Fluvial Meanders and Their Sedimentary Products in the Rock Record (IAS SP 48)

Book excerpt: The sinuous form and peculiar evolution of meandering rivers has long captured the imagination of people. Today, meandering rivers exist in some of the most densely populated areas in the World, where they provide environmental and economic wealth and opportunities, as well as posing hazards. Through geological time, the ancestors of these modern meanders built deposits that are now host to mineral resources, groundwater, and hydrocarbons. This Special Publication illustrates the breadth of current research on meandering rivers and their deposits. The collection of research papers demonstrates the state of science on fluvial process–product relationships. The articles cover fundamental and applied studies of both modern and ancient rivers, are based on state-of-the-art technology, include complementary philosophical approaches, and span a wide range of spatial and temporal scales. This book includes some of the most recent advances in the study of the morphodynamics and sedimentology of meandering rivers, and is an important resource for those who want to investigate fluvial systems and their deposits.