WKU News

WKU faculty members Royhan Gani and Nahid Gani are part of an international collaborative research effort featured in the June 2020 issue of Geology, which has been the Web of Science's No. 1 ranked geology journal for 13 years in a row.

Predictable patterns in stacking and distribution of channelized fluvial sand bodies linked to channel mobility and avulsion processes is featured in journal published by the Geological Society of America.

“Rivers and associated floodplains are vital for the growth of our civilization,” said Royhan Gani, associate professor of Geology in WKU’s Department of Geography and Geology. “Given the societal and geopolitical importance, understanding river switching is critical. By analyzing the sedimentary record, our study found a predictable pattern of river switching. When a river course is changed naturally, a laterally-mobile channel will likely make a new path in the floodplain whereas a laterally-fixed river will likely occupy a previously-abandoned path. Like in Kentucky, river switching affects the life of many. Thus, predicting the river switching behavior has clear advantages.”

The WKU Geology faculty members collaborated on the project with researchers from Delft University of Technology (Netherlands), Imperial College London (United Kingdom), University of Aberdeen (United Kingdon) and University of Bergen (Norway).

“Geology only publishes timely, innovative and provocative articles, thus it is an honor to be able to publish in this highly prestigious journal in our discipline,” he said.

Contact: Royhan Gani, royhan.gani@wku.edu