The Saraswati River used to flow from the glaciated peaks of the Himalaya to the Arabian sea, covering a distance of about 1800 km. It possibly sustained the Harappan civilization in the Indian subcontinent. This river has been studied as a part of the Ghaggar–Satluj–Hakra–Nara channel system in India and Pakistan. This study investigated its independent existence and evolution in the Himalayan foothill terrain and the proximal alluvial plains. Use of satellite imagery, shuttle radar topography mission data, accelerator mass spectrometry ¹⁴C dating and optically stimulated luminescence chronology is being made to identify the possible palaeo-path of this ancient river and to characterize the trench sediment log architecture of the Saraswati River palaeochannels in northern India (Haryana). Our investigations reveal that this river formed a dense web of interconnecting channels which are continuously networked for more than 2,984 km in Haryana and their individual floodplain width varies from 1.5 to 13 km. The Harappan settlements in Haryana and Rajasthan nucleated and prospered in the fertile channel bars and interfluves of this river system. Majority of these habitation sites were located within a radius of less than 500 m from these palaeo-water channel networks. Enormous amount of water was flowing through this channel network until BC 11,147. Sediment characteristics and their chronology reveal that flow of water in the river channel decreased with time as the glacial cover diminished. The varying thickness of clay beds in sediment logs is indicative of the fluctuations in water flow possibly as a consequence of terrain slope modifications and consequent gradual channel avulsion, climate change, and global drought events. The flow of water continued through the Himalayan foothill input channels of the palaeo-Saraswati River in Haryana until AD 1402.

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印度北部（哈里亚纳邦）的萨拉斯瓦蒂河及其在哈拉帕文明遗址中的作用——基于遥感、沉积学和地层年代学的研究

萨拉斯瓦蒂河曾经从喜马拉雅的冰川山峰流向阿拉伯海，全长约1800公里。它可能维持了印度次大陆的哈拉帕文明。这条河已被研究为印度和巴基斯坦的 Ghaggar-Satluj-Hakra-Nara 渠道系统的一部分。本研究调查了它在喜马拉雅山麓地形和近端冲积平原中的独立存在和演化。使用卫星图像、航天飞机雷达地形任务数据、加速器质谱¹⁴正在进行 C 年代测定和光学激发发光年表，以确定这条古老河流的可能古路径，并描述印度北部（哈里亚纳邦）萨拉斯瓦蒂河古河道的沟槽沉积物测井结构。我们的调查表明，这条河流形成了一个密集的相互连接的河道网络，这些河道在哈里亚纳邦连续超过 2,984 公里，其各自的洪泛区宽度从 1.5 到 13 公里不等。哈里亚纳邦和拉贾斯坦邦的哈拉帕人定居点在肥沃的河道坝和河流系统的汇流处繁衍生息。这些栖息地中的大多数位于这些古水道网络半径不到 500 米的范围内。直到公元前 11,147 年，大量的水流过这个渠道网络。沉积物特征及其年代学表明，随着冰川覆盖的减少，河道中的水流量随着时间的推移而减少。沉积物测井中粘土层的不同厚度表明水流的波动可能是由于地形坡度改变和随之而来的逐渐通道撕毁、气候变化和全球干旱事件造成的。水流继续通过哈里亚纳邦古萨拉斯瓦蒂河的喜马拉雅山麓输入通道，直到公元 1402 年。和全球干旱事件。水流继续通过哈里亚纳邦古萨拉斯瓦蒂河的喜马拉雅山麓输入通道，直到公元 1402 年。和全球干旱事件。水流继续通过哈里亚纳邦古萨拉斯瓦蒂河的喜马拉雅山麓输入通道，直到公元 1402 年。