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Does Latitude and Climate Determine Depositional Processes

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Does Latitude and Climate Determine Depositional Processes ABSTRACT COMPARISON OF A SUB-ARCTIC PLEISTOCENE GLACIAL OUTWASH PLAIN TO MODERN DAY ARCTIC GLACIAL OUTWASH PLAINS; DOES LATITUDE AND CLIMATE DETERMINE DEPOSITIONAL PROCESSES Climate affects stream discharge and sediment supply on fluvial fans. Prior studies suggest river discharge, bedrock scouring and rock avalanches increase during glaciation; and river discharge and alpine sediments decrease as channel incision and over-bank flooding increases during an interglacial. A facies model of seven facies in twenty measured stratigraphic sections using Miall’s facies classification scheme was developed. Associations of facies and geometry of deposits were used to identify sedimentary structures in terms of their genetic significance. Gravel facies are interpreted as debris flows and interbedded sandy bedforms on a multi-channel flood plain. Sand facies are interpreted as aggrading channel bars, sandy bedforms and abandoned channels. A comparison of modern day glacial outwash plains at Arctic latitudes to a Pleistocene glacial outwash plain at a sub-arctic latitude demonstrated that mechanisms for producing a model of vertically successive gravel to sand facies are apparently similar enough to determine there is no detectable difference in the depositional processes and that the degree of clast roundness it is not wholly dependent on the length of the proglacial zone but is also influenced by the advance of valley glacial ice to its maxima limiting the length of the proglacial zone. Paul Raymond Troop August 2016 COMPARISON OF A SUB-ARCTIC PLEISTOCENE GLACIAL OUTWASH PLAIN TO MODERN DAY ARCTIC GLACIAL OUTWASH PLAINS; DOES LATITUDE AND CLIMATE DETERMINE DEPOSITIONAL PROCESSES by Paul Raymond Troop A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Geology in the College of Science and Mathematics California State University, Fresno August 2016 APPROVED For the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences We, the undersigned, certify that the thesis of the following student meets the required standards of scholarship, format, and style of the university and the student's graduate degree program for the awarding of the master's degree. Paul Raymond Troop Thesis Author Mara Brady (Chair) Earth and Environmental Sciences John Wakabayashi Earth and Environmental Sciences Mario Caputo Department of Geologic Sciences SDSU For the University Graduate Committee: Dean, Division of Graduate Studies AUTHORIZATION FOR REPRODUCTION OF MASTER’S THESIS X I grant permission for the reproduction of this thesis in part or in its entirety without further authorization from me, on the condition that the person or agency requesting reproduction absorbs the cost and provides proper acknowledgment of authorship. Permission to reproduce this thesis in part or in its entirety must be obtained from me. Signature of thesis author: ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the Cemex Corporation for five years of access to their quarry operations. Pete Locastro, the Rockfield Quarry plant manager, who granted all of my requests, Peter Cotter, the Corporation geologist, who shared 30 years of mining experience with me and Robin Purdy the quarry heavy equipment operator for the quarry who showed me many of the secrets of the quarry. To Garry Hayes, Geology educator at Modesto Junior College my friend and mentor; Horacio Ferriz, Professor of Geology at Stanislaus State University who opened his lab to me and assisted with the cumulative frequency statistics; Fraka Harmsen, Provost at Sacramento State University who convinced me that this was a worthy endeavor; and my friends John, Brian, Dwight, and Leo who assisted me in the field, and to David Oliver who formatted and edited the paper. And to my Fresno State committee members Mara Brady, Assistant Professor and John Wakabayashi Professor who patiently guided me through this process and Mario Caputo, Adjunct Professor of Geology at California State University San Diego who opened my eyes to the sedimentological complexity and beauty of the quarry’s outcrops. But most of all to my marvelous, understanding patient wife and baseball buddy, Arlene, who in our 42 years of marriage has given me the freedom to pursue my dreams. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page LIST OF TABLES ................................................................................................. vii LIST OF FIGURES ............................................................................................... viii INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 Overview ............................................................................................................ 1 Purpose and Goals ............................................................................................. 3 Methods of Study ............................................................................................... 6 GEOLOGICAL SETTING ....................................................................................... 8 San Joaquin Valley ............................................................................................ 8 San Joaquin River and Drainage Basin ............................................................. 9 San Joaquin River Glacial Outwash Plain ....................................................... 10 San Joaquin River Glacial Outwash Plain Geology ........................................ 14 Sierra Nevada Glaciation ................................................................................. 16 Tectonic Development of the San Joaquin Valley .......................................... 19 Rockfield Quarry ............................................................................................. 20 DESCRIPTION OF FACIES ................................................................................. 22 Prologue ........................................................................................................... 22 Coarse-Grained Facies ..................................................................................... 24 Gravel Facies Gcm .......................................................................................... 24 Fine-Grained Facies ......................................................................................... 28 Sand Facies ...................................................................................................... 28 INTERPRETATION OF FACIES ......................................................................... 35 Coarse-Grained facies ...................................................................................... 35 Gravel Facies ................................................................................................... 35 vi vi Page Fine-Grained Facies ......................................................................................... 38 Sand Facies ...................................................................................................... 38 DISCUSSION ......................................................................................................... 41 Debris Flows .................................................................................................... 45 Glacial Outwash Plain ..................................................................................... 49 Channels ........................................................................................................... 52 Channel Fill ...................................................................................................... 54 Gavel Facies ..................................................................................................... 55 Sand Facies ...................................................................................................... 58 Facies Models .................................................................................................. 60 Revisiting of Motivation Questions ................................................................. 61 CONCLUSIONS .................................................................................................... 64 REFERENCES ....................................................................................................... 66 APPENDIX: CROSS SECTIONS ......................................................................... 77 LIST OF TABLES Page Table 1. Summary of sedimentary facies observed in the study ........................... 23 Table 2. Modern day Arctic temperature ranges ................................................... 43 LIST OF FIGURES Page Fig. 1. Mid-Pleistocene paleogeography with the: 1) Scott River in Alaska, 2) Donjek River in the Yukon Territory and 3) the San Joaquin River in California .................................................................................................. 4 Fig. 2. Pleistocene (~0.7 to 0.8 Ma) paleogeography of the San Joaquin Valley, Bartow, 1991. ............................................................................................ 8 Fig. 3. Cross-section of the San Joaquin Valley; figure modified from Lettis, 1982; Adapted from Muniz, 2003. ............................................................ 9 Fig. 4. The San Joaquin River, drainage basin, and proglacial zone of the high Sierra glaciers Matthes (1960). ............................................................... 10 Fig. 5 a) Alluvial fan with braided outwash plain (anonymous); b) cross section of braid plain: Galloway and Hobday (1983).
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