Articles | Volume 6, issue 4
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-1169-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-1169-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
03 Dec 2018
Research article |
| 03 Dec 2018
The rarefied (non-continuum) conditions of tracer particle transport in soils, with implications for assessing the intensity and depth dependence of mixing from geochronology
David Jon Furbish
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, USA
Rina Schumer
Division of Hydrologic Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada, USA
Amanda Keen-Zebert
Division of Earth and Ecosystem Sciences, Desert Research Institute, Reno, Nevada, USA
Related authors
Sarah G. W. Williams and David J. Furbish
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 701–721, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-701-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-701-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Particle motions and travel distances prior to deposition on hillslope surfaces depend on a balance of gravitational and frictional forces. We elaborate how particle energy is partitioned and dissipated during travel using measurements of particle travel distances supplemented with high-speed imaging of drop–impact–rebound experiments. Results show that particle shape plays a dominant role in how energy is partitioned during impact with a surface and how far particles travel in two dimensions.
David Jon Furbish, Joshua J. Roering, Tyler H. Doane, Danica L. Roth, Sarah G. W. Williams, and Angel M. Abbott
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 539–576, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-539-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-539-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Sediment particles skitter down steep hillslopes on Earth and Mars. Particles gain speed in going downhill but are slowed down and sometimes stop due to collisions with the rough surface. The likelihood of stopping depends on the energetics of speeding up (heating) versus slowing down (cooling). Statistical physics predicts that particle travel distances are described by a generalized Pareto distribution whose form varies with the Kirkby number – the ratio of heating to cooling.
David Jon Furbish, Sarah G. W. Williams, Danica L. Roth, Tyler H. Doane, and Joshua J. Roering
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 577–613, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-577-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-577-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The generalized Pareto distribution of particle travel distances on steep hillslopes, as described in a companion paper (Furbish et al., 2021a), is entirely consistent with measurements of travel distances obtained from laboratory and field-based experiments, supplemented with high-speed imaging and audio recordings that highlight the effects of bumpety-bump particle motions. Particle size and shape, in concert with surface roughness, strongly influence particle energetics and deposition.
David Jon Furbish, Sarah G. W. Williams, and Tyler H. Doane
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 615–628, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-615-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-615-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The generalized Pareto distribution of particle travel distances on steep hillslopes, as described in two companion papers (Furbish et al., 2021a, 2021b), is a maximum entropy distribution. This simply represents the most probable way that a great number of particles become distributed into distance states, subject to a fixed total energetic cost due to frictional effects of particle–surface collisions. The maximum entropy criterion is equivalent to a formal application of Occam's razor.
David Jon Furbish and Tyler H. Doane
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 629–664, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-629-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-629-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Using analyses of particle motions on steep hillslopes in three companion papers (Furbish et al., 2021a, 2021b, 2021c), we offer philosophical perspective on the merits of a statistical mechanics framework for describing sediment particle motions and transport, and the implications of rarefied versus continuum transport conditions. We highlight the mechanistic yet probabilistic nature of the approach, and the importance of tailoring the style of thinking to the process and scale of interest.
Shawn M. Chartrand and David Jon Furbish
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-16, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-16, 2021
Preprint withdrawn
Stuart W. D. Grieve, Simon M. Mudd, David T. Milodowski, Fiona J. Clubb, and David J. Furbish
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 627–653, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-627-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-627-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
High-resolution topographic data are becoming more prevalent, yet many areas of geomorphic interest do not have such data available. We produce topographic data at a range of resolutions to explore the influence of decreasing resolution of data on geomorphic analysis. We test the accuracy of the calculation of curvature, a hillslope sediment transport coefficient, and the identification of channel networks, providing guidelines for future use of these methods on low-resolution topographic data.
Sarah G. W. Williams and David J. Furbish
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 701–721, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-701-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-701-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Particle motions and travel distances prior to deposition on hillslope surfaces depend on a balance of gravitational and frictional forces. We elaborate how particle energy is partitioned and dissipated during travel using measurements of particle travel distances supplemented with high-speed imaging of drop–impact–rebound experiments. Results show that particle shape plays a dominant role in how energy is partitioned during impact with a surface and how far particles travel in two dimensions.
David Jon Furbish, Joshua J. Roering, Tyler H. Doane, Danica L. Roth, Sarah G. W. Williams, and Angel M. Abbott
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 539–576, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-539-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-539-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Sediment particles skitter down steep hillslopes on Earth and Mars. Particles gain speed in going downhill but are slowed down and sometimes stop due to collisions with the rough surface. The likelihood of stopping depends on the energetics of speeding up (heating) versus slowing down (cooling). Statistical physics predicts that particle travel distances are described by a generalized Pareto distribution whose form varies with the Kirkby number – the ratio of heating to cooling.
David Jon Furbish, Sarah G. W. Williams, Danica L. Roth, Tyler H. Doane, and Joshua J. Roering
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 577–613, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-577-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-577-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The generalized Pareto distribution of particle travel distances on steep hillslopes, as described in a companion paper (Furbish et al., 2021a), is entirely consistent with measurements of travel distances obtained from laboratory and field-based experiments, supplemented with high-speed imaging and audio recordings that highlight the effects of bumpety-bump particle motions. Particle size and shape, in concert with surface roughness, strongly influence particle energetics and deposition.
David Jon Furbish, Sarah G. W. Williams, and Tyler H. Doane
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 615–628, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-615-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-615-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The generalized Pareto distribution of particle travel distances on steep hillslopes, as described in two companion papers (Furbish et al., 2021a, 2021b), is a maximum entropy distribution. This simply represents the most probable way that a great number of particles become distributed into distance states, subject to a fixed total energetic cost due to frictional effects of particle–surface collisions. The maximum entropy criterion is equivalent to a formal application of Occam's razor.
David Jon Furbish and Tyler H. Doane
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 629–664, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-629-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-629-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Using analyses of particle motions on steep hillslopes in three companion papers (Furbish et al., 2021a, 2021b, 2021c), we offer philosophical perspective on the merits of a statistical mechanics framework for describing sediment particle motions and transport, and the implications of rarefied versus continuum transport conditions. We highlight the mechanistic yet probabilistic nature of the approach, and the importance of tailoring the style of thinking to the process and scale of interest.
Shawn M. Chartrand and David Jon Furbish
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-16, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-16, 2021
Preprint withdrawn
Stuart W. D. Grieve, Simon M. Mudd, David T. Milodowski, Fiona J. Clubb, and David J. Furbish
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 627–653, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-627-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-627-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
High-resolution topographic data are becoming more prevalent, yet many areas of geomorphic interest do not have such data available. We produce topographic data at a range of resolutions to explore the influence of decreasing resolution of data on geomorphic analysis. We test the accuracy of the calculation of curvature, a hillslope sediment transport coefficient, and the identification of channel networks, providing guidelines for future use of these methods on low-resolution topographic data.
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Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 21–32, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-21-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-21-2023, 2023
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Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1–20, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1-2023, 2023
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Landslides present a significant hazard for humans, but continuous landslide monitoring is not yet possible due to their unpredictability. Our study has demonstrated that combing landslide seismic signal analysis, dynamic inversion, and numerical simulation provides a comprehensive and accurate method for studying the landslide process. The approach outlined in this study could be used to support hazard prevention and control in sensitive areas.
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Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1195–1209, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1195-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1195-2022, 2022
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Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1185–1193, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1185-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1185-2022, 2022
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The Flims area in the Swiss Alps has fascinated the researchers with its complex geological history ever since. Especially the order of events related to the Tamins and Flims rockslides has long been debated. This paper presents novel results based on up to 160 m deep geophysical profiles, which show onlaps of the Bonaduz Formation onto the Tamins deposits (Ils Aults) and thus indicate that the Tamins rockslide occurred first. The consecutive evolution of this landscape is shown in four phases.
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Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1165–1183, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1165-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1165-2022, 2022
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The Swiss plate geophone system has been installed and tested in more than 20 steep gravel-bed streams. It is an indirect bedload transport measuring system. We compare the performance of this system with three alternative surrogate measuring systems, using calibration measurements with direct bedload samples from three field sites and an outdoor flume facility. Three of the four systems resulted in robust calibration relations between signal impulse counts and transported bedload mass.
Anya S. Leenman and Brett C. Eaton
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1097–1114, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1097-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1097-2022, 2022
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The supply of sediment (sand and gravel) carried by a stream out of a steep mountain valley is widely thought to control the gradient of the fan-shaped landforms that streams often build where they leave their valley. We tested this idea in a set of
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Taylor Dorn and Mackenzie Day
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1040, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1040, 2022
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Planetary surfaces are shaped by both wind and water were their resulting surface features are commonly observed by aerial images. Deep Springs playa, CA provides an comparable wet-to-dry transitioning landscape as experienced in Mars' past. Our results, made through collected weather data and drone footage, showed that some features, when observed solely by aerial imagery might be interpreted as being formed by wind when in fact other processes were more influential in their formation.
Shanbai Wu, Ruihua Zhao, Liping Liao, Yunchuan Yang, Yao Wei, and Wenzhi Wei
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1079–1096, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1079-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1079-2022, 2022
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Granite residual soil landslides are widely distributed in southeastern Guangxi Province, China. To understand the failure mode, the landslide can provide a scientific basis for early warning and prevention. In this study, we conducted artificial flume model tests to investigate the failure mode of granite residual soil landslide. The research provides valuable references for the prevention and early warning of granite residual soil landslide in the southeast of Guangxi.
Shiuan-An Chen, Katerina Michaelides, David A. Richards, and Michael Bliss Singer
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 1055–1078, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1055-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-1055-2022, 2022
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Drainage basin erosion rates influence landscape evolution through controlling land surface lowering and sediment flux, but gaps remain in understanding their large-scale patterns and drivers between timescales. We analysed global erosion rates and show that long-term erosion rates are controlled by rainfall, former glacial processes, and basin landform, whilst human activities enhance short-term erosion rates. The results highlight the complex interplay of controls on land surface processes.
Hemanti Sharma, Sebastian G. Mutz, and Todd A. Ehlers
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 997–1015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-997-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-997-2022, 2022
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We estimate global changes in frost cracking intensity (FCI) using process-based models for four time slices in the late Cenozoic ranging from the Pliocene (∼ 3 Ma) to pre-industrial (∼ 1850 CE, PI). For all time slices, results indicate that FCI was most prevalent in middle to high latitudes and high-elevation lower-latitude areas such as Tibet. Larger deviations (relative to PI) were observed in colder (LGM) and warmer climates (Pliocene) due to differences in temperature and glaciation.
Karianne S. Lilleøren, Bernd Etzelmüller, Line Rouyet, Trond Eiken, Gaute Slinde, and Christin Hilbich
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 975–996, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-975-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-975-2022, 2022
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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 were 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.
David Mair, Ariel Henrique Do Prado, Philippos Garefalakis, Alessandro Lechmann, Alexander Whittaker, and Fritz Schlunegger
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 953–973, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-953-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-953-2022, 2022
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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 aircraft. However, uncertainty in grain size data from such image-based products is understudied. Here we present a new way of uncertainty estimation that includes fully modeled errors. We use this technique to assess the effect of several image acquisition aspects on grain size uncertainty.
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
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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
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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
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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.
Haojie Huang
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-714, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-714, 2022
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Straw checkerboard barriers (SCBs) have been widely used in the anti-desertification projects. However, research on mechanism and its laying length are still lacking. The significance of our work is to analyze some results which seemingly simple but lack of theoretical basis from the perspective of turbulence through this model, which may provide the theoretical support for the minimum laying length of SCBs in anti-desertification projects.
Thomas O. Hoffmann, Yannik Baulig, Stefan Vollmer, Jan Blöthe, and Peter Fiener
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-45, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-45, 2022
Revised manuscript under review for ESurf
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We analysed more than 440.000 measurements from the suspended sediment monitoring to show that suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in large rivers in Germany strongly decline by 50 % between 1990 and 2010. We argue that SSC achieves the natural back ground concentrations, due to reduced sediment supply. There is simple explanation for this decline, but effects of reduced supply from headwater streams are most likely the cause for declining SSC in large rivers.
Emma Lodes, Dirk Scherler, Renee van Dongen, and Hella Wittmann
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-619, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-619, 2022
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We investigate the effect of fractures on the location of hills and valleys in bedrock landscapes, by comparing erosion rates of unfractured bedrock versus soil. Unfractured bedrock erodes slower, and soil, which likely overlies fractured bedrock, erodes faster. We also find that streams generally follow the orientations of faults. Together, our data show that fractures influence landscapes by weakening bedrock, causing it to erode faster and to eventually form a valley where a stream may flow.
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
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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.
Ngai-Ham Chan, Moritz Langer, Bennet Juhls, Tabea Rettelbach, Paul Overduin, Kimberly Huppert, and Jean Braun
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-25, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-25, 2022
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
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Arctic river deltas influence how nutrients and soil organic carbon, carried by sediments from the Arctic landscape, are retained or released into the Arctic Ocean. Under climate change, the deltas themselves and their ecosystems are becoming more vulnerable. We build upon previous models to reproduce for the first time an important feature seen in all Arctic deltas, and simulate its future under a warming climate. This can impact the future of Arctic deltas and the carbon release they moderate.
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.
Sarah Betz-Nutz, Tobias Heckmann, Florian Haas, and Michael Becht
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-24, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-24, 2022
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
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The geomorphic activity of LIA-lateral moraines is of high interest due to its implications for the sediment fluxes and hazards within proglacial areas. We derived multitemporal DEMs from historical aerial images and recent drone images to investigate the morphodynamics on moraine slopes over time. We found that the highest erosion rates occur on the steepest moraine slopes, which stay active for decades, and that the slope angle explains morphodynamics better than the time since deglaciation.
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).
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.
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Short summary
We present in this mostly theoretical contribution a systematic treatment of tracer particle mixing in soils. We elaborate the consequences of rarefied (non-continuum) conditions of transport and mixing, and we augment this with numerical analyses that reveal important information not readily apparent in the analytical formulations, including an illustration of the variability in 10Be concentrations and OSL ages of individual particles in soils, with implications for interpreting field data.
We present in this mostly theoretical contribution a systematic treatment of tracer particle...
