9303959 Kraus PI will study Eocene and Oligocene alluvial paleosols to test the avulsion model (a new concept of floodplain reconstruction) and to clarify ancient soil/landscape relationships, which are critical for resolving the depositional, climatic and structural histories of alluvial basins. Because soils are an integral part of the alluvial landscape, the avulsion model also opens new lines of inquiry into the relationship between floodplain reconstruction and the lateral and vertical distributions of alluvial paleosols. PI will compare paleosols from two different basinal settings, and also from two different climatic settings, in order to elucidate the influences of tectonics, sedimentation rate, and climate on paleosol formation. ***
