Most significantly the rate of exponential decay of surfaces Qp5, Qp4, and Qp2 increases with age, while the base elevation decreases with age. Note also that the discontinuous segments of surface Qp3, assumed by Nethercott to be the same level, must be fit to two very different functions of slope, possibly indicating that they are in fact not the same surface. Several distinctive levels of pediments can be seen particularly well in the area of Deadman Canyon, but may be extended beyond these limits. These levels are presumed to be of relatively different ages, and may say something about the Neogene climatic evolution of the region, during which several intervals of pedimentation have occurred. Fitting the pediment surface elevations to exponential curves may add to the age relationships of the pediment surfaces.
Preliminary indicators show some relationship of curve fit parameters to relative age.
It is hypothesized that the surface of a glacis pediment should fit an exponential decay function as the elevation of the pediment decreases with the retreat of the scarp. This numerical slope modeling effort may be combined with cosmogenic nuclide dating of the pediment surfaces. The Book Cliffs pediments pose an ideal locality for such an analysis with old exposed surfaces and a known general direction of scarp retreat. Davis, W. M., 1932. Hintze, L. F., 1980.