| Scope and Method of Study. The purpose of this study was to create a comprehensive depositional model of a modern continental sabkha: The Great Salt Plains in Alfalfa County Oklahoma. This was achieved through shallow trenches, surface observations, sediment traps, aerial photography, grain size analysis, ERI -- resistivity lines and vibra-cores. This was done in order to determine if a meaningful climate proxy could be extracted from the GSP.;Findings and Conclusions. Five separate environments were identified: sand flat, channel, algal/mud flat, dune and delta. These environments are affected by three stages of evolution: flooding, evaporation-concentration and desiccation. The main processes controlling sedimentation are fluvial and eolian. The avulsive nature of the ephemeral streams entering the GSP constantly reworks sediments, especially during the flooding stage. Eolian processes also constantly rework sediments and make it very difficult to distinguish between fluvial and eolian contribution. Paleo-channel deposits were identified with ERI lines and verified with vibra-cores, however, being that the nature of the GSP is constantly being reworked, the likelihood of extracting an continuous climate archive is doubtful. |
