R. Gerson et al., INDICATORS OF FAULTING EVENTS AND PERIODS OF QUIESCENCE IN DESERT ALLUVIAL FANS, Earth surface processes and landforms, 18(3), 1993, pp. 181-202
The main objective of the present paper is to present an integrated ap
proach to the study of faulting stages in coarse alluvial deposits. Th
e study site is the alluvial fan of Nahal Shehoret, presently under an
extremely arid regime. The exposure of fault scarps on the fan surfac
es enables the identification of several geomorphic indicators employe
d in analysing and separating faulting events and periods of quiescenc
e: (a) the nature of fault scarp topography; (b) soil catenary develop
ment on fault scarps; (c) buried paleosols in alluvial deposits; (d) c
olluvial bodies; (e) rotated clasts along fault planes. These indicato
rs enable us to determine, at all sites studied, the total amount of d
isplacement, to separate faulting events and the amount of their displ
acement per event, and to evaluate scarp stability and the duration of
periods of tectonic quiescence.