Long term evolution of an escarpment in a tableland landscape (Serra Geral de Goiás, Brazil): insights from in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides

Abstract

Topographic escarpments are striking geomorphic features shaping the Earth's surface, often forming distinct water divides in tectonically stable regions. This study presents a new analysis of the geomorphic evolution of the Serra Geral Escarpment in the State of Goiás, Central Brazil, using in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides. The objective is to quantify Quaternary denudation rates associated with different geomorphic compartments of this regional-scale escarpment by measuring the concentrations of 10Be, 26Al, and 36Cl in river-borne sediments and bedrock outcrops. The results reveal three distinct denudation regimes: the summit surface of the Western Bahia Plateau (7.4 ± 0.2 m Myr, and climate in shaping escarpments within