scholarly journals Sedimentary facies analysis of the fluvial systems in the Siwalik Group, Karnali River section, Nepal Himalaya, and their significance for understanding the paleoclimate and Himalayan tectonics

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 11-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ashok Sigdel ◽  
Tetsuya Sakai
Keyword(s):  
River System ◽  
Precipitation Pattern ◽  
Braided River ◽  
River Section ◽  
Meandering River ◽  
Braided Rivers ◽  
Facies Associations ◽  
Siwalik Group ◽  
Himalayan Tectonics ◽  
Flood Flow

Fluvial sediments of the Siwalik successions in the Himalayan Foreland Basin are one of the most important continental archives for the history of Himalayan tectonics and climate change during the Miocene Period. This study reanalyzes the fluvial facies of the Siwalik Group along the Karnali River, where the large paleo-Karnali River system is presumed to have flowed. The reinterpreted fluvial system comprises fine-grained meandering river (FA1), flood-flow dominated meandering river with intermittent appearance of braided rivers (FA2), deep and shallow sandy braided rivers (FA3, FA4) to gravelly braided river (FA5) and finally debris-flow dominated braided river (FA6) facies associations, in ascending order. Previous work identified sandy flood-flow dominated meandering and anastomosed systems, but this study reinterprets these systems as a flood-flow dominated meandering river system with intermittent appearance of braided rivers, and a shallow sandy braided system, respectively. The order of the appearance of fluvial depositional systems in the Karnali River section is similar to those of other Siwalik sections, but the timing of the fluvial facies changes differs. The earlier appearance (3-4 Ma) of the flood-flow dominated meandering river system in the Karnali River section at about 13.5 Ma may have been due to early uplift of the larger catchment size of the paleo-Karnali River which may have changed the precipitation pattern i.e. intensification of the Indian Summer Monsoon. The change from a meandering river system to a braided river system is also recorded 1 to 3 Ma earlier than in other Siwalik sections in Nepal. Differential and diachronous activities of the thrust systems could be linked to change in catchment area as well as diachronous uplift and climate, the combination of which are major probable causes of this diachronity.

scholarly journals Sedimentary Facies Analysis of the Fluvial Environment in the Siwalik Group of Eastern Nepal: Deciphering its Relation to Contemporary Himalayan Tectonics, Climate and Sea-Level Change.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalit Kumar Rai ◽  
Kohki Yoshida
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Sea Level Change ◽  
Sedimentary Facies ◽  
Meandering River ◽  
Level Change ◽  
Facies Associations ◽  
Siwalik Group ◽  
Himalayan Tectonics ◽  
And Sea Level

Abstract The Siwalik Group, ranging from the Early Miocene to Pleistocene, is believed to be controlled by contemporary Himalayan tectonics and climate. In this study, we established the fluvial system responsible for the deposition of the Siwalik succession along the Muksar Khola section and its controlling factors. Five sedimentary facies associations are identified which are interpreted as the deposits of flood plain dominated fine-grained meandering river (FA1), flood dominated overbank environment (FA2), sandy meandering river (FA3), anastomosing river (FA4), and debris flow dominated gravelly braided river (FA5). These change in fluvial style occurred around 10.5 Ma, 10.0 Ma, 5.9 Ma and 3.5 Ma due to the effects of hinterland tectonics, climate and sea-level change. The thick succession of intraformational conglomerate reveals the intensification of monsoon started around 10.5 Ma in the eastern Nepal Himalaya. The present study show asynchronous exhumation of the Himalaya east to west brought significant difference on the fluvial environment of the Neogene foreland basin. Moreover, this study also reveals continuous drifting of the foreland basin towards the hinterland concerning depositional age.

scholarly journals Lithostratigraphy and late Cenozoic fluvial styles of Siwalik Group along Kankai River section, East Nepal Himalaya

1970 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
pp. 63-74 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prakash Das Ulak
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
River Section ◽  
Late Cenozoic ◽  
Nepal Himalaya ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
The North ◽  
Lithostratigraphic Units ◽  
Facies Associations ◽  
Siwalik Group ◽  
Southern Flank

This paper describes on lithostratigraphy as well as evolution of the fluvial styles in late Cenozoic Siwalik Group along the Kankai River section of east Nepal Himalaya. The Siwalik Group lies on the southern flank of the Himalaya, is composed of molasse sediments, which were derived from the rising Himalaya in the north. The group along the Kankai River section is lithologically divided into the Lower, Middle and Upper Siwaliks, in ascending order based on increasing grain size and lithology. The Lower Siwaliks is subdivided into the lower and upper members, whereas the Middle Siwaliks is subdivided into the lower, middle and upper members on the basis of the relative thickness of the sandstone and mudstone beds, frequency of occurrence of these beds, and grain size of sandstone. The Upper Siwaliks is subdivided into the lower and upper members based on the clast size in conglomerate and constituent of the Siwalik sandstone boulders in conglomerate. Based on the lithology, assemblages of sedimentary structure and sediment body architectures, seven facies associations (FA1 to FA7) are recognised. These facies associations are closely related to each lithostratigraphic units of the area. The sediments of the lower and upper members of the Lower Siwaliks are products of the fine-grained meandering and flood flow-dominated meandering systems, respectively. The lower, middle and upper members of the Middle Siwaliks are interpreted as the deposits by sandy meandering, deep sandy braided and shallow braided systems, respectively whereas the lower and upper members of the Upper Siwaliks are the products of gravelly braided to debris flow-dominated braided systems, respectively.   doi: 10.3126/bdg.v12i0.2251 Bulletin of the Department of Geology, Vol. 12, 2009, pp. 63-74

scholarly journals Lithofacies and depositional environment of the Siwalik Group in Samari-Sukaura River area, Central Nepal

2013 ◽  
Vol 16 ◽  
pp. 53-64 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dev Kumar Syangbo ◽  
Naresh Kazi Tamrakar
Keyword(s):  
Depositional Environment ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
River System ◽  
Nepal Himalaya ◽  
Meandering River ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Architectural Elements ◽  
Central Nepal ◽  
Eastern Zone ◽  
Siwalik Group

Thick sedimentary sequence deposited in the foreland basin of the Nepal Himalaya is represented by the Siwalik Group. The Siwalik Group is well exposed in the Samari-Sukaura River area. The present study is focused in southern portion of the MBT around the Samari-Sukaura area for its depositional environment. The Middle Siwaliks of the Sukaura Road sections is overlained by the Lower Siwaliks which is separated by the Karki Khola Thrust. Extension of the Lower Siwaliks in the Jyamire Khola and the Bundal Khola becomes wider in the eastern Zone. Repetition of the Lower Siwaliks along the southern margin of the MBT is recognized. Depending on lithofacies assemblage and facies analysis, the two broad facies assemblages FA1 and FA2 have been distinguished. FA1 shows SB, FF, LA, LS and CH architectural elements and is interpreted as a product of the fine-grained meandering river system. FA2 shows SB, FF, LA, DA and CH architectural elements and is interpreted as a product of sandy mixed-load meandering river system. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3126/bdg.v16i0.8884   Bulletin of the Department of Geology Vol. 16, 2013, pp. 53-64

scholarly journals Sedimentation style of a Pleistocene kame terrace from the Western Sudety Mountains, S Poland

Geologos ◽  
2010 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 101-110 ◽  
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Pisarska-Jamroży ◽  
Katarzyna Machowiak ◽  
Dariusz Krzyszkowski
Keyword(s):  
Ice Sheet ◽  
River System ◽  
High Energy ◽  
Braided River ◽  
Braided Rivers ◽  
Mountain Valley ◽  
Sedimentary Succession ◽  
Sudety Mountains ◽  
S Poland ◽  
Lithofacies Association

Sedimentation style of a Pleistocene kame terrace from the Western Sudety Mountains, S PolandThe depositional conditions of kame terraces in a mountain valley were analysed sedimentologically and petrologically through a series of kame terraces in the Rudawy Janowickie mountains. The kame terraces comprise five lithofacies associations. Lithofacies association GRt, Sp originates from deposition in the high-energy, deep gravel-bed channel of a braided river. Lithofacies association GC represents a washed out glacial till. Probably a thin layer of till was washed out by sandy braided rivers (Sp). The fourth association (Fh, Fm) indicates a shallow and quite small glaciomarginal lake. The last association (GRt, GRp) indicates the return of deposition in a sandy-bed braided channel. The petrography of the Janowice Wiekie pit and measurements of cross-stratified beds indicate a palaeocurrent direction from N to S. The Janowice Wielkie sedimentary succession accumulated most probably during the Saalian (Odranian, Saale I, Drenthe) as the first phase of ice-sheet melting, because the kame terrace under study is the highest one, 25-27 m above the Bóbr river level. The deposits under study are dominated by local components. The proglacial streams flowed along the margin of the ice sheet and deposited the kame terrace. The majority of the sedimentary succession was deposited in a confined braided-river system in quite deep channels.

scholarly journals Evolution of fluvial system and reconstruction of paleohydrology of late Cenozoic Siwalik Group, related to tectonic uplift of Himalaya and climatic change, Kankai River section, east Nepal Himalaya

2016 ◽  
Vol 51 ◽  
pp. 59-72
Author(s):  
Prakash Das Ulak
Keyword(s):  
River Section ◽  
Fluvial System ◽  
Late Cenozoic ◽  
Nepal Himalaya ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Lithostratigraphic Units ◽  
Facies Associations ◽  
Channel Slope ◽  
Siwalik Group ◽  
The Himalaya

This paper focuses on evolution of the fluvial system in the late Cenozoic Siwalik Group along the Kankai River section of East Nepal. The Siwalik Group lies on the southern flank of the Himalaya and composed of molasse sediments, which were derived from upheaval of the Himalaya. On the basis of lithology, assemblage of sedimentary structures and sediment body architectures, seven facies associations (FA1 to FA7) are recognized in the Kankai River section, East Nepal Himalaya. These recognized facies associations are closely related to each lithostratigraphic units of the area (Ulak 2009). The lower and upper members of the Lower Siwaliks are the products of the fine-grained meandering and flood flow-dominated meandering systems, respectively. The lower, middle and upper members of the Middle Siwaliks are interpreted as the deposits of the sandy meandering, deep sandy braided and shallow braided systems, respectively whereas the lower and upper members of the Upper Siwaliks are the products of the gravelly braided and debris flow-dominated braided systems, respectively. Paleohydrological characteristics and its evolutional changes of the group have been estimated by using grain diameter and thickness of fining upward fluvial successions. The paleohydrology suggests an increase in of flow velocity, channel slope gradient, and discharge of the fluvial system. Paleovelocity varies from 0.19 m/s to 5.31 m/s paleochannel gradient and paleodischarge changes from 6.67x10-5 to 2.97x10-4 m/m and 101 to 104 m3/s, respectively in stratigraphic upward. The progressively changes in the paleohydrology reflect the southward propagation of thrust activities, caused upheaval of the Himalaya.

scholarly journals Sedimentary facies analysis of the fluvial environment in the Siwalik Group of eastern Nepal: deciphering its relation to contemporary Himalayan tectonics, climate and sea-level change

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lalit Kumar Rai ◽  
Kohki Yoshida
Keyword(s):  
Sea Level ◽  
Foreland Basin ◽  
Sea Level Change ◽  
Sedimentary Facies ◽  
Nepal Himalaya ◽  
Meandering River ◽  
Level Change ◽  
Siwalik Group ◽  
Himalayan Tectonics ◽  
And Sea Level

AbstractThe Siwalik Group, ranging from the Early Miocene to Pleistocene, is believed to be deposited in the fluvial environment and controlled by contemporary Himalayan tectonics and climate. In this study, we established the fluvial environment and its controlling factors responsible for the deposition of the Siwalik succession along the Muksar Khola section in the eastern Nepal Himalaya. Five sedimentary facies associations are identified; these are interpreted as the deposits of flood plain-dominated fine-grained meandering river (FA1), flood-dominated overbank environment (FA2), sandy meandering river (FA3), anastomosing river (FA4), and debris flow-dominated gravelly braided river (FA5). These changes in the fluvial system occurred around 10.5 Ma, 10.0 Ma, 5.9 Ma and 3.5 Ma, defined by existing magnetostratigraphy constraints, due to the effects of hinterland tectonics, climate and sea-level change and continuous drifting of the foreland basin towards the hinterland concerning depositional age. The thick succession of an intraformational conglomerate reveals intensification of the monsoon started around 10.5 Ma in the eastern Nepal Himalaya. The present study also shows asynchronous exhumation of the Himalaya from east to west brought a significant difference in the fluvial environment of the Neogene foreland basin.

The Campbellton Formation, New Brunswick, Canada: paleoenvironments in an important Early Devonian terrestrial locality

2011 ◽  
Vol 48 (12) ◽  
pp. 1561-1580 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kirsten Kennedy ◽  
Martin R. Gibling
Keyword(s):  
Debris Flows ◽  
River System ◽  
Braided River ◽  
Early Devonian ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Lacustrine Deposits ◽  
Facies Associations ◽  
Aquatic Vertebrates ◽  
Near Shore ◽  
Lacustrine Facies

Strata of the Campbellton Formation, nearly 1 km-thick and known for its diverse fossil assemblage of early plants, arthropods, and fish, can be divided into six facies associations: (1) restricted lacustrine, (2) marginal lacustrine, (3) near-shore lacustrine, (4) coastal-deltaic, (5) sandy to gravelly alluvial plain, and (6) gravelly proximal alluvial environments. Lacustrine deposits with restricted circulation, due to depth or stagnation, are fine-grained with preserved organic material. The marginal lacustrine association consists of massive siltstone and very fine sandstone, interbedded with conglomerate. The latter are interpreted to have shed from older volcanic units forming the basin walls. The near-shore lacustrine association is characterized by rippled sandstone with microbialites. Alluvial strata include interbedded imbricate to nonimbricate conglomerate, trough cross-stratified sandstone, and barren to plant-bearing siltstone. Rare exposures of thickly bedded imbricate to weakly imbricated cobble–boulder conglomerate with sandy plant-bearing lenses are interpreted as products of hyperconcentrated debris flows. In the western belt, a braided-fluvial system had paleocurrents flowing WNW. Coastal-deltaic deposits west of the fluvial outcrops, containing aquatic vertebrates and invertebrates, had paleocurrents flowing ESE, suggesting a confined body of fresh or brackish water. In lower parts of the eastern belt, lacustrine facies are prevalent, representing a large open lake. Alluvial facies dominate upper parts of the formation, representing an eastward-flowing axial braided river system, with proximal alluvium shed transversely from the basin margins. Although most strata have a volcanic provenance, only one outcrop in the lacustrine beds shows evidence of active volcanism during deposition of the Campbellton Formation.

The case of the braided river that meandered: Bar assemblages as a mechanism for meandering along the pervasively braided Missouri River, USA

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
John M. Holbrook ◽  
Sarah D. Allen
Keyword(s):  
Missouri River ◽  
Braided River ◽  
Stream Power ◽  
Meandering Rivers ◽  
Meandering River ◽  
Braided Rivers ◽  
Single Thread ◽  
Point Bars ◽  
Meander Bends ◽  
Exclusive Processes

This paper offers a mechanism for meandering in an otherwise braided river and then discusses its general implications for river processes and fluvial deposits. Braided rivers manage to meander without the paired point bars and single-thread channels that are instrumental in developing bends in other meandering rivers. The driving processes for meandering in these braided systems remain enigmatic. The unchannelized and prechannelized Missouri River is an example of a braided meandering river, and it provides an opportunity to gain insight into these processes. This study utilized historical maps, sequential air photos, and surficial geologic maps both to define the processes by which this braided river meanders, and to characterize the deposits produced by these processes. These data show that the Missouri River meanders by building point assemblages instead of point bars. Repeated accretion of midchannel and lateral bars to a common point on the bank forces development of a meander bend around a point assemblage comprising multiple amalgamated compound bars. This differs from single-thread systems, which expand and translate bends around a single compound point bar. Alternating development of point assemblages forces meandering over successions of meander bends. Braided meander loops grow by expansion and translation like single-thread rivers, but they also may contract to produce counterpoint assemblages. Contraction appears to be the more common means of loop abandonment compared to loop cutoff for the braided Missouri River. This differs from single-thread meandering rivers, where contraction is limited, and loop cutoff is consistently the dominant abandonment process. Deposits of the braided meandering Missouri River differ from deposits of single-thread rivers in the rarity of both meander scrolls and single-thread channel fills. Instead, point and counterpoint assemblages comprise fusiform bar elements bound by small filled remnants of anabranch channels. These assemblages are commonly bound by meander cutbank scars. Cutbank scars associated with contraction, however, tend to be composite rather than discrete erosional surfaces, and they do not tend to bind river-scale abandoned channel fills. The braided meandering Missouri River also differs from wandering rivers because wandering rivers meander by building compound bars instead of assemblages, are more gravelly, have less pervasive and much less mobile midchannel bars, and appear to reflect a transitional intermediate pattern instead of a stable hybrid pattern. Braiding and meandering both expend stream power, and both are mechanisms for achieving channel equilibrium. The Missouri River exhibits both of these processes in tandem; thus, meandering and braiding are not mutually exclusive processes. Braided meandering rivers like the Missouri River are less common than either straight-braided or single-thread-meandering rivers, but they are not unique. The long-held distinction of braided versus meandering patterns for rivers thus may be practical but is not definitive.

Changes in braided river morphology driven by flood sequencing

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rocio Luz Fernandez ◽  
Daniel Parsons ◽  
Stuart McLelland ◽  
Bas Bodewes
Keyword(s):  
Global Climate ◽  
River System ◽  
Rate Of Change ◽  
River Morphology ◽  
Braided River ◽  
Braided Rivers ◽  
Fluvial Morphology ◽  
Longitudinal Slope ◽  
Gradual Approach

<p>Sequential observations of channel adjustments in relation to short-term flow variability are required to evaluate the effects of temporal ordering of hydrologic events on channel form. With the increasing hydroclimate variability due to global climate change, fluvial morphology might also exhibit adjustments toward changing equilibria. By combining flume and numerical modelling we examine the mechanism of bed morphology changes of braided rivers to a sequence of low to moderate magnitude flood events. Over 60 runs were performed in a mobile bed flume (10 m x 2.5 m), with constant longitudinal slope (0.015) and mean grain size (0.45 mm) in the Total Environment Simulator at the University of Hull, UK. The outcomes of each run were characterized by a detailed digital elevation model, digital imagery and continuous monitoring of the sediment transported through the flume outlet. Sediment conditions included floods with equilibrium and deficit loads. Rivers were allowed to evolve from an initially flat-bed to a self-organized, steady state. The rate of change and rate of bed load movement against time were indicative of the gradual approach to equilibrium. The Delft3D code in depth-averaged (2-D) mode was used to reproduce different aspects of the braiding process over an up-scaling of the laboratory river. Data analysis allowed us to assess the effect of discharge variation on the braiding dynamics and on the width-to-depth ratio of channels, which although variable in time, fluctuated among defined values. Once in equilibrium, net changes in reach-averaged width and depth values were relatively minor. The adjustment of the river morphology through time was well fitted by an exponential decay expression, and we tested diffusive relationships held within our braided river system for both constant and varying discharge conditions. In long term process-response systems, climatic changes introduce sequences of disruption of equilibria such as those analysed in this study. The results might provide then a useful basis for analysing the similar but more complex long-term dynamics found in natural rivers.</p><p> </p>

scholarly journals Evolution of fluvial system in Siwalik Group of Chatara-Barahakshetra area, east Nepal Himalaya

2004 ◽  
Vol 30 ◽  
Author(s):  
Prakash Das Ulak
Keyword(s):  
Fluvial System ◽  
Fluvial Systems ◽  
Nepal Himalaya ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Lithostratigraphic Units ◽  
Facies Associations ◽  
Bed Thickness ◽  
Siwalik Group ◽  
Flood Flow

Four facies associations (i.e., FA1 to FA4) are recognised in the Siwalik molasse of the Chatara-Barahakshetra area in east Nepal. They are classified based on the proportion of sandstone and mudstone, individual bed thickness, and bedform types. The facies associations are intimately related to the lithostratigraphic units of the Siwalik Group. The lower and upper members of the Lower Siwaliks (FA1- and FA2-facies associations, respectively) are inferred to be the products of fine-grained meandering and flood flow-dominated meandering fluvial systems, respectively. Similarly, the lower and middle members or the Middle Siwaliks (FA3- and FA4-facies associations, respectively) are interpreted as the deposits of sandy meandering and sandy braided fluvial systems, respectively.

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