Modern fluvial fans: Global distribution, fan types and controlling factors

doi:10.13745/j.esf.sf.2022.12.52

Abstract

Abstract:

Fluvial fans are an important topic in sedimentology. As fan research attracts more attention in recent years, various fan terminology systems are being used in parallel, but there lacks an independent terminology system for fluvial fans. To address this issue, we constructed a sediment dataset containing sediments from 383 modern fluvial fans across the globe, with 8400 data analyzed using statistical method. For the first time, based on the dataset, we obtained the global distribution of modern fluvial fans, delineated the main fan types, and clarified the controlling factors of fan formation and development. The global distributions of fluvial fans show obvious latitudinal and geographical zonation, with 49.5% fans distributed between 30°N-50°N and 50.1% in central Asia and western China. According to the topographic and river swing conditions, fluvial fans can be divided into four types: unrestricted superposition, unrestricted swing, restricted superposition and restricted swing. Fluvial fans are mainly formed under arid and semi-arid climates, controlled by local tectonic conditions, climate and material source supply. Fluvial sedimentation is dominant in fluvial fans which show obvious heterogeneity from the apex to the end of the fan. The area of a fluvial fan is controlled by latitude, temperature, slope, catchment area, annual rainfall and apex-to-mountain distance. With more in-depth research, fluvial fans will play an increasingly important role in sedimentology, geological disaster prevention, oil exploration, and even in interplanetary sedimentology.

Key words: fluvial fan, controlling factors, fluvial fan type, dataset of fluvial fan

CLC Number:

P736.213

ZHANG Yuanfu, WANG Min, ZHANG Sen, SUN Shitan, LI Xinxin, YUAN Xiaodong, HUANG Yunying, ZHANG Xiaohan. Modern fluvial fans: Global distribution, fan types and controlling factors[J]. Earth Science Frontiers, 2023, 30(4): 389-404.

Figures/Tables 12

Fig.1 Examples of fluvial fans identified in the world (adapted from [30]). (a) Akesu fluvial fan, Xinjiang, China. (b) Warrego fluvial fan, Queensland, Australia. (c) Kalobeyei north fluvial fan, Kenya. (d) Taquari fluvial fan, Brazil.

Fig.2 (a) Global distribution map of fluvial fans, (b) fluvial fan latitude distribution, and (c) fluvial fan longitude distribution.

Fig.3 Developments of fluvial fans under different climate (a) and basin types (b)

Fig.4 Probability distributions of fluviae fan areas (a), lengths (b), and widths (c)

Fig.5 Distribution of min-fluvial-fan main-channel types

Fig.6 Distribution of fluvial fan environmental parameters

Fig.7 Geomorphic features of (a) unrestricted-swing, (b) unrestricted-superposition, (c) restricted swing, and (d) restricted-superposition-type fluvial fans, and (e) modes of fluvial fan development

Fig.8 (a) Proportion of fluvial fan types (a) and (b) distributions of unrestricted and restricted type fluvial fan length/width ratios

Fig.9 Unrestricted-swing type fluvial fan, Siziwang Banner, Inner Mongolia. (a) Planar distribution of phase-1 and phase-2 fans, (b) Cross-section of fan terminal, (c) Cross-section of mid-fan and (d) Cross-section of fan root.

Table 1 Number of fluvial fans identified under different climate and basin types

不同气候	河流扇发现数量
不同气候	前陆盆地	克拉通盆地	裂谷盆地	被动陆缘盆地	弧前盆地	弧后盆地	走滑盆地
大陆气候	9	5	1	2	0	2	1
极地气候	13	0	0	0	7	1	1
热带气候	6	12	12	2	1	0	0
亚热带气候	27	2	1	2	2	0	0
干旱气候	23	13	15	6	1	0	2
半干旱气候	85	41	8	7	1	4	0

Fig.10 Relative percentages of restricted and unrestricted-type under different climate (a) and basin types (b), and (c) average slope of different types of mid-fluvial-fan channels

Fig.11 Relationships between fluvial fan area and latitude (a), temperature (b), slope (c), piedmont distance (d), catchment area (e), and annual runoff (f)

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