Articles | Volume 8, issue 1
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 103–122, 2020
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-103-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 103–122, 2020
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-103-2020
© Author(s) 2020. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article 13 Feb 2020
Research article | 13 Feb 2020
Mass balance, grade, and adjustment timescales in bedrock channels
Jens Martin Turowski
Related authors
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Mitch K. D'Arcy, Taylor F. Schildgen, Jens M. Turowski, and Pedro DiNezio
Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 755–771, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-755-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-755-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The age of formation of sedimentary deposits is often interpreted to record information about past environmental changes. Here, we show that the timing of abandonment of surfaces also provides valuable information. We derive a new set of equations that can be used to estimate when a sedimentary surface was abandoned based on what is known about its activity from surface dating. Estimates of abandonment age can benefit a variety of geomorphic analyses, which we illustrate with a case study.
Odin Marc, Robert Behling, Christoff Andermann, Jens M. Turowski, Luc Illien, Sigrid Roessner, and Niels Hovius
Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 107–128, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-107-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-107-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We mapped eight monsoon-related (> 100 m2) and large (> 0.1 km2) landslides in the Nepal Himalayas since 1970. Adding inventories of Holocene landslides, giant landslides (> 1 km3), and landslides from the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, we constrain the size–frequency distribution of monsoon- and earthquake-induced landslides. Both contribute ~50 % to a long-term (> 10 kyr) total erosion of ~2 mm yr-1, matching the long-term exhumation rate. Large landslides rarer than 10Be sampling time drive erosion.
Anne Schöpa, Wei-An Chao, Bradley P. Lipovsky, Niels Hovius, Robert S. White, Robert G. Green, and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 467–485, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-467-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-467-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
On 21 July 2014, a voluminous landslide entered the caldera lake at Askja, Iceland, and created tsunami waves inundating famous tourist spots. The high hazard potential of the site motivated our study in which we analysed seismic data and found a precursory tremor signal intensifying in the 30 min before the landslide. Our paper shows the potential of seismic monitoring techniques to detect precursory activity before a big landslide that could be used for an early-warning system.
Jens Martin Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 29–48, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-29-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-29-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Bedrock channels are a key component of mountainous landscapes. Here, a new model of the steady-state morphology, including channel width, slope and sinuosity, is derived from process physics considerations. The model compares favourably to observed scaling relations.
Michael Dietze, Jens M. Turowski, Kristen L. Cook, and Niels Hovius
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 757–779, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-757-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-757-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Rockfall is an essential geomorphic process and a hazard in steep landscapes which is hard to constrain with traditional approaches. Seismic methods allow for the detection, location, characterisation and linking of events to triggers by lag times. This new technique reveals 49 rockfalls in 6 months with seasonally varying locations. Freeze–thaw action accounts for only 5 events, whereas 19 rockfalls were caused by rain with a 1 h peak lag time, and 17 events were due to diurnal thermal forcing.
Albrecht von Boetticher, Jens M. Turowski, Brian W. McArdell, Dieter Rickenmann, Marcel Hürlimann, Christian Scheidl, and James W. Kirchner
Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 3963–3978, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3963-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3963-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The open-source fluid dynamic solver presented in v. Boetticher et al. (2016) combines a Coulomb viscosplastic rheological model with a Herschel–Bulkley model based on material properties for 3-D debris flow simulations. Here, we validate the solver and illustrate the model sensitivity to water content, channel curvature, content of fine material and channel bed roughness. We simulate both laboratory-scale and large-scale debris-flow experiments, using only one of the two calibration parameters.
Michael Dietze, Solmaz Mohadjer, Jens M. Turowski, Todd A. Ehlers, and Niels Hovius
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 653–668, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-653-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-653-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We use a seismometer network to detect and locate rockfalls, a key process shaping steep mountain landscapes. When tested against laser scan surveys, all seismically detected events could be located with an average deviation of 81 m. Seismic monitoring provides insight to the dynamics of individual rockfalls, which can be as small as 0.0053 m3. Thus, seismic methods provide unprecedented temporal, spatial and kinematic details about this important process.
Antonius Golly and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 557–570, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-557-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-557-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Researchers of fluvial geomorphology require reliable information on channel width and its change in space and time. For example, to study bank erosion rates we need the local position of channel banks before and after a high flood event. Although deriving these metrics seems simple, researchers often use manual or arbitrary approaches that are not objective and reproducible. Here, we present an open-source software tool
cmgo(R package) that meets the requirements of academic research.
Fabian Walter, Arnaud Burtin, Brian W. McArdell, Niels Hovius, Bianca Weder, and Jens M. Turowski
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 939–955, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-939-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-939-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Debris flows are naturally occuring mass motion events, which mobilize loose material in steep Alpine torrents. The destructive potential of debris flows is well known and demands early warning. Here we apply the amplitude source location (ASL) method to seismic ground vibrations induced by a debris flow event in Switzerland. The method efficiently detects the initiation of the event and traces its front propagation down the torrent channel.
Jens M. Turowski and Rebecca Hodge
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 311–330, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-311-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-311-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Bedrock incision by rivers is driven by the impacts of sediment particles moved by the water flow. Sediment residing on the bed can protect the rock from impacts, thereby reducing erosion rates, a phenomenon known as the cover effect. The cover effect has been shown to be important in many field and laboratory experiments. Here, we develop a mathematical framework to describe the cover effect which can be used to compare data and to predict the extent of cover in streams.
Alexander R. Beer, James W. Kirchner, and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 885–894, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-885-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-885-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Spatial bedrock erosion data from stream channels are important for engineering issues and landscape evolution model assessment. However, acquiring such data is challenging and only few data sets exist. Detecting changes in repeated photographs of painted bedrock surfaces easily allows for semi-quantitative conclusions on the spatial distribution of sediment transport and its effects: abrasion on surfaces facing the streamflow and shielding of surfaces by abundant sediment.
Albrecht von Boetticher, Jens M. Turowski, Brian W. McArdell, Dieter Rickenmann, and James W. Kirchner
Geosci. Model Dev., 9, 2909–2923, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-2909-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-2909-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Debris flows are characterized by unsteady flows of water with different content of clay, silt, sand, gravel, and large particles, resulting in a dense moving mixture mass. Here we present a three-dimensional fluid dynamic solver that simulates the flow as a mixture of a pressure-dependent rheology model of the gravel mixed with a Herschel–Bulkley rheology of the fine material suspension. We link rheological parameters to the material composition. The user must specify two free model parameters.
Arnaud Burtin, Niels Hovius, and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 285–307, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-285-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-285-2016, 2016
A. von Boetticher, J. M. Turowski, B. W. McArdell, D. Rickenmann, M. Hürlimann, C. Scheidl, and J. W. Kirchner
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmdd-8-6379-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmdd-8-6379-2015, 2015
Preprint withdrawn
M. Jochner, J. M. Turowski, A. Badoux, M. Stoffel, and C. Rickli
Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 311–320, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-311-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-311-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The export of coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) from mountain catchments seems to be strongly linked to rising discharge, but the mechanism leading to this is unclear. We show that log jams in a steep headwater stream are an effective barrier for CPOM export. Exceptional discharge events play a dual role: First, they destroy existing jams, releasing stored material. Second, they intensify channel--hillslope coupling, thereby recruiting logs to the channel, around which new jams can form.
A. R. Beer and J. M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 291–309, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-291-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-291-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We applied a spatiotemporally highly resolved dataset of discharge, sediment transport and bedrock erosion data to assess the validity of landscape evolution models at the process scale (resolution of square meters and minutes). The tools effect is found to be the dominant driver of erosion and an easy model is able to predict measured erosion. For larger scales common discharge-dependend modeling with a discharge threshold is adequate to regive the overal trend of the erosion signal.
A. Burtin, N. Hovius, B. W. McArdell, J. M. Turowski, and J. Vergne
Earth Surf. Dynam., 2, 21–33, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-21-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-21-2014, 2014
J. M. Turowski, A. Badoux, K. Bunte, C. Rickli, N. Federspiel, and M. Jochner
Earth Surf. Dynam., 1, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-1-1-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-1-1-2013, 2013
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Mitch K. D'Arcy, Taylor F. Schildgen, Jens M. Turowski, and Pedro DiNezio
Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 755–771, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-755-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-755-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The age of formation of sedimentary deposits is often interpreted to record information about past environmental changes. Here, we show that the timing of abandonment of surfaces also provides valuable information. We derive a new set of equations that can be used to estimate when a sedimentary surface was abandoned based on what is known about its activity from surface dating. Estimates of abandonment age can benefit a variety of geomorphic analyses, which we illustrate with a case study.
Odin Marc, Robert Behling, Christoff Andermann, Jens M. Turowski, Luc Illien, Sigrid Roessner, and Niels Hovius
Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 107–128, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-107-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-107-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We mapped eight monsoon-related (> 100 m2) and large (> 0.1 km2) landslides in the Nepal Himalayas since 1970. Adding inventories of Holocene landslides, giant landslides (> 1 km3), and landslides from the 2015 Gorkha earthquake, we constrain the size–frequency distribution of monsoon- and earthquake-induced landslides. Both contribute ~50 % to a long-term (> 10 kyr) total erosion of ~2 mm yr-1, matching the long-term exhumation rate. Large landslides rarer than 10Be sampling time drive erosion.
Anne Schöpa, Wei-An Chao, Bradley P. Lipovsky, Niels Hovius, Robert S. White, Robert G. Green, and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 467–485, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-467-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-467-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
On 21 July 2014, a voluminous landslide entered the caldera lake at Askja, Iceland, and created tsunami waves inundating famous tourist spots. The high hazard potential of the site motivated our study in which we analysed seismic data and found a precursory tremor signal intensifying in the 30 min before the landslide. Our paper shows the potential of seismic monitoring techniques to detect precursory activity before a big landslide that could be used for an early-warning system.
Jens Martin Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 29–48, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-29-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-29-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Bedrock channels are a key component of mountainous landscapes. Here, a new model of the steady-state morphology, including channel width, slope and sinuosity, is derived from process physics considerations. The model compares favourably to observed scaling relations.
Michael Dietze, Jens M. Turowski, Kristen L. Cook, and Niels Hovius
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 757–779, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-757-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-757-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Rockfall is an essential geomorphic process and a hazard in steep landscapes which is hard to constrain with traditional approaches. Seismic methods allow for the detection, location, characterisation and linking of events to triggers by lag times. This new technique reveals 49 rockfalls in 6 months with seasonally varying locations. Freeze–thaw action accounts for only 5 events, whereas 19 rockfalls were caused by rain with a 1 h peak lag time, and 17 events were due to diurnal thermal forcing.
Albrecht von Boetticher, Jens M. Turowski, Brian W. McArdell, Dieter Rickenmann, Marcel Hürlimann, Christian Scheidl, and James W. Kirchner
Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 3963–3978, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3963-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-3963-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
The open-source fluid dynamic solver presented in v. Boetticher et al. (2016) combines a Coulomb viscosplastic rheological model with a Herschel–Bulkley model based on material properties for 3-D debris flow simulations. Here, we validate the solver and illustrate the model sensitivity to water content, channel curvature, content of fine material and channel bed roughness. We simulate both laboratory-scale and large-scale debris-flow experiments, using only one of the two calibration parameters.
Michael Dietze, Solmaz Mohadjer, Jens M. Turowski, Todd A. Ehlers, and Niels Hovius
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 653–668, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-653-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-653-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We use a seismometer network to detect and locate rockfalls, a key process shaping steep mountain landscapes. When tested against laser scan surveys, all seismically detected events could be located with an average deviation of 81 m. Seismic monitoring provides insight to the dynamics of individual rockfalls, which can be as small as 0.0053 m3. Thus, seismic methods provide unprecedented temporal, spatial and kinematic details about this important process.
Antonius Golly and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 557–570, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-557-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-557-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Researchers of fluvial geomorphology require reliable information on channel width and its change in space and time. For example, to study bank erosion rates we need the local position of channel banks before and after a high flood event. Although deriving these metrics seems simple, researchers often use manual or arbitrary approaches that are not objective and reproducible. Here, we present an open-source software tool
cmgo(R package) that meets the requirements of academic research.
Fabian Walter, Arnaud Burtin, Brian W. McArdell, Niels Hovius, Bianca Weder, and Jens M. Turowski
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 939–955, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-939-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-17-939-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Debris flows are naturally occuring mass motion events, which mobilize loose material in steep Alpine torrents. The destructive potential of debris flows is well known and demands early warning. Here we apply the amplitude source location (ASL) method to seismic ground vibrations induced by a debris flow event in Switzerland. The method efficiently detects the initiation of the event and traces its front propagation down the torrent channel.
Jens M. Turowski and Rebecca Hodge
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 311–330, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-311-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-311-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Bedrock incision by rivers is driven by the impacts of sediment particles moved by the water flow. Sediment residing on the bed can protect the rock from impacts, thereby reducing erosion rates, a phenomenon known as the cover effect. The cover effect has been shown to be important in many field and laboratory experiments. Here, we develop a mathematical framework to describe the cover effect which can be used to compare data and to predict the extent of cover in streams.
Alexander R. Beer, James W. Kirchner, and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 885–894, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-885-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-885-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Spatial bedrock erosion data from stream channels are important for engineering issues and landscape evolution model assessment. However, acquiring such data is challenging and only few data sets exist. Detecting changes in repeated photographs of painted bedrock surfaces easily allows for semi-quantitative conclusions on the spatial distribution of sediment transport and its effects: abrasion on surfaces facing the streamflow and shielding of surfaces by abundant sediment.
Albrecht von Boetticher, Jens M. Turowski, Brian W. McArdell, Dieter Rickenmann, and James W. Kirchner
Geosci. Model Dev., 9, 2909–2923, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-2909-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-9-2909-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Debris flows are characterized by unsteady flows of water with different content of clay, silt, sand, gravel, and large particles, resulting in a dense moving mixture mass. Here we present a three-dimensional fluid dynamic solver that simulates the flow as a mixture of a pressure-dependent rheology model of the gravel mixed with a Herschel–Bulkley rheology of the fine material suspension. We link rheological parameters to the material composition. The user must specify two free model parameters.
Arnaud Burtin, Niels Hovius, and Jens M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 285–307, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-285-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-285-2016, 2016
A. von Boetticher, J. M. Turowski, B. W. McArdell, D. Rickenmann, M. Hürlimann, C. Scheidl, and J. W. Kirchner
Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/gmdd-8-6379-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmdd-8-6379-2015, 2015
Preprint withdrawn
M. Jochner, J. M. Turowski, A. Badoux, M. Stoffel, and C. Rickli
Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 311–320, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-311-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-311-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The export of coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) from mountain catchments seems to be strongly linked to rising discharge, but the mechanism leading to this is unclear. We show that log jams in a steep headwater stream are an effective barrier for CPOM export. Exceptional discharge events play a dual role: First, they destroy existing jams, releasing stored material. Second, they intensify channel--hillslope coupling, thereby recruiting logs to the channel, around which new jams can form.
A. R. Beer and J. M. Turowski
Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 291–309, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-291-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-291-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
We applied a spatiotemporally highly resolved dataset of discharge, sediment transport and bedrock erosion data to assess the validity of landscape evolution models at the process scale (resolution of square meters and minutes). The tools effect is found to be the dominant driver of erosion and an easy model is able to predict measured erosion. For larger scales common discharge-dependend modeling with a discharge threshold is adequate to regive the overal trend of the erosion signal.
A. Burtin, N. Hovius, B. W. McArdell, J. M. Turowski, and J. Vergne
Earth Surf. Dynam., 2, 21–33, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-21-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2-21-2014, 2014
J. M. Turowski, A. Badoux, K. Bunte, C. Rickli, N. Federspiel, and M. Jochner
Earth Surf. Dynam., 1, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-1-1-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-1-1-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Physical: Geomorphology (including all aspects of fluvial, coastal, aeolian, hillslope and glacial geomorphology)
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
Stochastic alluvial fan and terrace formation triggered by a high-magnitude Holocene landslide in the Klados Gorge, Crete
Controls on the rates and products of particle attrition by bed-load collisions
Bedrock river erosion through dipping layered rocks: quantifying erodibility through kinematic wave speed
Particle energy partitioning and transverse diffusion during rarefied travel on an experimental hillslope
Short communication: Runout of rock avalanches limited by basal friction but controlled by fragmentation
Rarefied particle motions on hillslopes – Part 1: Theory
Rarefied particle motions on hillslopes – Part 2: Analysis
Rarefied particle motions on hillslopes – Part 3: Entropy
Rarefied particle motions on hillslopes – Part 4: Philosophy
Implications of the ongoing rock uplift in NW Himalayan interiors
Interactions between deforestation, landscape rejuvenation, and shallow landslides in the North Tanganyika–Kivu rift region, Africa
Relevance of acoustic methods to quantify bedload transport and bedform dynamics in a large sandy-gravel-bed river
Earthquake-induced debris flows at Popocatépetl Volcano, Mexico
Sand mining far outpaces natural supply in a large alluvial river
Controls on the hydraulic geometry of alluvial channels: bank stability to gravitational failure, the critical-flow hypothesis, and conservation of mass and energy
Genesis and propagation of exogenous sediment pulses in mountain channels: insights from flume experiments with seismic monitoring
Effect of stress history on sediment transport and channel adjustment in graded gravel-bed rivers
Hack distributions of rill networks and nonlinear slope length–soil loss relationships
Development of smart boulders to monitor mass movements via the Internet of Things: a pilot study in Nepal
Laboratory observations on meltwater meandering rivulets on ice
Quantifying thresholds of barrier geomorphic change in a cross-shore sediment-partitioning model
The enigma of relict large sorted stone stripes in the tropical Ethiopian Highlands
Growing topography due to contrasting rock types in a tectonically dead landscape
How do modeling choices and erosion zone locations impact the representation of connectivity and the dynamics of suspended sediments in a multi-source soil erosion model?
Sediment shell-content diminishes current-driven sand ripple development and migration
Different coastal marsh sites reflect similar topographic conditions under which bare patches and vegetation recovery occur
Coupling threshold theory and satellite-derived channel width to estimate the formative discharge of Himalayan foreland rivers
Inertial drag and lift forces for coarse grains on rough alluvial beds measured using in-grain accelerometers
GERALDINE (Google Earth Engine supRaglAciaL Debris INput dEtector): a new tool for identifying and monitoring supraglacial landslide inputs
Short communication: Multiscalar roughness length decomposition in fluvial systems using a transform-roughness correlation (TRC) approach
Evolution of events before and after the 17 June 2017 rock avalanche at Karrat Fjord, West Greenland – a multidisciplinary approach to detecting and locating unstable rock slopes in a remote Arctic area
Complementing scale experiments of rivers and estuaries with numerically modelled hydrodynamics
Characterization of morphological units in a small, forested stream using close-range remotely piloted aircraft imagery
Topographic controls on divide migration, stream capture, and diversification in riverine life
Ice sheet and palaeoclimate controls on drainage network evolution: an example from Dogger Bank, North Sea
Experimental study of sediment supply control on step formation, evolution, and stability
A bed load transport equation based on the spatial distribution of shear stress – Oak Creek revisited
Morphometric properties of alternate bars and water discharge: a laboratory investigation
Timing of exotic, far-traveled boulder emplacement and paleo-outburst flooding in the central Himalayas
A 6-year lidar survey reveals enhanced rockwall retreat and modified rockfall magnitudes/frequencies in deglaciating cirques
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Elena T. Bruni, Richard F. Ott, Vincenzo Picotti, Negar Haghipour, Karl W. Wegmann, and Sean F. Gallen
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 771–793, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-771-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-771-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The Klados River catchment contains seemingly overlarge, well-preserved alluvial terraces and fans. Unlike previous studies, we argue that the deposits formed in the Holocene based on their position relative to a paleoshoreline uplifted in 365 CE and seven radiocarbon dates. We also find that constant sediment supply from high-lying landslide deposits disconnected the valley from regional tectonics and climate controls, which resulted in fan and terrace formation guided by stochastic events.
Kimberly Litwin Miller and Douglas Jerolmack
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 755–770, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-755-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-755-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We conducted experiments to investigate the mechanics of sediment attrition due to collisions with the channel bed during downstream transport. During this process, the grains become rounder and smaller, changing the overall distribution of sediment in the river. In this work we examine how material properties play a role in the breakdown of sediment due to energetic collisions and the fine particles that are produced when chipped off of larger grains.
Nate A. Mitchell and Brian J. Yanites
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 723–753, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-723-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-723-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
A landscape's appearance reflects the properties of the underlying bedrock. For example, strong bedrock can lead to steep slopes. Recent work has shown, however, that in areas with mixed rock types the stronger bedrock can have lower slopes. In this study, we use numerical models of bedrock river erosion to show why this change in behavior occurs. We also present a new approach for estimating bedrock erodibility. This new approach can allow for new opportunities in the field of geomorphology.
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.
Øystein T. Haug, Matthias Rosenau, Michael Rudolf, Karen Leever, and Onno Oncken
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 665–672, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-665-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-665-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The runout of rock avalanches scales with their volume but also shows a considerable variation for avalanches with similar volumes. Here we show that besides size-dependent weakening mechanisms, fragmentation can account for the observed variability in runout. We use laboratory-scale experimental avalanches to simulate and analyse the role of fragmentation. We find that fragmentation consumes energy but also increases avalanche mobility. It does so systematically and predictably.
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.
Saptarshi Dey, Rasmus C. Thiede, Arindam Biswas, Naveen Chauhan, Pritha Chakravarti, and Vikrant Jain
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 463–485, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-463-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-463-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Ongoing deformation of the Himalaya is not constrained to its southern extremity. With morphometric analysis using a high-resolution digital elevation model, satellite image analysis, luminescence chronology of fluvial terraces and field observations, we identify a zone of rapid rock uplift in the interior of the Kashmir Himalaya. Our results suggest active tectonic and structural control on the growth of topography in the Himalayan interiors over multi-millennial timescales.
Arthur Depicker, Gerard Govers, Liesbet Jacobs, Benjamin Campforts, Judith Uwihirwe, and Olivier Dewitte
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 445–462, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-445-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-445-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated how shallow landslide occurrence is impacted by deforestation and rifting in the North Tanganyika–Kivu rift region (Africa). We developed a new approach to calculate landslide erosion rates based on an inventory compiled in biased © Google Earth imagery. We find that deforestation increases landslide erosion by a factor of 2–8 and for a period of roughly 15 years. However, the exact impact of deforestation depends on the geomorphic context of the landscape (rejuvenated/relict).
Jules Le Guern, Stéphane Rodrigues, Thomas Geay, Sébastien Zanker, Alexandre Hauet, Pablo Tassi, Nicolas Claude, Philippe Jugé, Antoine Duperray, and Louis Vervynck
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 423–444, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-423-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-423-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Despite the inherent difficulties in quantifying its value, sediment transport is essential to understanding fluvial systems. This study tries to improve the measurement by comparing several methods. Acoustic methods are compared to direct measurements with samplers. The hydrophone is well adapted to quantify sediment transport in mountain streams, but this study shows the potential and the efficiency of this device in large lowland rivers.
Velio Coviello, Lucia Capra, Gianluca Norini, Norma Dávila, Dolors Ferrés, Víctor Hugo Márquez-Ramírez, and Eduard Pico
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 393–412, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-393-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-393-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The Puebla–Morelos earthquake (19 September 2017) was the most damaging event in central Mexico since 1985. The seismic shaking produced hundreds of shallow landslides on the slopes of Popocatépetl Volcano. The larger landslides transformed into large debris flows that travelled for kilometers. We describe this exceptional mass wasting cascade and its predisposing factors, which have important implications for both the evolution of the volcanic edifice and hazard assessment.
Christopher Hackney, Grigorios Vasilopoulos, Sokchhay Heng, Vasudha Darbari, Samuel Walker, and Daniel Parsons
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-39, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-39, 2021
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Jon D. Pelletier
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 379–391, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-379-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-379-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The sizes and shapes of alluvial channels vary in a systematic way with the water flow they convey during large floods. It is demonstrated that the depth of alluvial channels is controlled by the resistance of channel bank material to slumping, which in turn is controlled by clay content. Deeper channels have faster water flow in a manner controlled by the critical hydraulic state to which channels tend to evolve. Channel width and slope can be further quantified using conservation principles.
Marco Piantini, Florent Gimbert, Hervé Bellot, and Alain Recking
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-28, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-28, 2021
Revised manuscript under review for ESurf
Short summary
Short summary
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 pulses’ transport characteristics.
Chenge An, Marwan A. Hassan, Carles Ferrer-Boix, and Xudong Fu
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 333–350, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-333-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-333-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Mountain rivers are characterized by fluctuations of water flow, including both flood and inter-flood low flow. Recently, increasing attention has been paid to how inter-flood low flow affects the sediment transport in subsequent floods. Here we present a series of flume experiments. Results show that the existence of inter-flood low flow can reduce the sediment transport at the beginning of the subsequent flood. However, such an effect is gradually erased with the increase of flow intensity.
Tyler H. Doane, Jon D. Pelletier, and Mary H. Nichols
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 317–331, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-317-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-317-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This paper explores how the geometry of rill networks contributes to observed nonlinear relationships between soil loss and hillslope length. This work develops probability functions of geometrical quantities of the networks and then extends the theory to hydraulic variables by relying on well-known relationships. Theory is complemented by numerical modeling on numerical and natural surfaces. Results suggest that the particular arrangement of rill networks contributes to nonlinear relationships.
Benedetta Dini, Georgina L. Bennett, Aldina M. A. Franco, Michael R. Z. Whitworth, Kristen L. Cook, Andreas Senn, and John M. Reynolds
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 295–315, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-295-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-295-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We use long-range smart sensors connected to a network based on the Internet of Things to explore the possibility of detecting hazardous boulder movements in real time. Prior to the 2019 monsoon season we inserted the devices in 23 boulders spread over debris flow channels and a landslide in northeastern Nepal. The data obtained in this pilot study show the potential of this technology to be used in remote hazard-prone areas in future early warning systems.
Roberto Fernández and Gary Parker
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 253–269, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-253-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-253-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
We present a set of observations from laboratory experiments on meltwater meandering rivulets on ice and compare them (qualitatively and quantitatively) to patterns commonly found in meandering channels flowing over different materials. Our channels display great similarities with real rivers in spite of being much smaller. Higher temperature differences between water and ice create deeper and less sinuous channels with bends that preferentially point downstream and are not as rounded.
Daniel J. Ciarletta, Jennifer L. Miselis, Justin L. Shawler, and Christopher J. Hein
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 183–203, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-183-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-183-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
The world's sandy coastlines are increasingly altered by humans and
sea-level rise, yet quantitative relationships between coastal landscapes and sediment availability remain poorly described. Using a novel modeling framework, we explore the evolution of coastal barrier islands under varying rates of sea-level rise and sediment availability. Our model results suggest that as sea levels increase, minor changes in sediment availability could result in rapid changes to barrier coasts.
Alexander R. Groos, Janik Niederhauser, Luise Wraase, Falk Hänsel, Thomas Nauss, Naki Akçar, and Heinz Veit
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 145–166, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-145-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-145-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Large sorted stone stripes have been discovered on the 4000 m high central Sanetti Plateau of the tropical Bale Mountains in Ethiopia. The stripes are a mystery as similar landforms have so far only been reported in the temperate zone and polar regions. Our investigations suggest that the stripes formed in the vicinity of a former ice cap on the plateau during a much colder climatic period. The distinct pattern is the result of a process related to cyclic freezing and thawing of the ground.
Daniel Peifer, Cristina Persano, Martin D. Hurst, Paul Bishop, and Derek Fabel
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 167–181, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-167-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-167-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Plate tectonics drive the formation of mountain ranges. Yet when tectonic forces cease, mountain ranges persist for hundreds of millions of years, forming major Earth surface features. This work presents denudation rate estimates from one such ancient mountain range that show that denudation is strongly tied to rock type. Resistant rocks denude more slowly despite having much steeper topography, and contrasts in rock type cause increasing relief in the absence of active tectonics.
Magdalena Uber, Guillaume Nord, Cédric Legout, and Luis Cea
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 123–144, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-123-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-123-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding soil erosion and suspended sediment transport is an important issue in terms of soil and water resources management. This study analyzes the impact of choices made during numerical model setup on the modeled suspended sediment dynamics at the outlet of two mesoscale watersheds. While the modeled liquid and solid discharges were found to be sensitive to these choices, the actual location of sediment sources in each catchment was the most important feature.
Chiu H. Cheng, Jaco C. de Smit, Greg S. Fivash, Suzanne J. M. H. Hulscher, Bas W. Borsje, and Karline Soetaert
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-13, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2021-13, 2021
Revised manuscript accepted for ESurf
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Chen Wang, Lennert Schepers, Matthew L. Kirwan, Enrica Belluco, Andrea D'Alpaos, Qiao Wang, Shoujing Yin, and Stijn Temmerman
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 71–88, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-71-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-71-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Coastal marshes are valuable natural habitats with normally dense vegetation. The presence of bare patches is a symptom of habitat degradation. We found that the occurrence of bare patches and regrowth of vegetation is related to spatial variations in soil surface elevation and to the distance and connectivity to tidal creeks. These relations are similar in three marshes at very different geographical locations. Our results may help nature managers to conserve and restore coastal marshes.
Kumar Gaurav, François Métivier, A V Sreejith, Rajiv Sinha, Amit Kumar, and Sampat Kumar Tandon
Earth Surf. Dynam., 9, 47–70, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-47-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-9-47-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
This study demonstrates an innovative methodology to estimate the formative discharge of alluvial rivers from remote sensing images. We have developed an automated algorithm in Python 3 to extract the width of a river channel from satellite images. Finally, this channel width is translated into discharge using a semi-empirical regime equation developed from field measurements and threshold channel theory that explains the first-order geometry of alluvial channels.
Georgios Maniatis, Trevor Hoey, Rebecca Hodge, Dieter Rickenmann, and Alexandre Badoux
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 1067–1099, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1067-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1067-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
One of the most interesting problems in geomorphology concerns the conditions that mobilise sediments grains in rivers. Newly developed
smartpebbles allow for the measurement of those conditions directly if a suitable framework for analysis is followed. This paper connects such a framework with the physics used to described sediment motion and presents a series of laboratory and field smart-pebble deployments. Those quantify how grain shape affects the motion of coarse sediments in rivers.
William D. Smith, Stuart A. Dunning, Stephen Brough, Neil Ross, and Jon Telling
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 1053–1065, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1053-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1053-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Glacial landslides are difficult to detect and likely underestimated due to rapid covering or dispersal. Without improved detection rates we cannot constrain their impact on glacial dynamics or their potential climatically driven increases in occurrence. Here we present a new open-access tool (GERALDINE) that helps a user detect 92 % of these events over the past 38 years on a global scale. We demonstrate its ability by identifying two new, large glacial landslides in the Hayes Range, Alaska.
David L. Adams and Andrea Zampiron
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 1039–1051, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1039-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1039-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents a novel method of estimating the relative contribution of different physical scales of river bed topography to the total roughness length, based on thalweg elevation profiles. By providing more detailed information regarding the interaction between surface topography and fluid dynamics, the proposed technique may contribute to advances in hydraulics, channel morphodynamics, and bedload transport. Also, it may provide alternatives to existing representative roughness metrics.
Kristian Svennevig, Trine Dahl-Jensen, Marie Keiding, John Peter Merryman Boncori, Tine B. Larsen, Sara Salehi, Anne Munck Solgaard, and Peter H. Voss
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 1021–1038, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1021-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-1021-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The 17 June 2017 Karrat landslide in Greenland caused a tsunami that killed four people. We apply a multidisciplinary workflow to reconstruct a timeline of events and find that three historic landslides occurred in 2009, 2016, and 2017. We also find evidence of much older periods of landslide activity. Three newly discovered active slopes might pose a future hazard. We speculate that the trigger for the recent events is melting permafrost due to a warming climate.
Steven A. H. Weisscher, Marcio Boechat-Albernaz, Jasper R. F. W. Leuven, Wout M. Van Dijk, Yasuyuki Shimizu, and Maarten G. Kleinhans
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 955–972, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-955-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-955-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Accurate and continuous data collection is challenging in physical scale experiments. A novel means to augment measurements is to numerically model flow over the experimental digital elevation maps. We tested this modelling approach for one tidal and two river scale experiments and showed that modelled water depth and flow velocity closely resemble the measurements. The implication is that conducting experiments requires fewer measurements and results in flow data of better overall quality.
Carina Helm, Marwan A. Hassan, and David Reid
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 913–929, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-913-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-913-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Forested, gravel-bed streams possess complex channel morphologies which are difficult to objectively characterize. This paper describes a novel technique using a remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) to characterize these systems below the forest canopy. The results demonstrate the accuracy and coverage of RPAs for objectively characterizing and classifying these systems relative to more traditional, time-consuming techniques that are generally used in these environments.
Nathan J. Lyons, Pedro Val, James S. Albert, Jane K. Willenbring, and Nicole M. Gasparini
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 893–912, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-893-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-893-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Organisms evolve in ever-changing environments under complex process interactions. We applied a new software modelling tool to assess how changes in river course impact the evolution of riverine species. Models illustrate the climatically and tectonically forced landscape changes that can drive riverine biodiversity, especially where topographic relief is low. This research demonstrates that river course changes can contribute to the high riverine biodiversity found in real-world lowland basins.
Andy R. Emery, David M. Hodgson, Natasha L. M. Barlow, Jonathan L. Carrivick, Carol J. Cotterill, Janet C. Richardson, Ruza F. Ivanovic, and Claire L. Mellett
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 869–891, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-869-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-869-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
During the last ice age, sea level was lower, and the North Sea was land. The margin of a large ice sheet was at Dogger Bank in the North Sea. This ice sheet formed large rivers. After the ice sheet retreated down from the high point of Dogger Bank, the rivers had no water supply and dried out. Increased precipitation during the 15 000 years of land exposure at Dogger Bank formed a new drainage network. This study shows how glaciation and climate changes can control how drainage networks evolve.
Matteo Saletti and Marwan A. Hassan
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 855–868, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-855-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-855-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Mountain streams often display a stepped morphology but the conditions under which these steps form, remain stable, and eventually collapse are still not entirely clear. We run flume experiments to study how (a) the amount of sediment input and (b) channel width variations affect step dynamics in steep channels. Steps form preferentially in areas of flow convergence (channel narrowing) and their frequency is higher when sediment supply is larger than zero but smaller than the transport capacity.
Angel Monsalve, Catalina Segura, Nicole Hucke, and Scott Katz
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 825–839, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-825-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-825-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Part of the inaccuracies when estimating bed load transport in
gravel-bed rivers is because we are not considering the wide distributions of shear stress in these systems. We modified a subsurface-based bed load transport equation to include these distributions. By doing so, our approach accurately predicts bed load transport rates when the pavement layer is still present, while the original one predicts zero transport. For high flows, our method had similar performance to the original equation.
Marco Redolfi, Matilde Welber, Mattia Carlin, Marco Tubino, and Walter Bertoldi
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 789–808, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-789-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-789-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Alternate bars are large sediment deposits that tend to naturally form in rivers when the channel width is sufficiently large. Our laboratory experiments on a scaled model reveal that equilibrium properties of self-formed alternate bars highly depend on the water discharge with respect to the relevant theoretical thresholds. This work provides fundamental information for predicting the response of rivers to natural or human alterations of the flow regime.
Marius L. Huber, Maarten Lupker, Sean F. Gallen, Marcus Christl, and Ananta P. Gajurel
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 769–787, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-769-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-769-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Large boulders found in two Himalayan valleys show signs of long fluvial transport (>10 km). Paleo-discharges required to mobilize these boulders exceed typical monsoon discharges. Exposure dating shows that a cluster of these boulders was emplaced ca. 5 kyr ago. This period is coeval with a weakening of the Indian monsoon and glacier retreat in the area. We, therefore, suggest that glacier lake outburst floods are likely mechanisms that can explain these exceptional transport processes.
Ingo Hartmeyer, Markus Keuschnig, Robert Delleske, Michael Krautblatter, Andreas Lang, Lothar Schrott, Günther Prasicek, and Jan-Christoph Otto
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 753–768, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-753-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-753-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Rockfall size and frequency in two deglaciating cirques in the Central Alps, Austria, is analysed based on 6-year rockwall monitoring with terrestrial lidar (2011–2017). The erosion rates derived from this dataset are very high due to a frequent occurrence of large rockfalls in freshly deglaciated areas. The results obtained are important for rockfall hazard assessments, as, in rockwalls affected by glacier retreat, historical rockfall patterns are not good predictors of future events.
Cited articles
Abbot, J. E. and Francis, J. R. D.: Saltation and suspension trajectories of solid grains in a water stream, Philos. Trans. A, 284, 225–254, 1977.
An, C., Moodie, A. J., Ma, H., Fu, X., Zhang, Y., Naito, K., and Parker, G.:
Morphodynamic model of the lower Yellow River: flux or entrainment form for
sediment mass conservation?, Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 989–1010,
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-989-2018, 2018.
Auel, C., Albayrak, I., Sumi, T., and Boes, R. M.: Sediment transport in
high-speed flows over a fixed bed: 1. Particle dynamics, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 42, 1365–1383, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4128, 2017a.
Auel, C., Albayrak, I., Sumi, T., and Boes, R. M.: Sediment transport in
high-speed flows over a fixed bed: 2. Particle impacts and abrasion prediction, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 42, 1384–1396,
https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4132, 2017b.
Beer, A. R. and Turowski, J. M.: Bedload transport controls bedrock erosion
under sediment-starved conditions, Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 291–309,
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-291-2015, 2015.
Beer, A. R., Kirchner, J. W., and Turowski, J. M.: Graffiti for science –
erosion painting reveals spatially variable erosivity of sediment-laden
flows, Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 885–894, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-885-2016, 2016.
Beer, A. R., Turowski, J. M., and Kirchner, J. W.: Spatial patterns of
erosion in a bedrock gorge, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 122, 191–214,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2016JF003850, 2017.
Blom, A., Chavarrías, V., and Viparelli, E: The graded alluvial river:
Profile concavity and downstream fining, Geophys. Res. Lett., 43, 6285–6293,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2016GL068898, 2017.
Braun, J., Voisin, C., Gourlan, A. T., and Chauvel, C.: Erosional response of an actively uplifting mountain belt to cyclic rainfall variations, Earth Surf. Dynam., 3, 1–14, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-3-1-2015, 2015.
Bunte, K., Potyondy, J. P., Abt, S. R., and Swingle, K. W.: Path of gravel
movement in a coarse stream channel, in: Proceedings of the Eighth Federal
Interagency Sedimentation Conference (8thFISC), Reno, NV, USA, 162–170, 2006.
Charru, F., Mouilleron, H., and Eiff, O.: Erosion and deposition of particles on a bed sheared by a viscous flow, J. Fluid Mech., 519, 55–80,
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0022112004001028, 2004.
Chatanantavet, P. and Parker, G.: Experimental study of bedrock channel
alluviation under varied sediment supply and hydraulic conditions, Water Resour. Res., 44, W12446, https://doi.org/10.1029/2007WR006581, 2008.
Chatanantavet, P., Whipple, K. X., Adams, M. A., and Lamb, M. P.: Experimental study on coarse grain saltation dynamics in bedrock channels,
J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 118, 1–16, https://doi.org/10.1002/jgrf.20053, 2013.
Chen, A., Darbon, J., and Morel, J.-M.: Landscape evolution models: A review
of their fundamental equations, Geomorphology, 219, 68–86,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2014.04.037, 2014.
Church, M.: Bed material transport and the morphology of alluvial river
channels, Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci., 34, 325–354,
https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.earth.33.092203.122721, 2006.
Cook, K. L., Turowski, J. M., and Hovius, N.: A demonstration of the importance of bedload transport for fluvial bedrock erosion and knickpoint
propagation, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 38, 683–695, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3313, 2013.
Cook, K. L., Turowski, J. M., and Hovius, N.: River gorge eradication by
downstream sweep erosion, Nat. Geosci., 7, 682–686, https://doi.org/10.1038/ngeo2224, 2014.
Davy, P. and Lague, D.: Fluvial erosion/transport equation of landscape
evolution models revisited, J. Geophys. Res., 114, F03007,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JF001146, 2009.
Duckson, D. W. and Duckson, L. J.: Morphology of bedrock step pool systems,
Water Resour. Bull., 31, 43–51, https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1752-1688.1995.tb03362.x, 1995.
Eaton, B. C. and Church M.: A graded stream response relation for bed
load–dominated streams, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 109, 2156–2202, https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JF000062, 2004.
Ferguson, R.: Flow resistance equations for gravel- and boulder-bed streams,
Water Resour. Res., 43, W05427, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006WR005422, 2007.
Fernández, R., Parker, G., and Stark, C. P.: Experiments on patterns of alluvial cover and bedrock erosion in a meandering channel, Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 949–968, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-949-2019, 2019.
Fuller, T. K., Gran, K. B., Sklar, L. S., and Paola, C.: Lateral erosion in
an experimental bedrock channel: The influence of bed roughness on erosion by bed load impacts, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 121, 1084–1105, https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JF003728, 2016.
Gilbert, G. K.: Land sculpture, in: Geology of the Henry Mountains, Utah,
edited by: Hunt, C. B., Geological Society of America 167, The Geological Society of America, Boulder, CO, 99–150, 1877.
Gleason, C. J.: Hydraulic geometry of natural rivers: A review and future
directions, Prog. Phys. Geogr., 39, 337–360, https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133314567584, 2015.
Hodge, R. A. and Hoey, T. B.: Upscaling from grain-scale processes to alluviation in bedrock channels using a cellular automaton model, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 117, F01017, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JF002145, 2012.
Hovius, N. and Stark, C. P.: Landslide-driven erosion and topographic evolution of active mountain belts, in: Landslides from Massive Rock Slope Failure, NATO Science Series IV Earth and Environmental Sciences 49, edited by: Evans, S. G., Mugnozza, G. S., Strom, A., and Hermanns, R. L., Springer, Dordrecht, 573–590, https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4020-4037-5_30, 2006.
Howard, A. D.: A detachment-limited model of drainage basin evolution, Water
Resour. Res., 30, 2261–2285, https://doi.org/10.1029/94WR00757, 1994.
Inoue, T., Izumi, N., Shimizu, Y., and Parker, G.: Interaction among alluvial cover, bed roughness, and incision rate in purely bedrock and alluvial-bedrock channel, J. Geophys. Res., 119, 2123–2146,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JF003133, 2014.
Inoue, T., Iwasaki, T., Parker, G., Shimizu, Y., Izumi, N., Stark, C. P., and Funaki, J.: Numerical simulation of effects of sediment supply on bedrock channel morphology, J. Hydraul. Eng., 142, 04016014, https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)HY.1943-7900.0001124, 2016.
Johnson, J. P. L. and Whipple, K. X.: Evaluating the controls on shear stress, sediment supply, alluvial cover, and channel morphology on experimental bedrock incision rate, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 115, F02018, https://doi.org/10.1029/2009JF001335, 2010.
Johnson, J. P. L., Whipple, K. X., and Sklar, L. S.: Contrasting bedrock
incision rates from snowmelt and flash floods in the Henry Mountains, Utah,
Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 122, 1600–1615, https://doi.org/10.1130/B30126.1, 2010.
Kelly, S.: Scaling and hierarchy in braided rivers and their deposits: Examples and implications for reservoir modelling, in: Braided rivers:
Process, deposits, ecology and management, edited by: Sambrook Smith, G. H., Best, J. L., Bristow, C. S., and Petts, G. E., Wiley, Chichester,
https://doi.org/10.1002/9781444304374.ch4, 2006.
Korup, O., Strom, A. L., and Weidinger, J. T.: fluvial response to large
rock-slope failures: Examples from the Himalayas, the Tien Shan, and the
Southern Alps in New Zealand, Geomorphology, 78, 3–21,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.01.020, 2006.
Lague, D.: Reduction of long-term bedrock incision efficiency by short-term
alluvial cover intermittency, J. Geophys. Res., 115, F02011,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2008JF001210, 2010.
Langston, A. L. and Tucker, G. E.: Developing and exploring a theory for the lateral erosion of bedrock channels for use in landscape evolution models, Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 1–27, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-1-2018, 2018.
Leopold, L. B. and Maddock Jr., T.: The hydraulic geometry of stream channels and some physiographic implications, US Geological Survey Professional Paper 252, United States Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., https://doi.org/10.3133/pp252, 1953.
Limaye, A. B. S. and Lamb, M. P.: Numerical simulations of bedrock valley
evolution by meandering rivers with variable bank material, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 119, 927–950, https://doi.org/10.1002/2013JF002997, 2014.
Mackin, J. H.: Concept of the graded river, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 59, 463–512, https://doi.org/10.1130/0016-7606(1948)59[463:COTGR]2.0.CO;2, 1948.
Meshkova, L. V., Carling, P., and Buffin-Bélanger, T.: Nomenclature,
complexity, semi-alluvial channels and sediment-flux-driven bedrock erosion,
in: Gravel Bed Rivers: Processes, Tools, Environments, chap. 31, edited by: Church, M., Biron, P., and Roy, A., John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, 424–431,
https://doi.org/10.1002/9781119952497.ch31, 2012.
Mishra, J., Inoue, T., Shimizu, Y., Sumner, T., and Nelson, J. M.: Consequences of abrading bed load on vertical and lateral bedrock erosion in
a curved experimental channel, J. Geophys. Res., 123, 3147–3161,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2017JF004387, 2018.
Montgomery, D. R., Abbe, T. B., Buffington, J. M., Peterson, N. P., Schmidt,
K. M., and Stock, J. D.: Distribution of bedrock and alluvial channels in
forested mountain drainage basins, Nature, 381, 587–589, https://doi.org/10.1038/381587a0, 1996.
Nelson, P. A. and Seminara, G.: A theoretical framework for the morphodynamics of bedrock channels, Geophys. Res. Lett., 39, L06408,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2011GL050806, 2012.
Niño, Y., García, M., and Ayala, L.: Gravel saltation 1. Experiments, Water Resour. Res., 30, 1907–1914, 1994.
Nitsche, M., Rickenmann, D., Kirchner, J. W., Turowski, J. M., and Badoux, A.: Macroroughness and variations in reach-averaged flow resistance in steep
mountain streams, Water Resour. Res., 48, W12518, https://doi.org/10.1029/2012WR012091, 2012.
Paola, C. and Voller, V. R.: A generalized Exner equation for sediment mass
balance, J. Geophys. Res., 110, F04014, https://doi.org/10.1029/2004JF000274, 2005.
Parker, G.: Hydraulic geometry of active gravel rivers, J. Hydraul. Div., 105, 1185–1201, 1979.
Phillips, C. B. and Jerolmack, D. J.: Self-organization of river channels as
a critical filter on climate signals, Science, 352, 694–697,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aad3348, 2016.
Roe, G.: In defense of Milankovitch, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L24703, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006GL027817, 2006.
Scheingross, J. S. and Lamb, M. P.: A mechanistic model of waterfall plunge
pool erosion into bedrock, J. Geophys. Res., 122, 2079–2104,
https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JF004195, 2017.
Scheingross, J. S., Lamb, M. P., and Fuller, B. M.: Self-formed bedrock
waterfalls, Nature, 567, 229–233, https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-019-0991-z, 2019.
Schneider, J. M., Rickenmann, D., Turowski, J. M., Bunte, K., and Kirchner, J. W.: Applicability of bed load transport models for mixed-size sediments
in steep streams considering macro-roughness, Water Resour. Res., 51,
5260–5283, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014WR016417, 2015.
Schoch, A., Blöthe, J. H., Hoffmann, T., and Schrott, L.: Multivariate
geostatistical modeling of the spatial sediment distribution in a large scale drainage basin, Upper Rhone, Switzerland, Geomorphology, 303, 375–392,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2017.11.026, 2018.
Shepherd, R. G.: Incised river meanders: Evolution in simulated bedrock, Science, 178, 409–411, https://doi.org/10.1126/science.178.4059.409, 1972.
Shobe, C. M., Tucker, G. E., and Barnhart, K. R.: The SPACE 1.0 model: a
Landlab component for 2-D calculation of sediment transport, bedrock erosion, and landscape evolution, Geosci. Model Dev., 10, 4577–4604,
https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-10-4577-2017, 2017.
Sklar, L. S. and Dietrich, W. E.: Sediment and rock strength controls on river incision into bedrock, Geology 29, 1087–1090,
https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)029<1087:SARSCO>2.0.CO;2, 2001.
Sklar, L. S. and Dietrich, W. E.: A mechanistic model for river incision into bedrock by saltating bed load, Water Resour. Res., 40, W06301,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2003WR002496, 2004.
Sklar, L. S. and Dietrich, W. E.: The role of sediment in controlling steady state bedrock channel slope: Implications of the saltation-abrasion incision model, Geomorphology, 82, 58–83, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2005.08.019, 2006.
Smith, T. R.: A derivation of the hydraulic geometry of steady-state channels from conservation principles and sediment transport laws, J. Geol., 82, 98–104, 1974.
Stark, C. P., Barbour, J. R., Hayakawa, Y. S., Hattanji, T., Hovius, N., Chen, H., Lin, C.-W., Horng, M.-J., Xu, K.-Q., and Fukahata, Y.: The
climatic signature of incised river meanders, Science, 327, 1497–1501,
https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1184406, 2010.
Suzuki, T.: Rate of lateral planation by Iwaki River, Japan, Trans. Japan. Geomorphol. Union, 3, 1–24, 1982.
Tinkler, K. J. and Wohl, E. E.: A primer on bedrock channels, in: Rivers over rock: Fluvial processes in bedrock channels, Geophysical Monograph Series 107, edited by: Tinkler, K. J. and Wohl, E. E., American Geophysical Union, Washington, D.C., 1–18, 1998.
Turowski, J. M.: Stochastic modeling of the cover effect and bedrock erosion, Water Resour. Res., 45, W03422, https://doi.org/10.1029/2008WR007262, 2009.
Turowski, J. M.: Alluvial cover controlling the width, slope and sinuosity of bedrock channels, Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 29–48, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-29-2018, 2018.
Turowski, J. M. and Cook, K. L.: Field techniques for measuring bedrock erosion and denudation, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 42, 109–127,
https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4007, 2017.
Turowski, J. M. and Hodge, R. A.: A probabilistic framework for the cover effect in bedrock erosion, Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 311–330,
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-311-2017, 2017.
Turowski, J. M., Lague, D., and Hovius, N.: Cover effect in bedrock abrasion: A new derivation and its implication for the modeling of bedrock channel morphology, J. Geophys. Res.-Earth, 112, F04006, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JF000697, 2007.
Turowski, J. M., Hovius, N., Wilson, A., and Horng, M.-J.: Hydraulic geometry, river sediment and the definition of bedrock channels, Geomorphology, 99, 26–38, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2007.10.001, 2008b.
Whipple, K. X.: Bedrock rivers and the geomorphology of active orogens, Annu. Rev. Earth Planet. Sci., 32, 151–85, https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.earth.32.101802.120356, 2004.
Whipple, K. X., Dibiase, R. A., and Crosby, B. T.: Bedrock rivers, in: Treatise on Geomorphology, edited by: Schroder, J. and Wohl, E., Academic
Press, San Diego, CA, 550–573, https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-374739-6.00254-2, 2013.
Whitbread, K., Jansen, J., Bishop, P., and Attal, M.: Substrate, sediment, and slope controls on bedrock channel geometry in postglacial streams, J.
Geophys. Res., 120, 779–798, https://doi.org/10.1002/2014JF003295, 2015.
Wickert, A. D. and Schildgen, T. E.: Long-profile evolution of transport-limited gravel-bed rivers, Earth Surf. Dynam., 7, 17–43,
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-7-17-2019, 2019.
Wobus, C., Whipple, K. X., Kirby, E., Snyder, N., Johnson, J., Spyropolou, K., Crosby, B., and Sheehan, D.: Tectonics from topography: procedures, promise, and pitfalls, in: Tectonics, Climate, and Landscape Evolution, edited by: Willett, S. D., Hovius, N., Brandon, M. T., and Fisher, D., Geological Society of America Special Paper 398, Geological Society of America, Washington, D.C., 55–74, https://doi.org/10.1130/2006.2398(04), 2006.
Yager, E. M., Dietrich, W. E., Kirchner, J. W., and McArdell, B. W.: Prediction of sediment transport in step-pool channels, Water Resour. Res., 48, W01541, https://doi.org/10.1029/2011WR010829, 2012.
Short summary
Bedrock channels are the conveyor belts of mountain regions, evacuating sediment produced by erosion. Bedrock channel morphology and dynamics affect sediment transport rates and local erosion and set the base level for hillslope response. Here, using mechanistic considerations of the processes of fluvial erosion and transport, and considerations of the mass balance of sediment and bedrock, I discuss the principles governing steady-state channel morphology and the dynamic paths to achieve it.
Bedrock channels are the conveyor belts of mountain regions, evacuating sediment produced by...
