Articles | Volume 1, issue 1
Earth Surf. Dynam., 1, 13–27, 2013
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-1-13-2013
© Author(s) 2013. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Earth Surf. Dynam., 1, 13–27, 2013
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-1-13-2013
© Author(s) 2013. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
07 Oct 2013
Research article
| 07 Oct 2013
Climate, tectonics or morphology: what signals can we see in drainage basin sediment yields?
T. J. Coulthard and M. J. Van de Wiel
Related authors
Christopher J. Skinner and Thomas J. Coulthard
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-30, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-30, 2022
Preprint under review for ESurf
Short summary
Short summary
Landscape Evolution Models allow us to simulate the way the Earth’s surface is shaped and help us understand relevant processes, in turn helping us to manage landscapes better. The models typically represent the land surface using a grid of square cells of equal size, averaging heights in those squares. This study shows that the size chosen by the modeller for these grid cells is important, with larger sizes making sediment output events larger but less frequent.
Matthew D. Wilson and Thomas J. Coulthard
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2021-340, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2021-340, 2021
Preprint under review for GMD
Short summary
Short summary
The source of water which contributes to a location inundated during a flood event can influence the impacts caused, for example as a result of contaminants within the water. However, methods to trace water sources are currently only available in complex hydraulic models, which are computationally expensive. We propose a simplified method which can be added to efficient, reduced-complexity model codes, enabling an improved understanding of flood dynamics at large spatial scales.
Chloe Leach, Tom Coulthard, Andrew Barkwith, Daniel R. Parsons, and Susan Manson
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 5507–5523, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5507-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5507-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Numerical models can be used to understand how coastal systems evolve over time, including likely responses to climate change. However, many existing models are aimed at simulating 10- to 100-year time periods do not represent a vertical dimension and are thus unable to include the effect of sea-level rise. The Coastline Evolution Model 2D (CEM2D) presented in this paper is an advance in this field, with the inclusion of the vertical coastal profile against which the water level can be altered.
Christopher J. Skinner, Tom J. Coulthard, Wolfgang Schwanghart, Marco J. Van De Wiel, and Greg Hancock
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 4873–4888, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-4873-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-4873-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Landscape evolution models are computer models used to understand how the Earth’s surface changes over time. Although designed to look at broad changes over very long time periods, they could potentially be used to predict smaller changes over shorter periods. However, to do this we need to better understand how the models respond to changes in their set-up – i.e. their behaviour. This work presents a method which can be applied to these models in order to better understand their behaviour.
Jorge A. Ramirez, Umamaheshwaran Rajasekar, Dhruvesh P. Patel, Tom J. Coulthard, and Margreth Keiler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2016-544, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2016-544, 2016
Preprint retracted
Short summary
Short summary
Surat, India has a population of 4.5 million and lies on the banks of the river Tapi and is located downstream from a dam that repeatedly floods the city. Floods in Surat may increase in occurrence due to urbanization and climate change. We have developed a model that floods 50 % of the city and exposes > 60 % of the population and critical infrastructure. We highlight how modeling has contributed to changes in flood risk management and resulted in actions that increase city resilience.
Tom J. Coulthard and Christopher J. Skinner
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 757–771, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-757-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-757-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Landscape evolution models are driven by climate or precipitation data. We show that higher-resolution data lead to greater basin sediment yields (> 100 % increase) despite minimal changes in hydrological outputs. Spatially, simulations over 1000 years show finer-resolution data lead to a systematic bias of more erosion in headwater streams with more deposition in valley floors. This could have important implications for the long-term predictions of past and present landscape evolution models.
Christopher J. Skinner and Thomas J. Coulthard
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-30, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-30, 2022
Preprint under review for ESurf
Short summary
Short summary
Landscape Evolution Models allow us to simulate the way the Earth’s surface is shaped and help us understand relevant processes, in turn helping us to manage landscapes better. The models typically represent the land surface using a grid of square cells of equal size, averaging heights in those squares. This study shows that the size chosen by the modeller for these grid cells is important, with larger sizes making sediment output events larger but less frequent.
Matthew D. Wilson and Thomas J. Coulthard
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2021-340, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-2021-340, 2021
Preprint under review for GMD
Short summary
Short summary
The source of water which contributes to a location inundated during a flood event can influence the impacts caused, for example as a result of contaminants within the water. However, methods to trace water sources are currently only available in complex hydraulic models, which are computationally expensive. We propose a simplified method which can be added to efficient, reduced-complexity model codes, enabling an improved understanding of flood dynamics at large spatial scales.
Chloe Leach, Tom Coulthard, Andrew Barkwith, Daniel R. Parsons, and Susan Manson
Geosci. Model Dev., 14, 5507–5523, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5507-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-14-5507-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Numerical models can be used to understand how coastal systems evolve over time, including likely responses to climate change. However, many existing models are aimed at simulating 10- to 100-year time periods do not represent a vertical dimension and are thus unable to include the effect of sea-level rise. The Coastline Evolution Model 2D (CEM2D) presented in this paper is an advance in this field, with the inclusion of the vertical coastal profile against which the water level can be altered.
Christopher J. Skinner, Tom J. Coulthard, Wolfgang Schwanghart, Marco J. Van De Wiel, and Greg Hancock
Geosci. Model Dev., 11, 4873–4888, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-4873-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-11-4873-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Landscape evolution models are computer models used to understand how the Earth’s surface changes over time. Although designed to look at broad changes over very long time periods, they could potentially be used to predict smaller changes over shorter periods. However, to do this we need to better understand how the models respond to changes in their set-up – i.e. their behaviour. This work presents a method which can be applied to these models in order to better understand their behaviour.
Jorge A. Ramirez, Umamaheshwaran Rajasekar, Dhruvesh P. Patel, Tom J. Coulthard, and Margreth Keiler
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2016-544, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2016-544, 2016
Preprint retracted
Short summary
Short summary
Surat, India has a population of 4.5 million and lies on the banks of the river Tapi and is located downstream from a dam that repeatedly floods the city. Floods in Surat may increase in occurrence due to urbanization and climate change. We have developed a model that floods 50 % of the city and exposes > 60 % of the population and critical infrastructure. We highlight how modeling has contributed to changes in flood risk management and resulted in actions that increase city resilience.
Tom J. Coulthard and Christopher J. Skinner
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 757–771, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-757-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-757-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Landscape evolution models are driven by climate or precipitation data. We show that higher-resolution data lead to greater basin sediment yields (> 100 % increase) despite minimal changes in hydrological outputs. Spatially, simulations over 1000 years show finer-resolution data lead to a systematic bias of more erosion in headwater streams with more deposition in valley floors. This could have important implications for the long-term predictions of past and present landscape evolution models.
Related subject area
Physical: Geomorphology (including all aspects of fluvial, coastal, aeolian, hillslope and glacial geomorphology)
Toward a general calibration of the Swiss plate geophone system for fractional bedload transport
Quantification of post-glacier bedrock surface erosion in the European Alps using 10Be and optically stimulated luminescence exposure dating
A comparison of 1D and 2D bedload transport functions under high excess shear stress conditions in laterally constrained gravel-bed rivers: a laboratory study
Short communication: Forward and inverse analytic models relating river long profile to tectonic uplift history, assuming a nonlinear slope–erosion dependency
Probabilistic description of bedload fluxes from the aggregate dynamics of individual grains
Effect of debris-flow sediment grain-size distribution on fan morphology
Controls on earthflow formation in the Teanaway River basin, central Washington State, USA
Linking levee-building processes with channel avulsion: geomorphic analysis for assessing avulsion frequency and channel reoccupation
The imprint of erosion by glacial lake outburst floods in the topography of central Himalayan rivers
Volume, evolution, and sedimentation of future glacier lakes in Switzerland over the 21st century
Theoretical and numerical considerations of rivers in a tectonically inactive foreland
Suspended sediment and discharge dynamics in a glaciated alpine environment: identifying crucial areas and time periods on several spatial and temporal scales in the Ötztal, Austria
A multi-proxy assessment of terrace formation in the lower Trinity River valley, Texas
Alpine rock glacier activity over Holocene to modern timescales (western French Alps)
Spatio-temporal variability and controlling factors for postglacial denudation rates in the Dora Baltea catchment (western Italian Alps)
Continuous measurements of valley floor width in mountainous landscapes
Grain size of fluvial gravel bars from close-range UAV imagery – uncertainty in segmentation-based data
Organic carbon burial by river meandering partially offsets bank erosion carbon fluxes in a discontinuous permafrost floodplain
Estuarine morphodynamics and development modified by floodplain formation
Convolutional neural networks for image-based sediment detection applied to a large terrestrial and airborne dataset
A geomorphic-process-based cellular automata model of colluvial wedge morphology and stratigraphy
Signal response of the Swiss plate geophone monitoring system impacted by bedload particles with different transport modes
Morphodynamic styles: characterising the behaviour of gravel-bed rivers using a novel, quantitative index
Rapid Holocene bedrock canyon incision of Beida River, North Qilian Shan, China
The landslide velocity
An analytical model for beach erosion downdrift of groins: case study of Jeongdongjin Beach, Korea
Transitional rock glaciers at sea-level in Northern Norway
Permafrost in monitored unstable rock slopes in Norway – new insights from temperature and surface velocity measurements, geophysical surveying, and ground temperature modelling
The role of geological mouth islands on the morphodynamics of back-barrier tidal basins
From apex to shoreline: fluvio-deltaic architecture for the Holocene Rhine–Meuse delta, the Netherlands
Intensified paraglacial slope failures due to accelerating downwasting of a temperate glacier in Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau
Breaking down chipping and fragmentation in sediment transport: the control of material strength
Multi-objective optimisation of a rock coast evolution model with cosmogenic 10Be analysis for the quantification of long-term cliff retreat rates
Triggering and propagation of exogenous sediment pulses in mountain channels: insights from flume experiments with seismic monitoring
Temporal changes in the debris flow threshold under the effects of ground freezing and sediment storage on Mt. Fuji
Sedimentary architecture and landforms of the late Saalian (MIS 6) ice sheet margin offshore of the Netherlands
Relationship between meteoric 10Be and NO3− concentrations in soils along Shackleton Glacier, Antarctica
Sediment shell-content diminishes current-driven sand ripple development and migration
Sand mining far outpaces natural supply in a large alluvial river
Failure mode of rainfall-induced landslide of granite residual soil, southeastern Guangxi province, China
The formation and geometry characteristics of boulder bars due to outburst floods triggered by overtopped landslide dam failure
Landslide-lake outburst floods accelerate downstream hillslope slippage
The relative influence of dune aspect ratio and beach width on dune erosion as a function of storm duration and surge level
A temperature-dependent mechanical model to assess the stability of degrading permafrost rock slopes
The effects of storms and a transient sandy veneer on the interannual planform evolution of a low-relief coastal cliff and shore platform at Sargent Beach, Texas, USA
Identification of rock and fracture kinematics in high alpine rockwalls under the influence of elevation
Controls on the grain size distribution of landslides in Taiwan: the influence of drop height, scar depth and bedrock strength
Assessing the effect of topography on Cs-137 concentrations within forested soils due to the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident, Japan
Climatic controls on mountain glacier basal thermal regimes dictate spatial patterns of glacial erosion
Tectonically and climatically driven mountain-hopping erosion in central Guatemala from detrital 10Be and river profile analysis
Tobias Nicollier, Gilles Antoniazza, Lorenz Ammann, Dieter Rickenmann, and James W. Kirchner
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 929–951, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-929-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-929-2022, 2022
Short summary
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Monitoring sediment transport is relevant for flood safety and river restoration. However, the spatial and temporal variability of sediment transport processes makes their prediction challenging. We investigate the feasibility of a general calibration relationship between sediment transport rates and the impact signals recorded by metal plates installed in the channel bed. We present a new calibration method based on flume experiments and apply it to an extensive dataset of field measurements.
Joanne Elkadi, Benjamin Lehmann, Georgina E. King, Olivia Steinemann, Susan Ivy-Ochs, Marcus Christl, and Frédéric Herman
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 909–928, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-909-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-909-2022, 2022
Short summary
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Glacial and non-glacial processes have left a strong imprint on the landscape of the European Alps, but further research is needed to better understand their long-term effects. We apply a new technique combining two methods for bedrock surface dating to calculate post-glacier erosion rates next to a Swiss glacier. Interestingly, the results suggest non-glacial erosion rates are higher than previously thought, but glacial erosion remains the most influential on landscape evolution.
David L. Adams and Brett C. Eaton
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 895–907, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-895-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-895-2022, 2022
Short summary
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Channel processes under flood conditions are important for river science and management as they involve high volumes of sediment transport and erosion. However, these processes remain poorly understood as the data are difficult to collect. Using a physical model of a river, we found that simple equations based on the mean shear stress and median grain size predicted sediment transport as accurately as ones that accounted for the full range of shear stresses.
Yizhou Wang, Liran Goren, Dewen Zheng, and Huiping Zhang
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 833–849, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-833-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-833-2022, 2022
Short summary
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Abrupt changes in tectonic uplift rates induce sharp changes in river profile, called knickpoints. When river erosion depends non-linearly on slope, we develop an analytic model for knickpoint velocity and find the condition of knickpoint merging. Then we develop analytic models that represent the two-directional link between tectonic changes and river profile evolution. The derivation provides new understanding on the links between tectonic changes and river profile evolution.
J. Kevin Pierce, Marwan A. Hassan, and Rui M. L. Ferreira
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 817–832, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-817-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-817-2022, 2022
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We describe the flow of sediment in river channels by replacing the complicated details of the turbulent water with probability arguments. Our major conclusions are that (1) sediment transport can be phrased in terms of the movements of individual sediment grains, (2) transport rates in river channels are inherently uncertain, and (3) sediment transport in rivers is directly analogous to a number of phenomena which we understand relatively well, such as molecules moving in air.
Haruka Tsunetaka, Norifumi Hotta, Yuichi Sakai, and Thad Wasklewicz
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 775–796, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-775-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-775-2022, 2022
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To assess the effects of differences in grain-size distribution within debris flows on the morphology of debris-flow fans, fan morphologies were modeled experimentally. Even if debris flows exhibited similar flow properties, their runout distance differed in response to differences in their grain-size distribution. Differences in runout distance were responsible for variations in the direction of the descending flow that resulted in different debris-flow fan morphology.
Sarah A. Schanz and A. Peyton Colee
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 761–774, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-761-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-761-2022, 2022
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We mapped and dated 187 earthflows to determine controls on earthflow formation and resulting topographic changes in the Teanaway basin, central Washington State, USA. Using a new relative dating technique and absolute dating, we find that 25 % of earthflows were active in the last ~500 years. Earthflows are lithologically controlled, actively narrow valleys, and increase sediment loads.
Jeongyeon Han and Wonsuck Kim
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 743–759, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-743-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-743-2022, 2022
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A levee-building model is presented to investigate the effects of flood on levee slope and river behaviors. Coarser grains that cause steep levee slopes lead to frequent switchings of river paths, but higher overflow velocity has an opposite effect. High levee slopes lead to more reoccupations of abandoned old river paths than low levee slopes when rivers switch their locations. The study helps us to assess flood hazards with river-path switching.
Maxwell P. Dahlquist and A. Joshua West
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 705–722, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-705-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-705-2022, 2022
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Himalayan rivers are full of giant boulders that rarely move except during glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), which therefore must be important drivers of erosion in the Himalayas. GLOFs are rare, so little is known about their long-term erosional impact. We found that rivers in Nepal have channel geometry that, compared with markers of upstream glaciation, confirm GLOFs as a major control on erosion. This previously unrecognized control should be accounted for in landscape evolution studies.
Tim Steffen, Matthias Huss, Rebekka Estermann, Elias Hodel, and Daniel Farinotti
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 723–741, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-723-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-723-2022, 2022
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Climate change is rapidly altering high-alpine landscapes. The formation of new lakes in areas becoming ice free due to glacier retreat is one of the many consequences of this process. Here, we provide an estimate for the number, size, time of emergence, and sediment infill of future glacier lakes that will emerge in the Swiss Alps. We estimate that up to ~ 680 potential lakes could form over the course of the 21st century, with the potential to hold a total water volume of up to ~ 1.16 km3.
Stefan Hergarten
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 671–686, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-671-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-671-2022, 2022
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Many studies on modeling landform evolution have focused on mountain ranges, while large parts of Earth's surface are quite flat and alluvial plains have been preferred locations for human settlements. Conducting large-scale simulations of fluvial erosion and sediment transport, this study reveals that rivers in a tectonically inactive foreland are much more dynamic than rivers in a mountain range; the local redistribution of deposits in the foreland is the main driver of the dynamics.
Lena Katharina Schmidt, Till Francke, Erwin Rottler, Theresa Blume, Johannes Schöber, and Axel Bronstert
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 653–669, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-653-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-653-2022, 2022
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Climate change fundamentally alters glaciated high-alpine areas, but it is unclear how this affects riverine sediment transport. As a first step, we aimed to identify the most important processes and source areas in three nested catchments in the Ötztal, Austria, in the past 15 years. We found that areas above 2500 m were crucial and that summer rainstorms were less influential than glacier melt. These findings provide a baseline for studies on future changes in high-alpine sediment dynamics.
Hima J. Hassenruck-Gudipati, Thaddeus Ellis, Timothy A. Goudge, and David Mohrig
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 635–651, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-635-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-635-2022, 2022
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During the late Pleistocene, the incision of the Trinity River valley left behind terraces. Elevation data and measurements of abandoned channels preserved on terraces are used to evaluate how terraces formed. We find a transition in the style of terraces with age from those associated with external environmental forcings to those produced by internal river migration changes. This result shows the importance of several indicators (i.e., channel bends, elevations) in determining terrace form.
Benjamin Lehmann, Robert S. Anderson, Xavier Bodin, Diego Cusicanqui, Pierre G. Valla, and Julien Carcaillet
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 605–633, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-605-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-605-2022, 2022
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Rock glaciers are some of the most frequently occurring landforms containing ice in mountain environments. Here, we use field observations, analysis of aerial and satellite images, and dating methods to investigate the activity of the rock glacier of the Vallon de la Route in the French Alps. Our results suggest that the rock glacier is characterized by two major episodes of activity and that the rock glacier system promotes the maintenance of mountain erosion.
Elena Serra, Pierre G. Valla, Romain Delunel, Natacha Gribenski, Marcus Christl, and Naki Akçar
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 493–512, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-493-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-493-2022, 2022
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Alpine landscapes are transformed by several erosion processes. 10Be concentrations measured in river sediments at the outlet of a basin represent a powerful tool to quantify how fast the catchment erodes. We measured erosion rates within the Dora Baltea catchments (western Italian Alps). Our results show that erosion is governed by topography, bedrock resistance and glacial imprint. The Mont Blanc massif has the highest erosion and therefore dominates the sediment flux of the Dora Baltea river.
Fiona J. Clubb, Eliot F. Weir, and Simon M. Mudd
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 437–456, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-437-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-437-2022, 2022
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River valleys are important components of mountain systems: they are the most fertile part of landscapes and store sediment which is transported from mountains to surrounding basins. Our knowledge of the location and shape of valleys is hindered by our ability to measure them over large areas. We present a new method for measuring the width of mountain valleys continuously along river channels from digital topography and show that our method can be used to test common models of river widening.
David Mair, Ariel Henrique Do Prado, Philippos Garefalakis, Alessandro Lechmann, Alexander Whittaker, and Fritz Schlunegger
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-19, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-19, 2022
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
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Grain size data are important for studying and managing rivers, but they are difficult to obtain in the field. Therefore, methods have been developed that use images from small and remotely piloted aircrafts. However, uncertainty in grain size data from such image-based products is poorly studied. Here we present a new way of uncertainty estimation that includes fully propagated errors. We use this technique to assess the effect of several image acquisition aspects on grain size uncertainty.
Madison M. Douglas, Gen K. Li, Woodward W. Fischer, Joel C. Rowland, Preston C. Kemeny, A. Joshua West, Jon Schwenk, Anastasia P. Piliouras, Austin J. Chadwick, and Michael P. Lamb
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 421–435, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-421-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-421-2022, 2022
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Arctic rivers erode into permafrost and mobilize organic carbon, which can react to form greenhouse gasses or be re-buried in floodplain deposits. We collected samples on a permafrost floodplain in Alaska to determine if more carbon is eroded or deposited by river meandering. The floodplain contained a mixture of young carbon fixed by the biosphere and old, re-deposited carbon. Thus, sediment storage may allow Arctic river floodplains to retain aged organic carbon even when permafrost thaws.
Maarten G. Kleinhans, Lonneke Roelofs, Steven A. H. Weisscher, Ivar R. Lokhorst, and Lisanne Braat
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 367–381, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-367-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-367-2022, 2022
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Floodplain formation in estuaries limit the ebb and flood flow, reducing channel migration and shortening the tidally influenced reach. Vegetation establishment on bars reduces local flow velocity and concentrates flow into channels, while mudflats fill accommodation space and reduce channel migration. These results are based on experimental estuaries in the Metronome facility supported by numerical flow modelling.
Xingyu Chen, Marwan A. Hassan, and Xudong Fu
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 349–366, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-349-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-349-2022, 2022
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We compiled a large image dataset containing more than 125 000 sediments and developed a model (GrainID) based on convolutional neural networks to measure individual grain size from images. The model was calibrated on flume and natural stream images covering a wide range of fluvial environments. The model showed high performance compared with other methods. Our model showed great potential for grain size measurements from a small patch of sediment in a flume to a watershed-scale drone survey.
Harrison J. Gray, Christopher B. DuRoss, Sylvia R. Nicovich, and Ryan D. Gold
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 329–348, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-329-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-329-2022, 2022
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Some types of big earthquakes create small cliffs or
fault scarps∼1–3 m in height, where sediments can pile up and create deposits we call
colluvial wedges. Geologists will look at colluvial wedges and use them to understand how often big earthquakes occur. Here we made a computer simulation to find out if the way we think colluvial wedges form works with physics. We found that it does in theory, but there are conditions in which it may be more complicated than we expected.
Zheng Chen, Siming He, Tobias Nicollier, Lorenz Ammann, Alexandre Badoux, and Dieter Rickenmann
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 279–300, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-279-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-279-2022, 2022
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Bedload flux quantification remains challenging in river dynamics due to variable transport modes. We used a passive monitoring device to record the acoustic signals generated by the impacts of bedload particles with different transport modes, and established the relationship between the triggered signals and bedload characteristics. The findings of this study could improve our understanding of the monitoring system and bedload transport process, and contribute to bedload size classification.
William H. Booker and Brett C. Eaton
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 247–260, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-247-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-247-2022, 2022
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Channel behaviour is a qualitative aspect of river research that needs development to produce a framework of analysis between and within types of channels. We seek to produce a quantitative metric that can capture how a channel changes using a pair of experiments and collecting easy to obtain data. We demonstrate that this new technique is capable of discerning between river types and may provide a new tool with which we may describe channel behaviour.
Yiran Wang, Michael E. Oskin, Youli Li, and Huiping Zhang
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 191–208, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-191-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-191-2022, 2022
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Beida River has an over-steepened reach presently located 10 km upstream of the North Qilian mountain front. It was formed because river incising into the bedrocks inside the mountain cannot keep up with river incising into the soft sediment in the basin. We suggest this over-steepened reach represents a fast incision period 3–4 kyr ago, deepening the canyon for ~35 m within ~700 years. The formation of this reach corresponds to a humid period related to strong Southeast Asian Monsoon influence.
Shiva P. Pudasaini and Michael Krautblatter
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 165–189, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-165-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-165-2022, 2022
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We present the first physics-based general landslide velocity model incorporating internal deformation and external forces. Voellmy–inviscid Burgers' equations are specifications of the novel advective–dissipative system. Unified analytical solutions constitute a new foundation of landslide velocity, providing key information to instantly estimate impact forces and describe breaking waves and folding, revealing that landslide dynamics are architectured by advection and reigned by forcing.
Changbin Lim, Soonmi Hwang, and Jung Lyul Lee
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 151–163, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-151-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-151-2022, 2022
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Recently, along the east coast of South Korea, seasonal beach erosion has been induced by structures which severely block the supply of sand from the upstream side. This study proposes a coastal solution that can predict the maximum indentation point in downdrift erosion formed downstream of groins by applying a parabolic bay shape equation (PBSE).
Karianne Staalesen Lilleøren, Bernd Etzelmüller, Line Rouyet, Trond Eiken, and Christin Hilbich
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-6, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-6, 2022
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
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In Northern Norway we have observed several rock glaciers at sea level. Rock glaciers are landforms that only form under the influence of permafrost, which is frozen ground. Our investigations show that the rock glaciers are probably not active under the current climate, but most likely was active in the recent past. This shows how the Arctic now changes due to climate changes, and also how similar areas in currently colder climates will change in the future.
Bernd Etzelmüller, Justyna Czekirda, Florence Magnin, Pierre-Allain Duvillard, Ludovic Ravanel, Emanuelle Malet, Andreas Aspaas, Lene Kristensen, Ingrid Skrede, Gudrun D. Majala, Benjamin Jacobs, Johannes Leinauer, Christian Hauck, Christin Hilbich, Martina Böhme, Reginald Hermanns, Harald Ø. Eriksen, Tom Rune Lauknes, Michael Krautblatter, and Sebastian Westermann
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 97–129, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-97-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-97-2022, 2022
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This paper is a multi-authored study documenting the possible existence of permafrost in permanently monitored rockslides in Norway for the first time by combining a multitude of field data, including geophysical surveys in rock walls. The paper discusses the possible role of thermal regime and rockslide movement, and it evaluates the possible impact of atmospheric warming on rockslide dynamics in Norwegian mountains.
Yizhang Wei, Yining Chen, Jufei Qiu, Zeng Zhou, Peng Yao, Qin Jiang, Zheng Gong, Giovanni Coco, Ian Townend, and Changkuan Zhang
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 65–80, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-65-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-65-2022, 2022
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The barrier tidal basin is increasingly altered by human activity and sea-level rise. These environmental changes probably lead to the emergence or disappearance of islands, yet the effect of rocky islands on the evolution of tidal basins remains poorly investigated. Using numerical experiments, we explore the evolution of tidal basins under varying numbers and locations of islands. This work provides insights for predicting the response of barrier tidal basins in a changing environment.
Marc J. P. Gouw and Marc P. Hijma
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 43–64, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-43-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-43-2022, 2022
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If you were to navigate an entire delta by boat, you would clearly see that the general characteristics of the channels change throughout the delta. The drivers behind these changes have been studied extensively. Field studies encompassing the entire delta are rare but give important insights into these drivers that can help other researchers. The most important drivers are channel lateral-migration rate, channel-belt longevity, creation of accommodation space and inherited floodplain width.
Yan Zhong, Qiao Liu, Matthew Westoby, Yong Nie, Francesca Pellicciotti, Bo Zhang, Jialun Cai, Guoxiang Liu, Haijun Liao, and Xuyang Lu
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 23–42, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-23-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-23-2022, 2022
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Slope failures exist in many paraglacial regions and are the main manifestation of the interaction between debris-covered glaciers and slopes. We mapped paraglacial slope failures (PSFs) along the Hailuogou Glacier (HLG), Mt. Gongga, southeastern Tibetan Plateau. We argue that the formation, evolution, and current status of these typical PSFs are generally related to glacier history and paraglacial geomorphological adjustments, and influenced by the fluctuation of climate conditions.
Sophie Bodek and Douglas J. Jerolmack
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1531–1543, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1531-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1531-2021, 2021
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As rocks are transported, they undergo two attrition mechanisms: chipping, shallow cracking at low collision energies; and fragmentation, significant fracture growth from high-energy impacts. We examine the mass and shape evolution of concrete particles in a rotating drum to experimentally delineate the boundary between chipping and fragmentation. By connecting the mechanics of these attrition processes to resulting shape evolution, we can use particle shape to infer past transport conditions.
Jennifer R. Shadrick, Martin D. Hurst, Matthew D. Piggott, Bethany G. Hebditch, Alexander J. Seal, Klaus M. Wilcken, and Dylan H. Rood
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1505–1529, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1505-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1505-2021, 2021
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Here we use topographic and 10Be concentration data to optimise a coastal evolution model. Cliff retreat rates are calculated for two UK sites for the past 8000 years and, for the first time, highlight a strong link between the rate of sea level rise and long-term cliff retreat rates. This method enables us to study past cliff response to sea level rise and so to greatly improve forecasts of future responses to accelerations in sea level rise that will result from climate change.
Marco Piantini, Florent Gimbert, Hervé Bellot, and Alain Recking
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1423–1439, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1423-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1423-2021, 2021
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We carry out laboratory experiments to investigate the formation and propagation dynamics of exogenous sediment pulses in mountain rivers. We show that the ability of a self-formed deposit to destabilize and generate sediment pulses depends on the sand content of the mixture, while each pulse turns out to be formed by a front, a body, and a tail. Seismic measurements reveal a complex and non-unique dependency between seismic power and sediment pulse transport characteristics.
Fumitoshi Imaizumi, Atsushi Ikeda, Kazuki Yamamoto, and Okihiro Ohsaka
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1381–1398, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1381-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1381-2021, 2021
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The rainfall threshold for debris flow occurrence was evaluated on Mt. Fuji, Japan. Debris flows during frozen periods were triggered by a smaller magnitude of rainfall than during unfrozen periods. During unfrozen periods, the threshold of maximum hourly rainfall intensity triggering debris flow was higher when the volume of channel deposits was larger. The results suggest that the occurrence of frozen ground needs to be monitored for better debris flow disaster mitigation in cold regions.
Víctor Cartelle, Natasha L. M. Barlow, David M. Hodgson, Freek S. Busschers, Kim M. Cohen, Bart M. L. Meijninger, and Wessel P. van Kesteren
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1399–1421, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1399-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1399-2021, 2021
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Reconstructing the growth and decay of past ice sheets is critical to understand relationships between global climate and sea-level change. We take advantage of large wind-farm datasets in the southern North Sea to investigate buried landscapes left by ice sheet advance and retreat occurring about 160 000 years ago. We demonstrate the utility of offshore wind-farm data in refining palaeo-ice sheet margin limits and providing insight into the processes influencing marginal ice sheet dynamics.
Melisa A. Diaz, Lee B. Corbett, Paul R. Bierman, Byron J. Adams, Diana H. Wall, Ian D. Hogg, Noah Fierer, and W. Berry Lyons
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1363–1380, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1363-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1363-2021, 2021
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We collected soil surface samples and depth profiles every 5 cm (up to 30 cm) from 11 ice-free areas along the Shackleton Glacier, a major outlet glacier of the East Antarctic Ice Sheet (EAIS), and measured meteoric beryllium-10 and nitrate concentrations to understand the relationship between salts and beryllium-10. This relationship can help inform wetting history, landscape disturbance, and exposure duration.
Chiu H. Cheng, Jaco C. de Smit, Greg S. Fivash, Suzanne J. M. H. Hulscher, Bas W. Borsje, and Karline Soetaert
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1335–1346, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1335-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1335-2021, 2021
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Shells are biogenic particles that are widespread throughout natural sandy environments and can affect the bed roughness and seabed erodibility. As studies are presently lacking, we experimentally measured ripple formation and migration using natural sand with increasing volumes of shell material under unidirectional flow in a racetrack flume. We show that shells expedite the onset of sediment transport, reduce ripple dimensions and slow their migration rate.
Christopher R. Hackney, Grigorios Vasilopoulos, Sokchhay Heng, Vasudha Darbari, Samuel Walker, and Daniel R. Parsons
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1323–1334, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1323-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1323-2021, 2021
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Unsustainable sand mining poses a threat to the stability of river channels. We use satellite imagery to estimate volumes of material removed from the Mekong River, Cambodia, over the period 2016–2020. We demonstrate that current rates of extraction now exceed previous estimates for the entire Mekong Basin and significantly exceed the volume of sand naturally transported by the river. Our work highlights the importance of satellite imagery in monitoring sand mining activity over large areas.
Shanbai Wu, Ruihua Zhao, Liping Liao, Yunchuan Yang, Yao Wei, and Wenzhi Wei
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-62, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-62, 2021
Revised manuscript under review for ESurf
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Granite residual soil landslides are widely distributed in southeastern Guangxi province, China. In this study, it conducted artificial flume model tests to investigate the failure mode of granite residual soil landslide. The research results can provide valuable references for the prevention and warning of granite residual soil landslide in southeast Guangxi.
Xiangang Jiang, Haiguang Cheng, Lei Gao, and Weiming Liu
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1263–1277, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1263-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1263-2021, 2021
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Boulder bars are a common form of riverbed morphology which can be affected by outburst flood. However, few studies have focused on boulder bars' formation process and development characteristics during landslide dam failure. In this paper, eight groups of dam failure experiments were carried out to study the development and geometry characteristics of boulder bars during and after dam failure. Moreover, the relationships between geometry parameters of boulder bars are investigated.
Wentao Yang, Jian Fang, and Jing Liu-Zeng
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1251–1262, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1251-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1251-2021, 2021
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The eastern Tibetan Plateau is an ideal place to study interactions among different geomorphic drivers. We report the impacts of two 2018 landslide-lake outburst floods up to 100 km distance downstream of the Jinsha River. By using remote sensing images, we found that the 2018 floods caused many hillslopes to slump during the prolonged period afterwards. The finding could help us to obtain a holistic picture of LLF impacts and improve geomorphic models of landscape evolution.
Michael Itzkin, Laura J. Moore, Peter Ruggiero, Sally D. Hacker, and Reuben G. Biel
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1223–1237, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1223-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1223-2021, 2021
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Studies of the impact of storms on dunes typically focus on the importance of dune elevation,
here we analyze the protective services offered by the dune height and width, the morphology
of the beach fronting the dune, and artificial dune construction via the use of sand fences.
We find that dune volume loss most strongly correlates to beach width rather than dune shape,
although when beach width is controlled for low and wide dunes offer greater protection than
tall and narrow dunes.
Philipp Mamot, Samuel Weber, Saskia Eppinger, and Michael Krautblatter
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1125–1151, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1125-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1125-2021, 2021
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The mechanical response of permafrost degradation on high-mountain rock slope stability has not been calculated in a numerical model yet. We present the first approach for a model with thermal and mechanical input data derived from laboratory and field work, and existing concepts. This is applied to a test site at the Zugspitze, Germany. A numerical sensitivity analysis provides the first critical stability thresholds related to the rock temperature, slope angle and fracture network orientation.
Rose V. Palermo, Anastasia Piliouras, Travis E. Swanson, Andrew D. Ashton, and David Mohrig
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 1111–1123, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1111-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-1111-2021, 2021
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At Sargent Beach, Texas, USA, a rapidly eroding soft-sediment cliff system, we study the planform evolution of the cliff face in response to storms and sediment cover. Through this analysis, we characterize the feedbacks between morphology and retreat rate of a cliff face. We find that after a storm event, the roughness and sinuosity of the cliff face increase, which sustains higher retreat rates for years following.
Daniel Draebing
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 977–994, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-977-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-977-2021, 2021
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Alpine rockwalls are affected by weathering processes that result in rock and fracture deformation. This deformation decreases rockwall stability with time. I installed crackmeters along a topographic gradient to identify the spatial and temporal variation of weathering processes. My data show that elevation-dependent snow cover, topographic factors and fracture dipping control the frequency and magnitude of weathering processes and resulting rock kinematics.
Odin Marc, Jens M. Turowski, and Patrick Meunier
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 995–1011, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-995-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-995-2021, 2021
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The size of grains delivered to rivers is an essential parameter for understanding erosion and sediment transport and their related hazards. In mountains, landslides deliver these rock fragments, but few studies have analyzed the landslide properties that control the resulting sizes. We present measurements on 17 landslides from Taiwan and show that their grain sizes depend on rock strength, landslide depth and drop height, thereby validating and updating a previous theory on fragmentation.
Misa Yasumiishi, Taku Nishimura, Jared Aldstadt, Sean J. Bennett, and Thomas Bittner
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 861–893, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-861-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-861-2021, 2021
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Topographic effects on radioactive contamination in a forested area were quantitatively examined using soil core samples collected in a village in Fukushima, Japan. The results confirmed that local topography influences the contamination patterns in soils, and its effects vary depending on the combinations of the topographic parameters. This finding suggests that topographic characteristics should be considered carefully in future environmental radioactive risk assessments.
Jingtao Lai and Alison M. Anders
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 845–859, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-845-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-845-2021, 2021
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Glaciers are strong erosive agents, and they have created many unique landforms in mountain belts. Climate has been viewed as a primary control on glacial erosion, yet our understanding of the mechanism by which climate impacts glacial erosion remains limited. Using computer simulations, we find that climate controls glacial erosion by modulating the temperature of the basal ice. Our results suggest that a warm and/or wet climate can create warm basal ice and, therefore, enhance erosion.
Gilles Brocard, Jane Kathrin Willenbring, Tristan Salles, Michael Cosca, Axel Guttiérez-Orrego, Noé Cacao Chiquín, Sergio Morán-Ical, and Christian Teyssier
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 795–822, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-795-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-795-2021, 2021
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The rise of a mountain affects the circulation of water, both in the atmosphere and over the land surface, thereby affecting the erosion of the land surface. We document how the rise of a mountain in central Guatemala has affected the erosion of an older range nearby. The new range intercepts precipitation formerly delivered to the older range. River response to the uplift of the new range has decreased incision across the older one. Both have reduced hillslope erosion over the old range.
