U.S.-France Cooperative Research: Formation of a Modern Super Bounding Surface with Erg Migration: Archar Erg, Mauritania

该奖项将支持奥斯汀得克萨斯大学的Gary Kocurek博士和法国普瓦蒂埃大学Petrologie实验室的Max Deynoux博士在毛里塔尼亚进行的合作地质实地研究。研究人员计划研究撒哈拉沙海(毛里塔尼亚西北部的Archar Erg)，从所有证据来看，它正在积极迁移，尾巴上形成了一个超级边界表面。最近人们认识到，区域不整合(称为超边界面)发生在美国西部古老的风成(风)层序中。这些表面可能允许进行局部和区域对比，并识别不同的成因沙海迁移。由沙海迁移形成的超级表面最不为人所知，很大程度上是因为北美温带气候中的现代小沙丘并不是正在迁移的大规模信风带沙海的可行类似物。在这个联合项目中，Kocurek博士将受益于法国的专业知识、后勤支持和进入一个不同寻常的地质遗址。这项研究将讨论沙海迁移引起的地表发育过程，包括对沙漏的控制、沙海沉积物的保存潜力以及这种类型陆地不整合特征的形成。

This award will support collaborative geological field research in Mauritania between Dr. Gary Kocurek, University of Texas in Austin and Dr. Max Deynoux of the Laboratoire de Petrologie, University of Poitiers, France. The investigators plan to study a Saharan sand sea (the Archar Erg in northwestern Mauritania) that, from all evidence, is actively migrating with the formation of a super bounding surface in its wake. It has been recently recognized that regional unconformities (termed super bounding surfaces) occur within ancient eolian (wind) sequences of the western U.S. These surfaces potentially allow local and regional correlation and the recognition of distinct genetic sand-sea migration. Super surfaces formed by sand-sea migration are the least understood, largely because the modern small dune fields in the temperate climate of North America are not viable analogues for large-scale, trade-wind-belt sand seas that are migrating. In this joint project Dr. Kocurek will benefit from French expertise, logistical support and access to an unusual geological site. The study will address processes of surface development with sand-sea migration, including controls on sand deflation, preservation potential of sand-sea deposits, and formation of features characteristic of this type of terrestrial unconformity.