Earth Surface Dynamics
Earth Surface Dynamics
ESurf
Articles | Volume 5, issue 4
Articles | Volume 5, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-807-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-807-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Articles | Volume 5, issue 4
Research article
 | 
06 Dec 2017
Research article |  | 06 Dec 2017

Landscape evolution models using the stream power incision model show unrealistic behavior when m ∕ n equals 0.5

Jeffrey S. Kwang and Gary Parker

Viewed

Total article views: 4,981 (including HTML, PDF, and XML)
HTML PDF XML Total BibTeX EndNote
2,770 2,008 203 4,981 211 242
  • HTML: 2,770
  • PDF: 2,008
  • XML: 203
  • Total: 4,981
  • BibTeX: 211
  • EndNote: 242
Views and downloads (calculated since 20 Mar 2017)
Cumulative views and downloads (calculated since 20 Mar 2017)

Viewed (geographical distribution)

Total article views: 4,981 (including HTML, PDF, and XML) Thereof 4,827 with geography defined and 154 with unknown origin.
Country # Views %
  • 1
1
 
 
 
 

Cited

Saved (final revised paper)

Latest update: 14 May 2026
Download
Short summary
A prevalent bedrock incision relation used in landscape evolution is the stream power incision model (SPIM), which relates incision rate to drainage area to the m power and slope to the n power. We show the most commonly used ratio, m ∕ n = 0.5, leads to scale invariance: a landscape that has a horizontal domain of 1 km × 1 km has exactly the same relief pattern as one with a 100 km × 100 km domain. This conclusion indicates that SPIM must yield unrealistic results over a wide range of conditions.
Read more
Share