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Lag Deposit

Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms

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Definition

Surface accumulation of materials of diverse origin, such as regolith, rock, and mineral particles with most being in the granule to cobble size range. Results from the removal of finer material by fluvial or aeolian processes or by matrix removal as a result of differential weathering. The type of lag present is a function of local regolith, landform, and bedrock (Eggleton et al. 2008).

Synonyms

Lag gravel

Description

Stone mantles of varying size particles are common on planetary surfaces and asteroids. These mantle materials range in size from granule to boulder size and are angular to rounded in shape. Often saltation-induced winnowing leaves a single-layer lag of granules on a finer-grained surface (Greeley et al. 2002).

Subtypes

  1. (1)

    Aeolian/fluvial lag

  2. (2)

    Sublimation lag

  3. (3)

    Weathering residuum lag

Interpretation

Substantial aeolian deflation can be inferred from the presence of erosion remnants such as inverted landforms or pedestal craters. Depletion of small...

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geosciences, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, USA

    John C. Dixon

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  1. John C. Dixon
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Correspondence to John C. Dixon .

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Dixon, J.C. (2014). Lag Deposit. In: Encyclopedia of Planetary Landforms. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_214-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_214-1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-9213-9

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Lag Deposit
    Published:
    30 June 2022

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_214-2

  2. Original

    Lag Deposit
    Published:
    16 June 2014

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-9213-9_214-1

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