Articles | Volume 12, issue 2
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-493-2024
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-493-2024
Research article
 | 
28 Mar 2024
Research article |  | 28 Mar 2024

A physics-based model for fluvial valley width

Jens Martin Turowski, Aaron Bufe, and Stefanie Tofelde

Related authors

Integrating smartrock and seismic monitoring to investigate bedload transport dynamics during rapid increase of stages in ephemeral streams
Matanya Hamawi, Joel P. L. Johnson, Susan Bilek, Jens M. Turowski, and John B. Laronne
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-591,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-591, 2025
This preprint is open for discussion and under review for Earth Surface Dynamics (ESurf).
Short summary
Width evolution of channel belts as a random walk
Jens M. Turowski, Fergus McNab, Aaron Bufe, and Stefanie Tofelde
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 97–117, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-97-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-97-2025, 2025
Short summary
Modeling memory in gravel-bed rivers: A flow history-dependent relation for evolving thresholds of motion
Claire C. Masteller, Joel P. L. Johnson, Dieter Rickenmann, and Jens M. Turowski
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3250,https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-3250, 2024
Short summary
Sourcing and long-range transport of particulate organic matter in river bedload: Río Bermejo, Argentina
Sophia Dosch, Niels Hovius, Marisa Repasch, Joel Scheingross, Jens M. Turowski, Stefanie Tofelde, Oliver Rach, and Dirk Sachse
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 907–927, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-907-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-907-2024, 2024
Short summary
A global dataset of the shape of drainage systems
Chuanqi He, Ci-Jian Yang, Jens M. Turowski, Richard F. Ott, Jean Braun, Hui Tang, Shadi Ghantous, Xiaoping Yuan, and Gaia Stucky de Quay
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 16, 1151–1166, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1151-2024,https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-16-1151-2024, 2024
Short summary

Related subject area

Physical: Geomorphology (including all aspects of fluvial, coastal, aeolian, hillslope and glacial geomorphology)
Haloturbation in the northern Atacama Desert revealed by a hidden subsurface network of calcium sulfate wedges
Aline Zinelabedin, Joel Mohren, Maria Wierzbicka-Wieczorek, Tibor Janos Dunai, Stefan Heinze, and Benedikt Ritter
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 257–276, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-257-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-257-2025, 2025
Short summary
An evaluation of flow-routing algorithms for calculating contributing area on regular grids
Alexander B. Prescott, Jon D. Pelletier, Satya Chataut, and Sriram Ananthanarayan
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 239–256, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-239-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-239-2025, 2025
Short summary
Geometric constraints on tributary fluvial network junction angles
Jon D. Pelletier, Robert G. Hayes, Olivia Hoch, Brendan Fenerty, and Luke A. McGuire
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 219–238, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-219-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-219-2025, 2025
Short summary
Automatic detection of floating instream large wood in videos using deep learning
Janbert Aarnink, Tom Beucler, Marceline Vuaridel, and Virginia Ruiz-Villanueva
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 167–189, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-167-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-167-2025, 2025
Short summary
Investigating uncertainty and parameter sensitivity in bedform analysis by using a Monte Carlo approach
Julius Reich and Axel Winterscheid
Earth Surf. Dynam., 13, 191–217, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-191-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-13-191-2025, 2025
Short summary

Cited articles

Abdrakhmatov, K. Y., Aldazhanov, S. A., Hager, B. H., Hamburger, M. W., Herring, T. A., Kalabaev, K. B., Makarov, V. I., Molnar, P., Panasyuk, S. V., Prilepin, M. T., Reilinger, R. E., Sadybakasov, I. S., Souter, B. J., Trapeznikov, Y. A., Tsurkov, V. Y., and Zubovich, A. V.: Relatively recent construction of the Tian Shan inferred from GPS measurements of present-day crustal deformation rates, Nature, 384, 450–453, https://doi.org/10.1038/384450a0, 1996. 
Appledorn, M. v., Baker, M. E., and Miller, A. J.: River-valley morphology, basin size, and flow-event magnitude interact to produce wide variation in flooding dynamics, Ecosphere, 10, e02546, https://doi.org/10.1002/ecs2.2546, 2019. 
Avouac, J. P., Tapponnier, P., Bai, P., You, M., and Wang G.: Active thrusting and folding along the northern Tien Shan and Late Cenozoic rotation of the Tarim relative to Dzungaria and Kazakhstan, J. Geophys. Res.-Sol. Ea., 4, 11791–11808, https://doi.org/10.1029/92JB01963, 1993. 
Baker, M. E. and Wiley, M. J.: Multiscale control of flooding and riparian-forest composition in Lower Michigan, USA, Ecology, 90, 145–159, https://doi.org/10.1890/07-1242.1, 2009. 
Barnhart, K. R., Hutton, E. W. H., Tucker, G. E., Gasparini, N. M., Istanbulluoglu, E., Hobley, D. E. J., Lyons, N. J., Mouchene, M., Nudurupati, S. S., Adams, J. M., and Bandaragoda, C.: Short communication: Landlab v2.0: a software package for Earth surface dynamics, Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 379–397, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-379-2020, 2020. 
Download
Short summary
Fluvial valleys are ubiquitous landforms, and understanding their formation and evolution affects a wide range of disciplines from archaeology and geology to fish biology. Here, we develop a model to predict the width of fluvial valleys for a wide range of geographic conditions. In the model, fluvial valley width is controlled by the two competing factors of lateral channel mobility and uplift. The model complies with available data and yields a broad range of quantitative predictions.
Share