Pediplanation and Isostasy: An Example from South Africa

Abstract

Summary An outline is given of late Mesozoic and Tertiary erosional and depositional cycles in South Africa. The elevations of these surfaces are compared with elevations calculated, allowing for isostatic recovery between successive cycles of erosion. Concurrence between the two sets of elevations is noteworthy. Isostatic recovery thus seems to occur as a simple function of erosion and deposition under the pediplanation principle.