Desert pavements consist of a one- to two-layer thick surface armory of stones overlying finer, virtually stone-free material which often adopts the appearance of a meticulously tiled mosaic. They cover half of the arid land surface in North America and are usually concentrated on low-sloping alluvial fans and desert piedmont surfaces. McFadden et al. (1987) suggested the accretionary mantle model of desert pavement formation, following research on pavements atop the Cima volcanic complex in the Mojave Desert. However, the wide-spread applicability of this model to diverse lithologies and geomorphic environments remains to be seen. No research has been conducted on desert pavement at Big Bend National Park (BBNP), Texas, despite the occurrence of well-developed pavements in the park and surrounding regions of the Chihuahuan Desert. This research highlights three diverse desert pavement sites at BBNP through a detailed geomorphic assessment including location of desert pavement distribution, classification into surface mosaic units, examination of sediment and soil characteristics, and determination of lithology of the pavement clasts. At each BBNP study area, values for desert pavement clast size, sorting, and percent ground cover were compared to the parameters set forth in Wood et al. (2002) to classify the desert pavements into surface mosaics based on degree of development. Sediment analysis and soil profile photographs were used to characterize the surface sediments and subsurface soil horizons. To determine geologic origin, dominant lithologies of the pavement clasts were compared to outcrop and bedrock samples and to published geologic maps of BBNP. Desert pavements in this study differ significantly in surface texture, soil characteristics, geologic origin, and degree of development compared to the typical pavements of the Mojave Desert used in much of the fundamental research. Results indicate that the desert pavements at BBNP may not have been derived from bedrock and evolved in-situ, as suggested by the accretionary mantle model. Primarily, a combination of fluvial processes and weathering appears more influential to desert pavements in the semi-arid environment of BBNP. This study presents a new perspective on desert pavement geomorphology in Big Bend National Park and serves as a baseline for continued research.

The Clovis caches in this study consist of assemblages of tools left behind in an area either for future use or as ritual offerings. Clovis caches are the earliest of such assemblages known in North America. This research specifically examines a sample of four caches: East Wenatchee from Douglas County, Washington; Anzick from Park County, Montana; Simon from Camas County, Idaho; and Fenn, inferred to be from Sweetwater County, Wyoming. The artifact types in this study include fluted points, bifaces, blades, flakes, bone rods, and miscellaneous. The variables used in this study include maximum length, mid-length and maximum width, thickness, (length*width*thickness)/1000, length/width, and width/thickness; using millimeters as the basic measurement unit. This study utilizes five methods in the study of the caches: descriptive statistics, factor analysis, cluster analysis, correspondence analysis, and geoarchaeology. The descriptive statistics reveal the most prominent trends that become more apparent in the subsequent statistical analyses. Such trends include East Wenatchee containing the largest points but the smallest bifaces, Anzick and Simon having significant biface variation, Fenn tending to be average in most respects, and bone rods being larger in East Wenatchee than they are in Anzick. The factor analysis explores the relationships between the variables and assigns them to larger components. Length, width, thickness, and length*width*thickness comprise the size component, and length/width and width/thickness make up the shape component. The cluster analysis examines the artifacts within each site and between all sites to identify the most appropriate grouping arrangements based on similarities in artifact measurements. The general results show that fluted points form three clusters according to size more than shape, bifaces are highly variable but have no obvious clusters, and bone rods form three clusters with the first two being strictly divided by site. The correspondence analysis shows that the differences in count data between caches appear to relate to the geographic distances between them. Finally, geoarchaeological analysis posits that East Wenatchee has no discernable pit feature, Anzick contains only one human burial, Simon was not deposited in a pluvial lake, and Fenn would have been shallowly buried but was probably disturbed by erosion.

Thesis (M. Sc.) -- University of Canterbury, 2009. / Also available via the World Wide Web.

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1981. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 128-130).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri, School of Mines and Metallurgy, 1951. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Typescript. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed December 15, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 120-123).

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Missouri, School of Mines and Metallurgy, 1954. / Vita. The entire thesis text is included in file. Typescript. Title from title screen of thesis/dissertation PDF file (viewed December 16, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 105-108).

Thesis (M.A.)--University of Hong Kong, 1972. / Typewritten.

Thesis (M.S.) in Quaternary and Climate Studies--University of Maine, 2001. / Includes vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 154-160).

No description available.

The character of montane channel morphology and associated hierarchical controls was investigated in the Dee catchment, Cairngorm Mountains, north-east Scotland. Montane channel morphology in Scotland is of considerable importance given its relatively undisturbed condition in a UK context, variety and for providing habitat for several important lotic species. Nine distinctive sub-catchments were chosen to investigate the linkages between landscape controls and channel morphology distribution. The distribution of channel morphology at the reach scale was mapped using an expanded version of a process-based classification system originally developed in the Pacific northwest, USA. Continuous mapping revealed a wide variety and irregular distribution of channel morphology that is influenced primarily by a suite of glacigenic valley bottom controls. Differences in channel morphology distribution were apparent between catchments reflecting the influence of unique landscape evolution histories. In addition, fifty reaches exhibiting a variety of morphology and associated geomorphic setting, were surveyed in the field to explore in more detail controls on channel morphology. The results generally confirm the relevancy of the typology in the region and the dominant control exerted by slope. However the importance of scale, local controls and the regional geomorphic context was also highlighted. Finally, GIS approaches to channel characterisation at the catchment scale were tested to assess their potential usefulness for catchment management applications. By using a combination of the previous results, GIS models were calibrated and tested to predict the distribution of channel type and Atlantic salmon spawning habitat. The accuracy of channel type predictions were compromised by the model criteria and quality of geospatial data used. However the potential utility of the spawning habitat model as a first order method for screening habitat suitability over large areas was demonstrated.