Remote Sensing Lab, Part B Patterns of Deposition

Background The purpose of this lab in to develop an understanding of how fluvial (= river) processes, wave processes, and wind produce deposits of sediment

Meandering river = fluvial sedimentation Low-energy (slowly flowing) rivers

Delta flowing river meets still body of water 1. River 2. Delta 3. Lake 4. Delta Front 5. Prodelta 6. Distributary

Close-up of distributary mouth Delta, continued

Alluvial fan – delta on land

Sand dune – wind sedimentation deserts and beaches

Sand Bars, Barrier Islands and Spits sediment transport by ocean waves cause longshore flow

Instructions For each five areas: 1. Two images are provided for each area: Image 1: Location of the study area (its right in the middle) Image 2: The study area itself. Find the study area on Google’s satellite map feature and use it to view the area. Examine it at a variety of zoom levels. 2. Identify the main rivers (if any), their direction of flow, and assess whether the flow is likely high-energy or low-energy. Identify bodies of salt water (if any) and assess whether they are high-energy (that is, subject to ocean waves) or low-energy. 3. Identify what parts of the region are topographically high and topographically low. Both the pattern of rivers and shadows can help.

Instructions, continued 4. Identify deposits of sediment, and describe where they came from and the processes that moved them and caused them to accumulate. Make some inference about the type of sediment (e.g. coarse or fine) based on the energy-level of the environment. 5. Make a full-page sketch of the area. Include rivers, valleys, canyons, ridges, oceans, bays, etc. and a scale in kilometers. Identify the high ground and the low ground. 6. Describe briefly how the sediment deposits have changed (and are changing) with time. Identify specific evidence that supports your ideas.

Area 1: Mississippi River near Greenville

Area 2: Mississippi Delta

Area 3: Cape Hatteras

Area 4: In Nevada

Area 5: In Algeria