Articles | Volume 5, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-807-2017
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-807-2017
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

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Latest update: 28 Mar 2024
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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.