Pedogenesis of Vesicular Horizons, Cima Volcanic Field, Mojave Desert, California

An existing model of desert pavement formation suggests desert pavement clasts rise vertically on an accreting eolian mantle and the underlying vesicular horizon coevolves with pavement formation. Results presented here support this model and provide a mechanism whereby eolian material is transported from the ground surface to ped interiors, thereby increasing the thickness of the vesicular horizon help identify the processes of underlying desert pavements.