The Influence of Transport Stage on Preserved Fluvial Cross Strata

Fluvial cross strata are depositional products of bedform migration that record formative flow and sediment transport conditions on planetary bodies. Bedform evolution varies with transport stage even under constant flow depths, but our understanding of how prevailing sediment transport conditions affect preserved cross strata is limited. Here, we analyzed experimental bedform evolution and preserved set thickness spanning threshold-of-motion to suspension-dominated transport conditions at multiple equilibrium flow depths. Results show that bedform trough depth and mean preserved set thickness have a parabolic dependence on transport stage, with maximum values observed at intermediate transport stages. Our results indicate that transport stage is a key control on the flow-depth-normalized set thickness but set thickness is a poor indicator of flow depth. Thus, the dependence of bedform dimensions on transport stage should be considered in paleohydraulic reconstruction, and the analysis of set thickness may aid in the estimation of ancient fluvial sediment flux.