Foreset bed
Encyclopedia
A foreset bed is one of the main parts of a river delta
. It is the inclined part of a delta that is found at the end of the stream channel as the delta sediment
is deposited along the arcuate delta front. As the sediments are deposited on a sloping surface the resulting bedding is not horizontal, but dips
in the direction of current flow toward deeper water. A cross-section of a delta shows the cross bedding in the direction of stream flow into the still water.
The foreset bed is formed when a stream carrying sediment meets still water. When the stream meets the still water, the velocity of the water is decreased enough so that the larger sediment particles can no longer be carried and are therefore deposited. The deposited sediment builds up over time, and a delta is formed.
River delta
A delta is a landform that is formed at the mouth of a river where that river flows into an ocean, sea, estuary, lake, reservoir, flat arid area, or another river. Deltas are formed from the deposition of the sediment carried by the river as the flow leaves the mouth of the river...
. It is the inclined part of a delta that is found at the end of the stream channel as the delta sediment
Sediment
Sediment is naturally occurring material that is broken down by processes of weathering and erosion, and is subsequently transported by the action of fluids such as wind, water, or ice, and/or by the force of gravity acting on the particle itself....
is deposited along the arcuate delta front. As the sediments are deposited on a sloping surface the resulting bedding is not horizontal, but dips
Strike and dip
Strike and dip refer to the orientation or attitude of a geologic feature. The strike line of a bed, fault, or other planar feature is a line representing the intersection of that feature with a horizontal plane. On a geologic map, this is represented with a short straight line segment oriented...
in the direction of current flow toward deeper water. A cross-section of a delta shows the cross bedding in the direction of stream flow into the still water.
The foreset bed is formed when a stream carrying sediment meets still water. When the stream meets the still water, the velocity of the water is decreased enough so that the larger sediment particles can no longer be carried and are therefore deposited. The deposited sediment builds up over time, and a delta is formed.