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Geological Formations

Palaeochannel

Sedimentary and Stratigraphic Formations

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In the earth sciences, a palaeochannel, also spelled paleochannel, is a significant length of a river or stream channel that no longer conveys flow as part of an active fluvial system, the name combining palaeo, meaning old, and channel. It may survive as an abandoned surface channel on a floodplain or terrace, or be infilled and partially or fully buried by younger sediment of varying consolidation depending on the tectonic and diagenetic history since its deposition; its abandonment can result from tectonic processes, geomorphic change, human activity, climate change, or some combination of these.

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