle and lower reaches of the Tarim River, Xinjiang of China

The middle and lower reaches of the Tarim River are currently one of the main regions of ecological restoration in the arid areas of western China.Using the principles and method of landscape ecology,this study has chosen the fluvial corridor landscape in the middle and lower reaches of the Tarim River,and discusses the region’s ecologically functional regionalization system and issues related to its practical classification.On this basis the corresponding regionalizing principles and standards were developed which were used to qualitatively divide the three main landscapes as the ecologically functional areas in the drainage basin.The paper has also analyzed the characteristic of the study areas,and has put forward the measures for its ecological restoration.

Sedimentary characteristics of distributive fluvial system in arid area: A case study of the Shule River distributive fluvial system, NW China

Based on detailed investigation of the modern sedimentation of the distributive fluvial system of Shule River and the data of unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)aerial photography and satellite remote sensing,the sedimentary characteristics and differences of distributive fluvial system in arid areas are analyzed.By comparing the changes in slope,river morphology and sedimentary characteristics in different sections from the apex to the toe,the distributive fluvial system of Shule River can be divided into three facies belts:"proximal","middle"and"distal".The proximal belt has the largest slope and strongest hydrodynamic condition,mainly appears as large-scale braided river deposits;the fluvial bars in this belt are mainly composed of gravels,the gravels have good roundness and certain directionality,and are medium-large boulders,with low sand content;the main microfacies in this belt are braided channel and flood plain.The middle belt with slope smaller than the proximal belt,is mainly composed of braided bifurcating river deposits.Due to branching and infiltration,this belt has weaker hydrodynamic conditions,so some of the distributive rivers dry up,appearing as ephemeral rivers.This belt has small lenticular sandbodies,fine to medium gravels,higher sand content,and mainly braided channel,flood plain and aeolian dune microfacies.The distal belt has the smallest slope and flat terrain,where the river begins to transform from braided river to meandering river,the sediment is mainly sand.Due to the influence of slope,this belt has weaker erosion toward source and stronger lateral erosion,and point bars developing around the edge of the active lobes.In this belt,the river is completely meandering,and the main microfacies are braided channel,meandering channel,flood plain,aeolian dune,lake and swamp.

Using a modern analogue to interpret depositional position in ancient fluvial-tidal channels:Example from the McMurray Formation,Canada

The fluvial-tidal transition(FTT)is a complex depositional zone,where fluvial flow is modified by tides as rivers approach a receiving marine basin.Variations in the relative importance of tidal versus fluvial processes lead to a distinctive distribution of sediments that accumulate on channel bars.The FTT generally consists of three broad zones:(1)a freshwater-tidal zone;(2)a tidally influenced freshwater to brackish-water transition:and(3)a zone of relatively sustained brackish-water conditions with stronger tides.A very common type of deposit through the fluvial-tidal transition,especially on the margins of migrating channels,is inclined heterolithic stratification(IHS).At present,a detailed account of changes in the character of IHS across the FIT of a paleo-channel system has not been reported,although a number of modern examples have been documented.To fill this gap,we quantitatively assess the sedimentology and ichnology of IHS from seven cored intervals in three geographic areas situated within the youngest paleovalley("A"Valley)in the Lower Cretaceous McMurray Formation of Alberta.Canada.We compare the data to trends defined along the FTT in the present-day Fraser River in British Columbia.Canada to interpret paleo-depositional position in the ancient fluvial-tidal channels.Analysis determined that the mean mudstone thickness is 8.2 cm in the southern study area(SA).Mean thickness increases to 11 cm in the central study area(CA),and decreases again to 4.4 cm in the northern study area(NA).The proportion of mudstone is 31%in SA,44%in CA,and 27%in NA.Thicknessweighted mean bioturbation intensity in sands varied from 0.29 in SA and CA.to 0.28 in NA.On the other hand,thickness-weighted mean bioturbation intensity(Bl)in mudstone increases from 1.46 in SA.to 1.77 in CA.and is 1.94 in NA.The ichnological diversity also increased from south to north.Sedimentological results show sinilar trends to those of the Fraser River,enabling the identification of a freshwater to brackish-water transition zone with tidal influence.The interpreted position of the transition is underpinned by the bioturbation intensity and trace-fossil diversity trends,indicating periodic brackish-water conditions throughout SA in the McMurray Formation during low river flow conditions.Together,these data suggest that a broad FTT existed in the"A"Valley,with fluvial-dominated channels to the south that experienced seasonal brackish-water inundation during base flow,and channels experiencing increasing brackish-water influence lying further north towards a turbidity maximun zone.The FIT zone appears to have extended for several hundred kilometers fron south to north.Based on the sedimentological and ichnological data,as well as estimations of lateral accretion rates,we refute the colmonly applied Mississippi River depositional analogue for McMurray Formation channels.Rather,we show that while not a perfect fit,the tidally influenced Fraser River shows much greater agreement with the depositional character recorded in McMurray Formation IHS.Future work on the McMurray system should focus on characterizing tide-dominatecl deltaic and estuarine systems,such as the Ganges-Brahmaputra,and on forward-modeling the evolution of tide-dominated and tideinfluenced river systems.

Contrasting lipid biomarkers in mountain rivers in the Nepal Himalayas: Organic matter characteristics and contribution to the fluvial carbon pool

The Nepal Himalayas is the source of many glacial and spring-fed river systems crisscrossing the mountainous terrain.There is an increasing recognition of small mountain rivers(SMRs)to have a significant combined export of dissolved and particulate organic carbon to the global carbon flux.We analyzed fluvial sediments from two SMRs and compared the results with two large mountain rivers(LMRs)in Nepal.We investigated the organic matter(OM),its compositional variability,and seasonal export using a suite of lipid biomarkers,namely n-alkanes,n-alkanoic acids,n-alkanols,and sterols.The SMRs indicated a similarity in lipid distribution and were affected by a strong seasonal variability.The LMRs showed a distinct contrast in the distribution of lipids in suspended sediments.Bedload sediments in SMRs were derived from diverse sources with weak terrigenous dominance all-year-round compared to the suspended load.Functional lipids(n-alkanoic acids and n-alkanols)were the major constituents in SMR sediments,indicating better preservation.In contrast,n-alkane concentration dominated over other fractions in suspended sediments retrieved from LMRs.The biomarker trends differentiate SMRs from LMRs with lower transformed/degraded OM in SMRs.A common observation was the strong presence of even carbon compounds in short-chain n-alkanes in SMR bedload sediments and their predominance in suspended sediments in LMRs.Such an unusual trend is attributed to specific biomarker sources from the catchment and ongoing processes in fluvial systems.Topsoil colonized by fungal species under moist acidic conditions and autochthonous bacteria contributes to the organic matter pool in shallow SMRs.In LMRs,the contribution from thermally mature sedimentary hydrocarbons and the diagenetic reduction of nalkanoic acids to n-alkanes are additional contributors to the allochthonous carbon pool.The differences in lipid concentrations,their distribution,seasonality,and the size of rivers suggest differential preservation/degradation of the organic matter pool and their importance in contributing to the carbon budget.

Paleo-fluvial sedimentation on the outer shelf of the East China Sea during the last glacial maximum

Evidence from lithology, foraminiferal assemblages, and high-resolution X-ray fluorescence scanning data of core SFK-1 indicates tidally influenced paleo-fluvial sedimentation during the last glacial maximum (LGM) on the outer shelf of the East China Sea. The paleo-fluvial deposits consist of river channel facies and estuarine incised-valley-filling facies. Different reflections on the seismic profile across core SFK-1 suggest that the river channels shifted and overlapped. River channel deposition formed early in the LGM when sea level fell and the estuary extended to the outer shelf. Channel sediments are yellowish- brown in color and rich in foraminifera and shell fragments owing to the strong tidal influence. Following the LGM, the paleo-river mouth retreated and regressive deposition of estuarine and incised-valley-filling facies with an erosion base occurred. The river channel facies and estuarine incised-valley-filling facies have clearly different sedimentary characteristics and provenances. The depositional environment of the paleo-river system on the wide shelf was reconstructed from the foraminiferal assemblages, CaCO3 content and Ca/Ti ratio. The main results of this study provide further substantial constraints on the recognition of late Quaternary stratigraphy and land-sea interactions on the ECS shelf.

Comment on “Using a modern analogue to interpret depositional position in ancient fluvial-tidal channels:Example from the McMurray Formation,Canada” by Andrew D.La Croix,Shahin E.Dashtgard,James A.MacEachern,Geoscience Frontiers,Volume 10,Issue 6,Pages 2

1.Introduction La Croix et al.(2019)attempt to interpret the depositional position of the Lower Cretaceous McMurray Formation"A Valley"deposits using the tidally-influenced Fraser River in British Columbia as a modern analogue.Analysis of a portion of seven cores from three study areas(South,Central,and North)positioned along a 145-km basinward transect suggests that observed sedimentological and ichnological trends are indicative of a time-equivalent fluvial-tidal transition(FTT)zone within the"A Valley".

Facies Architecture of the Fluvial-Aeolian Buchan Formation (Upper Devonian) and Its Implications on Field Exploration: A Case Study from Ardmore Field, Central North Sea, UK

The Upper Devonian Buchan Formation in the Central North Sea is a typical terrestrial deposit and predominantly comprises fine to medium-grained sandstones with occasional conglomerates and mudstones. The Buchan Formation has been previously described as being made up mostly of braided fluvial sandstones;however, this study confirms the presence and significance of aeolian sandstones within this fluvial-dominated sequence. Facies architecture is investigated through analogue outcrop study, well log curves and numerical facies modelling, and the results show contrasting differences between fluvial and aeolian facies. The fluvial facies is composed of multiple superimposed and sand-dominated fining-upward cycles in the vertical direction, and laterally an individual cycle has a large width/thickness ratio but is smaller than the field scale. However, the high channel deposition proportion (CDP, average value = 72%) in fluvial-dominated intervals means that it is likely all the sand bodies are interconnected. Aeolian facies comprise superimposed dune and interdune depositions and can be laterally correlated over considerable distances (over 1 km). Although the aeolian sandstones are volumetrically minor (approx. 30%) within the whole Buchan Formation, they have very high porosity and permeability (14.1% - 28%, 27 - 5290 mD) and therefore are excellent potential reservoirs. The fluvial sandstones are significantly cemented by quartz overgrowth and dolomite and by comparison with the aeolian sandstones are poor reservoirs. Aeolian sandstones can be differentiated from fluvial sandstones using several features: pin-stripe lamentation, good sorting, high visible porosity, friable nature and lack of muddy or conglomeratic contents;these characteristics allow aeolian sandstones can be tentatively recognized by low gamma ray values, high sonic transit time and low density in uncored wells. The thin, laterally correlatable and permeable aeolian sandstones within the Buchan Formation are effective reservoirs and could form important exploration targets when the Devonian is targeted elsewhere in the North Sea.

Distribution and Formation of Fluvial Terraces in Huangshui Catchment(Northeastern Tibetan Plateau) and Its Tectonic Implication

River evolution at margins of the Tibetan Plateau may provide valuable information for understanding climatic change and tectonic movement of the past. Here we focus on the Huangshui River,a tributary of the Yellow River,crossing a series of tectonically subsided and uplifted areas that show diversity patterns of terrace formation.The distribution of fluvial terrace is studied by mapping and dating.Three terraces in Haiyan basin,four terraces in Huangyuan basin,19 terraces in Xi’ning basin,nine terraces in Ping’an basin,five terraces in Ledu basin and 12 terraces in Minhe basin are recognized.Magne-

Coupling within Fluvial Geomorphic Systems:Spatial and Temporal Implications

Coupling within fluvial systems relates to the connectivity between the various components of the system. It can be viewed at several scales from local scales of hillslopetochannel and reachtoreach coupling, to larger scales of zonal coupling between the major functional zones of the fluvial system, and to the scale of regional coupling. Coupling influences how the system responds to environmental change and how the effects of environmental change are propagated through the system. This paper provides a review, based largely on previously published work, of the coupling concept, and how the effective temporal scales vary with the spatial scale of coupling. Local scale coupling is considered through the hillslope to channel coupling in the Howgill Fells, northwest England, observed over a 30year monitoring period, together with examples from badlands in Spain, and reachtoreach coupling on the River Dane, northwest England. At the zonal scale the relative influence of climatic and baselevel change on coupling through dryregion alluvial fans is considered on fan systems in Spain, Nevada, and UAE/Oman. For large scale regional coupling, the response of the Tabernas basin, southeast Spain to tectonic uplift, is examined. The factors influencing coupling mechanisms vary with temporal and spatial scales. At the hillslopetochannel scale the significant factors are the magnitude and frequency characteristics of sediment generation and removal mechanisms within the context of progressive morphological change. Effective timescales range from the individual event to decadal timescales. At the zonal scale, that of alluvial fans, the significant factors are climatic change, and particularly in the appropriate morphological setting, baselevel change. Effective timescales are of the order of hundreds to thousands of years. At the regional scale, the response to tectonic uplift may take >100 ka to be transmitted through the drainage basin.

A Paleogeographic and Depositional Model for the Neogene Fluvial Succession, Pishin Belt, Northwest Pakistan: Effect of Post Collisional Tectonics on Sedimentation in a Peripheral Foreland Setting

Detailed facies analysis of the Neogene successions of the Pishin Belt （Katawaz Basin） has enabled documentation of successive depositional systems and paleogeographic settings of the basin formed by the collision of the northwestern continental margin of the Indian Plate and the Afghan Block. During the Early Miocene, subaerial sedimentation started after the final closure of the Katawaz Remnant Ocean. Based on detailed field data, twelve facies were recognized in Neogene successions exposed in the Pishin Belt. These facies were further organized into four facies associations i.e. channels, crevasse splay, natural levee and floodplain facies associations. Facies associations and variations provided ample evidence to recognize a number of fluvial architectural components in the succession e.g., low-sinuosity sandy braided river, mixed-load meandering, high-sinuosity meandering channels, single-story sandstone and/or conglomerate channels, lateral accretion surfaces （point bars） and alluvial fans. Neogene sedimentation in the Pishin Belt was mainly controlled by active tectonism and thrusting in response to the oblique collision of the Indian Plate with the Afghan Block of the Eurasian Plate along the Chaman-Nushki Fault. Post Miocene deformation of these formations successively caused them to contribute as an additional source terrain for the younger formations.

Fluvial Processes in the Meandering Reach of the Lower Wei River During the Course of Degradation

This paper presents an analysis of the changes of the longitudinal and lateral profiles in the meander- ing reach of the Lower Wei River over the period from October 1973 to October 1976 during the course of degradation.Analysis results indicated that retrogressive erosion and subsequent downstream erosion occurred in the reach due to the lowering in the Tongguan elevation and the inflowing water carrying low sediment con- centrations.At the end of the degradation,the main channel widths of the majority ...