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Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics
Alluvial Sediment Or Playas: What Is The Dominant Source Of Sand And Silt In Desert Soil Vesicular A Horizons, Southwest Usa, Mark R. Sweeney, Eric V. Mcdonald, Christohper E. Markley
Alluvial Sediment Or Playas: What Is The Dominant Source Of Sand And Silt In Desert Soil Vesicular A Horizons, Southwest Usa, Mark R. Sweeney, Eric V. Mcdonald, Christohper E. Markley
All Faculty Scholarship for the College of the Sciences
Vesicular A (Av) soil horizons form beneath desert pavements from the accretion of aeolian sediment (dust) commonly thought to be derived primarily from desiccating pluvial lakes and playas, with contributions from ephemeral washes and alluvial fans. Particle size distributions of Av horizons are typically bimodal with primary modes of very fine silt and fine sand, suggesting that the horizon matrix is derived from multiple sources. Here we conduct detailed chemical and physical analysis of both Av horizon soil samples and potential sources of aeolian sediment to better constrain the relative contributions of dust associated with the development of Av horizons. …