Distribution of fine-grained eolian sediments on an alluvial fan in the Cibola Range, Southwest Arizona

This study examines the distribution of eolian particles on alluvial fans in the Cibola Range, Arizona. As population continues to grow in the American West, development on alluvial fan surfaces increases the potential for disturbing dust and decreasing air quality. The goal of this research is to identify patterns of eolian particle accumulation, focusing on the contents of the vesicular A and B soil horizons. This research examined patterns of eolian sediment accumulation as a function of distance from parent material and fan surface age. Grain particle size was used to analyze patterns between eolian composition and age/distance. The results suggest that the percentage of silt and clay within near surface soil samples increases at the proximal end of the fan, closer to the parent material, and that Holocene fan surfaces contain significantly less silt and clay than Pleistocene fan surfaces.;Keywords. Eolian sediment, alluvial fans, vesicular A horizon, GIS.