Following a river avulsion event, which process promotes oxbow lake formation when the river establishes a straighter course?

💡 Explanation

When a river changes its main channel, differential sedimentation at the meander neck occurs because the reduced flow causes sediment deposition that obstructs the original channel, resulting in a cutoff and oxbow lake formation. Therefore differential sedimentation isolates the meander, whereas isostatic rebound, uplift, and broad erosion do not directly create the channel isolation.

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