Which mechanism initiates desert pavement formation within an alluvial fan environment?

💡 Explanation

When fine sediment is removed, deflation sorting occurs because wind action selectively transports smaller particles (e.g., silt, clay), leaving behind larger, more resistant rocks and pebbles that interlock to form desert pavement. Therefore deflation is the initiating mechanisim; cryoturbation, dissolution, or resistance do not primarily dictate this sedimentary process.

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