Alluvial Fan

Definition:
 Unconsolidated sedimentary deposit that
accumulates at the mouth of a mountain
canyon because of a dimunition or
cessation of sediment transport by the
issuing stream.
•Fan shape (1 point exit and symetrically distribution).
•Lying down in front of toe of hills (sometimes reflecting triangular facet morphology).
•Braided stream develops.
Death Valley, California

Canyon

Fan
 Conglomerate

•Polimic ? Oligomic ? . Clast supported ? Or Mud supported ?

•Imbrication ? Or not ?
 Conglomerate (debris flow)

Conglomerate (debris flow) : floated boulder due to freezeing process of

Alluvial Fan
 Blocky log pattern
 Influenced by the fast flowing of rivers (causing
coarser material deposited).
 Braided stream develops.
 Influenced by tectonic up-lift (usually normal or
oblique faults), climate change, stream
discharge.
 Climate could be a strong influence (example:
Himalayas).
Fluvial
The journey of river
 Meandering belt of river

Low gradient, broaden valley, oxbow lake

develops
High sinuousity of fluvial

Lateral
acreation of
channel fill
Plannar
cross-strat of
peabble sst.

Gravel
channel
Fluvial Lahar
Sub-marine system
(canyon and fan)
Definitions:
 Sub-marine fans exhibit radial-, cone- or
fan-like morphologies in map view across
the seafloor (Menard, 1955).
 Sub-marine canyons are erosional V-
shaped features that gash the world’s
continental margins (Normark & Carlson,
2003).
 3D View of sub-marine Canyon

•Canyon indicates a rectangular pattern (it ussually relates to faults).

Sub-marine channel and levee complex
Lateral acreation of sub-marine channel
The comparison of canyon dimension

(Bouma et.al., 1985)

Satellite image of Indus and Bengal Fans
Sub-marine mass movements
The comparison of ancient and modern fan model
Sub-marine fans during lowstand and highstand
Model of deposits from low and high density currents
(modified from Bouma, 1962 & Lowe, 1982)
Sub-marine Systems
Canyon:
 Dominated by erosional features
 Cresentic log pattern
 The channel exhibits lateral acreation, vertically
stack deposited, sometimes meandering pattern.
 levee or overbank complex also present
sometimes.
Sub-marine Systems
Fans:
 Induced by shelf-edge failure due to lowstand
stage (regression period).
 Radial-, fan, cone-like shape with downlapping
outward.
 Blocky log pattern (sharp contact to the upper
and bottom layer).
 Influenced by gravity mechanism process.
Lithoral system
(eustuarine)
River dominated estuarine
Wave dominated estuarine
Estuarine (Nichols and Biggs, 1985)
 River canyon created by erosion process due to
lowering sea level.
 River canyon flooded by rising of sea level (tidal
process).
 Tidal causing salt water and river water mixing,
transporting sediment to the landward or the the
seaward.
 Both tidal or wave influenced the eastuarine
creation.
Lake
Lake
 A basin is surrounded by land where the rivers
drain the lake.
 It could be created by tectonic movements (pull-
apart basin), glaciation process, depression
zone in the montains.