What can we learn by studying the distribution of meander cutoffs?
Aside from preserving ancient river channels, meander cutoffs are a proxy for erosion. They point to the areas of rivers that are the most/least prone to erosion. River reaches with more cutoffs are typically more erosive because they are established in geologic units that are less stable, and vice versa. The Red River, because it is a stable young river and well constrained in time, is like a natural experiment.
Morphometric measures such as relief can also help us understand the age of cutoffs. In areas of uniform river incision the relief of meander cutoffs suggest their relative timing of formation. Higher relief cutoffs suggest more recent formation, while lower relief cutoffs are typically older. Studying patterns in fluvial formations such as meander cutoffs allows us to learn about the fluvial effects of pre-existing geologic conditions and perturbations such as tectonics. |
Fluvial Topography Mapping Tools
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