Articles | Volume 4, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-253-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-253-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
17 Mar 2016
Research article |
| 17 Mar 2016
Lithological control on the landscape form of the upper Rhône Basin, Central Swiss Alps
Laura Stutenbecker
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institut für Geologie, Universität Bern, Baltzerstrasse
1+3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Anna Costa
Institut für Umweltingenieurwissenschaften, ETH Zürich,
Stefano-Franscini-Platz 3, 8093 Zurich, Switzerland
Fritz Schlunegger
Institut für Geologie, Universität Bern, Baltzerstrasse
1+3, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Related authors
Michael A. Schwenk, Laura Stutenbecker, Patrick Schläfli, Dimitri Bandou, and Fritz Schlunegger
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 71, 163–190, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-163-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-163-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the origin of glacial sediments in the Bern area to determine their route of transport either with the Aare Glacier or the Valais Glacier. These two ice streams are known to have joined in the Bern area during the last major glaciation (ca. 20 000 years ago). However, little is known about the ice streams prior to this last glaciation. Here we collected evidence that during a glaciation about 250 000 years ago the Aare Glacier dominated the area as documented in the deposits.
Maryam Mansouri, Laura Stutenbecker, Matthias Hinderer, Anna Lewin, and Enkurie L. Dawit
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-35, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-35, 2022
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
The Permian-Triassic is well known for the most extensive mass extinction in the history of life caused by climatic, tectonic, and ecological disruptions. Due to the lack of studies on continental deposits in eastern Africa, we aim to use this continental archive to study the response of earth surface processes linked to perturbations around the PTB. Our results show a successive erosional process in East Africa due to extensional movements accompanied by recycling and then by basement erosion.
Laura Stutenbecker, Peter M. E. Tollan, Andrea Madella, and Pierre Lanari
Solid Earth, 10, 1581–1595, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-1581-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-1581-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The Aar and Mont Blanc regions in the Alps are large granitoid massifs characterized by high topography. We analyse when these granitoids were first exhumed to the surface. We test this by tracking specific garnet grains, which are exclusively found in the granitoid massifs, in the sediments contained in the alpine foreland basin. This research ties in with ongoing debates on the timing and mechanisms of mountain building.
Anna Costa, Peter Molnar, Laura Stutenbecker, Maarten Bakker, Tiago A. Silva, Fritz Schlunegger, Stuart N. Lane, Jean-Luc Loizeau, and Stéphanie Girardclos
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 509–528, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-509-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-509-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We explore the signal of a warmer climate in the suspended-sediment dynamics of a regulated and human-impacted Alpine catchment. We demonstrate that temperature-driven enhanced melting of glaciers, which occurred in the mid-1980s, played a dominant role in suspended sediment concentration rise, through increased runoff from sediment-rich proglacial areas, increased contribution of sediment-rich meltwater, and increased sediment supply in proglacial areas due to glacier recession.
Daniel Bolliger, Fritz Schlunegger, and Brian W. McArdell
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1035–1049, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-1035-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-24-1035-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We analysed data from the Illgraben debris flow monitoring station, Switzerland, and we modelled these flows with a debris flow runout model. We found that no correlation exists between the grain size distribution, the mineralogical composition of the matrix, and the debris flow properties. The flow properties rather appear to be determined by the flow volume, from which most other parameters can be derived.
Ariel Henrique do Prado, David Mair, Philippos Garefalakis, Chantal Schmidt, Alexander Whittaker, Sebastien Castelltort, and Fritz Schlunegger
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 1173–1190, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1173-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1173-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Engineering structures known as check dams are built with the intention of managing streams. The effectiveness of such structures can be expressed by quantifying the reduction of the sediment flux after their implementation. In this contribution, we estimate and compare the volumes of sediment transported in a mountain stream for engineered and non-engineered conditions. We found that without check dams the mean sediment flux would be ca. 10 times larger in comparison with the current situation.
Renas Koshnaw, Jonas Kley, and Fritz Schlunegger
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-3123, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-3123, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates how Earth's geodynamic processes shaped the NW Zagros in the Middle East. The Neogene foreland basin underwent subsidence due to the load of surface and the subducting slab, and was later influenced by the Neotethys horizontal slab tear propagation in the late Miocene and the northward flow of mantle material.
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
Short summary
Short summary
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.
Michael A. Schwenk, Laura Stutenbecker, Patrick Schläfli, Dimitri Bandou, and Fritz Schlunegger
E&G Quaternary Sci. J., 71, 163–190, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-163-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/egqsj-71-163-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the origin of glacial sediments in the Bern area to determine their route of transport either with the Aare Glacier or the Valais Glacier. These two ice streams are known to have joined in the Bern area during the last major glaciation (ca. 20 000 years ago). However, little is known about the ice streams prior to this last glaciation. Here we collected evidence that during a glaciation about 250 000 years ago the Aare Glacier dominated the area as documented in the deposits.
Maryam Mansouri, Laura Stutenbecker, Matthias Hinderer, Anna Lewin, and Enkurie L. Dawit
Earth Surf. Dynam. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-35, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-2022-35, 2022
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
The Permian-Triassic is well known for the most extensive mass extinction in the history of life caused by climatic, tectonic, and ecological disruptions. Due to the lack of studies on continental deposits in eastern Africa, we aim to use this continental archive to study the response of earth surface processes linked to perturbations around the PTB. Our results show a successive erosional process in East Africa due to extensional movements accompanied by recycling and then by basement erosion.
Ariel Henrique do Prado, Renato Paes de Almeida, Cristiano Padalino Galeazzi, Victor Sacek, and Fritz Schlunegger
Earth Surf. Dynam., 10, 457–471, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-457-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-10-457-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Our work is focused on describing how and why the terrace levels of central Amazonia were formed during the last 100 000 years. We propose to address this question through a landscape evolution numerical model. Our results show that terrace levels at lower elevation were established in response to dry–wet climate changes and the older terrace levels at higher elevations most likely formed in response to a previously higher elevation of the regional base level.
Alessandro Lechmann, David Mair, Akitaka Ariga, Tomoko Ariga, Antonio Ereditato, Ryuichi Nishiyama, Ciro Pistillo, Paola Scampoli, Mykhailo Vladymyrov, and Fritz Schlunegger
Geosci. Model Dev., 15, 2441–2473, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-2441-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/gmd-15-2441-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Muon tomography is a technology that is used often in geoscientific research. The know-how of data analysis is, however, still possessed by physicists who developed this technology. This article aims at providing geoscientists with the necessary tools to perform their own analyses. We hope that a lower threshold to enter the field of muon tomography will allow more geoscientists to engage with muon tomography. SMAUG is set up in a modular way to allow for its own modules to work in between.
Michael A. Schwenk, Patrick Schläfli, Dimitri Bandou, Natacha Gribenski, Guilhem A. Douillet, and Fritz Schlunegger
Sci. Dril., 30, 17–42, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-30-17-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/sd-30-17-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
A scientific drilling was conducted into a bedrock trough (overdeepening) in Bern-Bümpliz (Switzerland) in an effort to advance the knowledge of the Quaternary prior to 150 000 years ago. We encountered a 208.5 m-thick succession of loose sediments (gravel, sand and mud) in the retrieved core and identified two major sedimentary sequences (A: lower, B: upper). The sedimentary suite records two glacial advances and the subsequent filling of a lake sometime between 300 000 and 200 000 years ago.
Emilija Krsnik, Katharina Methner, Marion Campani, Svetlana Botsyun, Sebastian G. Mutz, Todd A. Ehlers, Oliver Kempf, Jens Fiebig, Fritz Schlunegger, and Andreas Mulch
Solid Earth, 12, 2615–2631, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-2615-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-2615-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
Here we present new surface elevation constraints for the middle Miocene Central Alps based on stable and clumped isotope geochemical analyses. Our reconstructed paleoelevation estimate is supported by isotope-enabled paleoclimate simulations and indicates that the Miocene Central Alps were characterized by a heterogeneous and spatially transient topography with high elevations locally exceeding 4000 m.
Renas I. Koshnaw, Fritz Schlunegger, and Daniel F. Stockli
Solid Earth, 12, 2479–2501, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-2479-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-12-2479-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
As continental plates collide, mountain belts grow. This study investigated the provenance of rocks from the northwestern segment of the Zagros mountain belt to unravel the convergence history of the Arabian and Eurasian plates. Provenance data synthesis and field relationships suggest that the Zagros Mountains developed as a result of the oceanic crust emplacement on the Arabian continental plate, followed by the Arabia–Eurasia collision and later uplift of the broader region.
Owen A. Anfinson, Daniel F. Stockli, Joseph C. Miller, Andreas Möller, and Fritz Schlunegger
Solid Earth, 11, 2197–2220, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-2197-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-2197-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We present new U–Pb age data to provide insights into the source of sediment for the Molasse Sedimentary Basin in Switzerland. The paper aims to help shed light on the processes that built the Central Alpine Mountains between ~35 and ~15 Ma. A primary conclusion drawn from the results is that at ~21 Ma there was a significant change in the sediment sources for the basin. We feel this change indicates major tectonic changes within the Central Alps.
Samuel Mock, Christoph von Hagke, Fritz Schlunegger, István Dunkl, and Marco Herwegh
Solid Earth, 11, 1823–1847, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-1823-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-11-1823-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Based on thermochronological data, we infer thrusting along-strike the northern rim of the Central Alps between 12–4 Ma. While the lithology influences the pattern of thrusting at the local scale, we observe that thrusting in the foreland is a long-wavelength feature occurring between Lake Geneva and Salzburg. This coincides with the geometry and dynamics of the attached lithospheric slab at depth. Thus, thrusting in the foreland is at least partly linked to changes in slab dynamics.
Fritz Schlunegger, Romain Delunel, and Philippos Garefalakis
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 717–728, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-717-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-717-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
We calculated the probability of sediment transport in coarse-grained mountainous streams in the Alps and the Andes where data on water discharge is available. We find a positive correlation between the predicted probability of sediment transport and the grain size sorting of the bed material. We suggest that besides sediment discharge, the bedload sorting exerts a significant influence on the mobility of sediment and thus on the stability of gravel bars in mountainous streams.
David Mair, Alessandro Lechmann, Romain Delunel, Serdar Yeşilyurt, Dmitry Tikhomirov, Christof Vockenhuber, Marcus Christl, Naki Akçar, and Fritz Schlunegger
Earth Surf. Dynam., 8, 637–659, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-637-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-8-637-2020, 2020
Philippos Garefalakis and Fritz Schlunegger
Solid Earth, 10, 2045–2072, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-2045-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-2045-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The controls on the 20 Myr old Burdigalian transgression in the Swiss Molasse basin have been related to a reduction in sediment flux, a rise in global sea level, or tectonic processes in the adjacent Alps. Here, we readdress this problem and extract stratigraphic signals from the Upper Marine Molasse deposits in Switzerland. In conclusion, we consider rollback tectonics to be the main driving force controlling the transgression, which is related to a deepening and widening of the basin.
Laura Stutenbecker, Peter M. E. Tollan, Andrea Madella, and Pierre Lanari
Solid Earth, 10, 1581–1595, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-1581-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-1581-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The Aar and Mont Blanc regions in the Alps are large granitoid massifs characterized by high topography. We analyse when these granitoids were first exhumed to the surface. We test this by tracking specific garnet grains, which are exclusively found in the granitoid massifs, in the sediments contained in the alpine foreland basin. This research ties in with ongoing debates on the timing and mechanisms of mountain building.
François Clapuyt, Veerle Vanacker, Marcus Christl, Kristof Van Oost, and Fritz Schlunegger
Solid Earth, 10, 1489–1503, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-1489-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-10-1489-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Using state-of-the-art geomorphic techniques, we quantified a 2-order of magnitude discrepancy between annual, decadal, and millennial sediment fluxes of a landslide-affected mountainous river catchment in the Swiss Alps. Our results illustrate that the impact of a single sediment pulse is strongly attenuated at larger spatial and temporal scales by sediment transport. The accumulation of multiple sediment pulses has rather a measurable impact on the regional pattern of sediment fluxes.
Samuel Mock, Christoph von Hagke, Fritz Schlunegger, István Dunkl, and Marco Herwegh
Solid Earth Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2019-56, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2019-56, 2019
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Based on own and published age data, we can infer tectonic pulses along-strike the entire northern rim of the Central Alps between 12–4 million years. Although lithologic variations largely influence the local deformation pattern, the tectonic signal is remarkably consistent all the way from Lake Geneva to Salzburg. This might result from a deep-seated tectonic force and marks a change from dominantly vertical to large-scale horizontal tectonics in the late stage of Alpine orogeny.
Alessandro Lechmann, David Mair, Akitaka Ariga, Tomoko Ariga, Antonio Ereditato, Ryuichi Nishiyama, Ciro Pistillo, Paola Scampoli, Fritz Schlunegger, and Mykhailo Vladymyrov
Solid Earth, 9, 1517–1533, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-9-1517-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-9-1517-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Muon tomography is a technology, similar to X-ray tomography, to image the interior of an object, including geologically interesting ones. In this work, we examined the influence of rock composition on the physical measurements, and the possible error that is made by assuming a too-simplistic rock model. We performed numerical simulations for a more realistic rock model and found that beyond 300 m of rock, the composition starts to play a significant role and has to be accounted for.
David Mair, Alessandro Lechmann, Marco Herwegh, Lukas Nibourel, and Fritz Schlunegger
Solid Earth, 9, 1099–1122, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-9-1099-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-9-1099-2018, 2018
Fritz Schlunegger and Philippos Garefalakis
Earth Surf. Dynam., 6, 743–761, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-743-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-6-743-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
Clast imbrication, which is a depositional fabric where clasts overlap each other similar to a run of toppled dominoes, is one of the most conspicuous sedimentary structures in coarse-grained fluvial deposits. However, the conditions leading to this fabric have been contested. Here, we calculate the hydrological conditions for various stream gradients. We find that clast imbrication most likely forms where channel gradients exceed a threshold and where upper flow regime conditions prevail.
Anna Costa, Daniela Anghileri, and Peter Molnar
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 3421–3434, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3421-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3421-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We analyse the control of hydroclimatic factors – erosive rainfall, ice melt, and snowmelt – on suspended sediment concentration (SSC) of Alpine catchments regulated by hydropower, and we develop a multivariate hydroclimatic–informed rating curve. We show that while erosive rainfall determines the variability of SSC, ice melt generates the highest contribution to SSC per unit of runoff. This approach allows the exploration of climate–driven changes in fine sediment dynamics in Alpine catchments.
Anna Costa, Peter Molnar, Laura Stutenbecker, Maarten Bakker, Tiago A. Silva, Fritz Schlunegger, Stuart N. Lane, Jean-Luc Loizeau, and Stéphanie Girardclos
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 509–528, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-509-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-509-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
We explore the signal of a warmer climate in the suspended-sediment dynamics of a regulated and human-impacted Alpine catchment. We demonstrate that temperature-driven enhanced melting of glaciers, which occurred in the mid-1980s, played a dominant role in suspended sediment concentration rise, through increased runoff from sediment-rich proglacial areas, increased contribution of sediment-rich meltwater, and increased sediment supply in proglacial areas due to glacier recession.
François Clapuyt, Veerle Vanacker, Fritz Schlunegger, and Kristof Van Oost
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 791–806, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-791-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-791-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
This work aims at understanding the behaviour of an earth flow located in the Swiss Alps by reconstructing very accurately its topography over a 2-year period. Aerial photos taken from a drone, which are then processed using a computer vision algorithm, were used to derive the topographic datasets. Combination and careful interpretation of high-resolution topographic analyses reveal the internal mechanisms of the earthflow and its complex rotational structure, which is evolving over time.
Camille Litty, Fritz Schlunegger, and Willem Viveen
Earth Surf. Dynam., 5, 571–583, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-571-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-571-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
This paper focuses on the analysis of the properties controlling the grain size in the streams of the western Peruvian Andes. Pebble size distributions in these streams have been compared to fluvial processes and basin properties. The resulting trends and differences in sediment properties seem to have been controlled by threshold conditions upon supply and transport.
Anna Costa, Daniela Anghileri, and Peter Molnar
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2017-419, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2017-419, 2017
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
We develop a novel rating curve to simulate suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in Alpine catchments (Process-Based Rating Curve, PBRC). Instead of relating SSC to discharge, as in traditional approaches, we model SSC by differentiating the potential contributions of the main erosional and transport processes of Alpine environments: erosive rainfall, snowmelt, and icemelt. We show that PBRC significantly improves predictions of SSC, especially when analysing climate-induced changes.
K. P. Norton, F. Schlunegger, and C. Litty
Earth Surf. Dynam., 4, 147–157, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-147-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-4-147-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Cut-fill terraces are common landforms throughout the world. Their distribution both in space and time is not clear-cut, as they can arise from numerous processes. We apply a climate-dependent regolith production algorithm to determine potential sediment loads during climate shifts. When combined with transport capacity, our results suggest that the cut-fill terraces of western Peru can result from transient stripping of hillslope sediment but not steady-state hillslope erosion.
Related subject area
Physical: Geomorphology (including all aspects of fluvial, coastal, aeolian, hillslope and glacial geomorphology)
Implications for the resilience of modern coastal systems derived from mesoscale barrier dynamics at Fire Island, New York
Quantifying the migration rate of drainage divides from high-resolution topographic data
Long-term monitoring (1953–2019) of geomorphologically active sections of Little Ice Age lateral moraines in the context of changing meteorological conditions
Coevolving edge rounding and shape of glacial erratics: the case of Shap granite, UK
Dimensionless argument: a narrow grain size range near 2 mm plays a special role in river sediment transport and morphodynamics
Path length and sediment transport estimation from DEMs of difference: a signal processing approach
Influence of cohesive clay on wave–current ripple dynamics captured in a 3D phase diagram
Statistical characterization of erosion and sediment transport mechanics in shallow tidal environments – Part 1: Erosion dynamics
Statistical characterization of erosion and sediment transport mechanics in shallow tidal environments – Part 2: Suspended sediment dynamics
Geomorphological and hydrological controls on sediment export in earthquake-affected catchments in the Nepal Himalaya
Optimization of passive acoustic bedload monitoring in rivers by signal inversion
Stochastic properties of coastal flooding events – Part 2: Probabilistic analysis
Field monitoring of pore water pressure in fully and partly saturated debris flows at Ohya landslide scar, Japan
Analysis of autogenic bifurcation processes resulting in river avulsion
Bedload transport fluctuations, flow conditions, and disequilibrium ratio at the Swiss Erlenbach stream: results from 27 years of high-resolution temporal measurements
Stochastic properties of coastal flooding events – Part 1: convolutional-neural-network-based semantic segmentation for water detection
Coexistence of two dune scales in a lowland river
Geomorphic risk maps for river migration using probabilistic modeling – a framework
Alpine hillslope failure in the western US: insights from the Chaos Canyon landslide, Rocky Mountain National Park, USA
Using repeat UAV-based laser scanning and multispectral imagery to explore eco-geomorphic feedbacks along a river corridor
Numerical modelling of the evolution of a river reach with a complex morphology to help define future sustainable restoration decisions
Method to evaluate large-wood behavior in terms of the convection equation associated with sediment erosion and deposition
Effects of seasonal variations in vegetation and precipitation on catchment erosion rates along a climate and ecological gradient: insights from numerical modeling
On the use of convolutional deep learning to predict shoreline change
Riverine Sediment Response to Deforestation in the Amazon Basin
On the use of packing models for the prediction of fluvial sediment porosity
Automated riverbed composition analysis using deep learning on underwater images
Marsh-induced backwater: the influence of non-fluvial sedimentation on a delta's channel morphology and kinematics
Spatial and temporal variations in rockwall erosion rates derived from cosmogenic 10Be in medial moraines at five valley glaciers around Pigne d'Arolla, Switzerland
Downstream rounding rate of pebbles in the Himalaya
Physical modeling of ice-sheet-induced salt movements using the example of northern Germany
Building a bimodal landscape: bedrock lithology and bed thickness controls on the morphology of Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico, USA
Geotechnical controls on erodibility in fluvial impact erosion
Linear-stability analysis of plane beds under flows with suspended loads
Stream hydrology controls on ice cliff generation, evolution, and survival on debris-covered glaciers
Estimating surface water availability in high mountain rock slopes using a numerical energy balance model
Sediment source and sink identification using Sentinel-2 and a small network of turbidimeters on the Vjosa River
Spatiotemporal bedload transport patterns over two-dimensional bedforms
Time-varying drainage basin development and erosion on volcanic edifices
Ice-buttressing-controlled rock slope failure on a cirque headwall, Lake District, UK
The probabilistic nature of dune collisions in 2D
Shape still matters: rockfall interactions with trees and deadwood in a mountain forest uncover a new facet of rock shape dependency
A process-based model for fluvial valley width
Earthquake contributions to coastal cliff retreat
Morphologic and morphometric differences between gullies formed in different substrates on Mars: new insights into the gully formation processes
Testing the sensitivity of the CAESAR-Lisflood landscape evolution model to grid cell size
Development of a machine learning model for river bed load
Modeling the spatially distributed nature of subglacial sediment transport and erosion
Confinement width and inflow-to-sediment discharge ratio control the morphology and braiding intensity of submarine channels: insights from physical experiments and reduced-complexity models
The influence of dune lee side shape on time-averaged velocities and turbulence
Daniel J. Ciarletta, Jennifer L. Miselis, Julie C. Bernier, and Arnell S. Forde
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 449–475, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-449-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-449-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We reconstructed the evolution of Fire Island, a barrier island in New York, USA, to identify drivers of landscape change. Results reveal Fire Island was once divided into multiple inlet-separated islands with distinct features. Later, inlets closed, and Fire Island’s landscape became more uniform as human activities intensified. The island is now less mobile and less likely to resist and recover from storm impacts and sea level rise. This vulnerability may exist for other stabilized barriers.
Chao Zhou, Xibin Tan, Yiduo Liu, and Feng Shi
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 433–448, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-433-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-433-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The drainage-divide stability provides new insights into both the river network evolution and the tectonic and/or climatic changes. Several methods have been proposed to determine the direction of drainage-divide migration. However, how to quantify the migration rate of drainage divides remains challenging. In this paper, we propose a new method to calculate the migration rate of drainage divides from high-resolution topographic data.
Moritz Altmann, Madlene Pfeiffer, Florian Haas, Jakob Rom, Fabian Fleischer, Tobias Heckmann, Livia Piermattei, Michael Wimmer, Lukas Braun, Manuel Stark, Sarah Betz-Nutz, and Michael Becht
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 399–431, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-399-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-399-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We show a long-term erosion monitoring of several sections on Little Ice Age lateral moraines with derived sediment yield from historical and current digital elevation modelling (DEM)-based differences. The first study period shows a clearly higher range of variability of sediment yield within the sites than the later periods. In most cases, a decreasing trend of geomorphic activity was observed.
Paul A. Carling
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 381–397, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-381-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-381-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Edge rounding in Shap granite glacial erratics is an irregular function of distance from the source outcrop in northern England, UK. Block shape is conservative, evolving according to block fracture mechanics – stochastic and silver ratio models – towards either of two attractor states. Progressive reduction in size occurs for blocks transported at the sole of the ice mass where the blocks are subject to compressive and tensile forces of the ice acting against a bedrock or till surface.
Gary Parker, Chenge An, Michael P. Lamb, Marcelo H. Garcia, Elizabeth H. Dingle, and Jeremy G. Venditti
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 367–380, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-367-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-367-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
River morphology has traditionally been divided by the size 2 mm. We use dimensionless arguments to show that particles in the 1–5 mm range (i) are the finest range not easily suspended by alluvial flood flows, (ii) are transported preferentially over coarser gravel, and (iii), within limits, are also transported preferentially over sand. We show how fluid viscosity mediates the special status of sediment in this range.
Lindsay Marie Capito, Enrico Pandrin, Walter Bertoldi, Nicola Surian, and Simone Bizzi
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 321–345, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-321-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-321-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We propose that the pattern of erosion and deposition from repeat topographic surveys can be a proxy for path length in gravel-bed rivers. With laboratory and field data, we applied tools from signal processing to quantify this periodicity and used these path length estimates to calculate sediment transport using the morphological method. Our results highlight the potential to expand the use of the morphological method using only remotely sensed data as well as its limitations.
Xuxu Wu, Jonathan Malarkey, Roberto Fernández, Jaco H. Baas, Ellen Pollard, and Daniel R. Parsons
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 231–247, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-231-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-231-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The seabed changes from flat to rippled in response to the frictional influence of waves and currents. This experimental study has shown that the speed of this change, the size of ripples that result and even whether ripples appear also depend on the amount of sticky mud present. This new classification on the basis of initial mud content should lead to improvements in models of seabed change in present environments by engineers and the interpretation of past environments by geologists.
Andrea D'Alpaos, Davide Tognin, Laura Tommasini, Luigi D'Alpaos, Andrea Rinaldo, and Luca Carniello
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 181–199, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-181-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-181-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Sediment erosion induced by wind waves is one of the main drivers of the morphological evolution of shallow tidal environments. However, a reliable description of erosion events for the long-term morphodynamic modelling of tidal systems is still lacking. By statistically characterizing sediment erosion dynamics in the Venice Lagoon over the last 4 centuries, we set up a novel framework for a synthetic, yet reliable, description of erosion events in tidal systems.
Davide Tognin, Andrea D'Alpaos, Luigi D'Alpaos, Andrea Rinaldo, and Luca Carniello
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 201–218, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-201-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-201-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Reliable quantification of sediment transport processes is necessary to understand the fate of shallow tidal environments. Here we present a framework for the description of suspended sediment dynamics to quantify deposition in the long-term modelling of shallow tidal systems. This characterization, together with that of erosion events, allows one to set up synthetic, yet reliable, models for the long-term evolution of tidal landscapes.
Emma L. S. Graf, Hugh D. Sinclair, Mikaël Attal, Boris Gailleton, Basanta Raj Adhikari, and Bishnu Raj Baral
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 135–161, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-135-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-135-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Using satellite images, we show that, unlike other examples of earthquake-affected rivers, the rivers of central Nepal experienced little increase in sedimentation following the 2015 Gorkha earthquake. Instead, a catastrophic flood occurred in 2021 that buried towns and agricultural land under up to 10 m of sediment. We show that intense storms remobilised glacial sediment from high elevations causing much a greater impact than flushing of earthquake-induced landslides.
Mohamad Nasr, Adele Johannot, Thomas Geay, Sebastien Zanker, Jules Le Guern, and Alain Recking
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 117–134, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-117-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-117-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Hydrophones are used to monitor sediment transport in the river by listening to the acoustic noise generated by particle impacts on the riverbed. However, this acoustic noise is modified by the river flow and can cause misleading information about sediment transport. This article proposes a model that corrects the measured acoustic signal. Testing the model showed that the corrected signal is better correlated with bedload flux in the river.
Byungho Kang, Rusty A. Feagin, Thomas Huff, and Orencio Durán Vinent
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 105–115, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-105-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-105-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We provide a detailed characterization of the frequency, intensity and duration of flooding events at a site along the Texas coast. Our analysis demonstrates the suitability of relatively simple wave run-up models to estimate the frequency and intensity of coastal flooding. Our results validate and expand a probabilistic model of coastal flooding driven by wave run-up that can then be used in coastal risk management in response to sea level rise.
Shunsuke Oya, Fumitoshi Imaizumi, and Shoki Takayama
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 67–86, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-67-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-67-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
The monitoring of pore water pressure in fully and partly saturated debris flows was performed at Ohya landslide scar, central Japan. The pore water pressure in some partly saturated flows greatly exceeded the hydrostatic pressure. The depth gradient of the pore water pressure in the lower part of the flow was generally higher than the upper part of the flow. We conclude that excess pore water pressure is present in many debris flow surges and is an important mechanism in debris flow behavior.
Gabriele Barile, Marco Redolfi, and Marco Tubino
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 87–103, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-87-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-87-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
River bifurcations often show the closure of one branch (avulsion), whose causes are still poorly understood. Our model shows that when one branch stops transporting sediments, the other considerably erodes and captures much more flow, resulting in a self-sustaining process. This phenomenon intensifies when increasing the length of the branches, eventually leading to branch closure. This work may help to understand when avulsions occur and thus to design sustainable river restoration projects.
Dieter Rickenmann
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 11–34, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-11-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-11-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Field measurements of the bedload flux with a high temporal resolution in a steep mountain stream were used to analyse the transport fluctuations as a function of the flow conditions. The disequilibrium ratio, a proxy for the solid particle concentration in the flow, was found to influence the sediment transport behaviour, and above-average disequilibrium conditions – associated with a larger sediment availability on the streambed – substantially affect subsequent transport conditions.
Byungho Kang, Rusty A. Feagin, Thomas Huff, and Orencio Durán Vinent
Earth Surf. Dynam., 12, 1–10, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-12-1-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
Coastal flooding can cause significant damage to coastal ecosystems, infrastructure, and communities and is expected to increase in frequency with the acceleration of sea level rise. In order to respond to it, it is crucial to measure and model their frequency and intensity. Here, we show deep-learning techniques can be successfully used to automatically detect flooding events from complex coastal imagery, opening the way to real-time monitoring and data acquisition for model development.
Judith Y. Zomer, Bart Vermeulen, and Antonius J. F. Hoitink
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1283–1298, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1283-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1283-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Secondary bedforms that are superimposed on large, primary dunes likely play a large role in fluvial systems. This study demonstrates that they can be omnipresent. Especially during peak flows, they grow large and can have steep slopes, likely affecting flood risk and sediment transport dynamics. Primary dune morphology determines whether they continuously or intermittently migrate. During discharge peaks, the secondary bedforms can become the dominant dune scale.
Brayden Noh, Omar Wani, Kieran B. J. Dunne, and Michael P. Lamb
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2190, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2190, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this manuscript, we propose a methodology to generate risk maps that provide the probabilities of erosion due to river migration. This methodology uses concepts from probability theory to learn the parameter values of the river migration model from satellite data while taking into account parameter uncertainty. Our analysis shows that such geomorphic risk estimation is more reliable than models that don't explicitly consider various sources of variability and uncertainty.
Matthew C. Morriss, Benjamin Lehmann, Benjamin Campforts, George Brencher, Brianna Rick, Leif S. Anderson, Alexander L. Handwerger, Irina Overeem, and Jeffrey Moore
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1251–1274, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1251-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1251-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we investigate the 28 June 2022 collapse of the Chaos Canyon landslide in Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado, USA. We find that the landslide was moving prior to its collapse and took place at peak spring snowmelt; temperature modeling indicates the potential presence of permafrost. We hypothesize that this landslide could be part of the broader landscape evolution changes to alpine terrain caused by a warming climate, leading to thawing alpine permafrost.
Christopher Tomsett and Julian Leyland
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1223–1249, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1223-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1223-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Vegetation influences how rivers change through time, yet the way in which we analyse vegetation is limited. Current methods collect detailed data at the individual plant level or determine dominant vegetation types across larger areas. Herein, we use UAVs to collect detailed vegetation datasets for a 1 km length of river and link vegetation properties to channel evolution occurring within the study site, providing a new method for investigating the influence of vegetation on river systems.
Rabab Yassine, Ludovic Cassan, Hélène Roux, Olivier Frysou, and François Pérès
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1199–1221, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1199-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1199-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Predicting river morphology evolution is very complicated, especially for mountain rivers with complex morphologies such as the Lac des Gaves reach in France. A 2D hydromorphological model was developed to reproduce the channel's evolution and provide reliable volumetric predictions while revealing the challenge of choosing adapted sediment transport and friction laws. Our model can provide decision-makers with reliable predictions to design suitable restoration measures for this reach.
Daisuke Harada and Shinji Egashira
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1183–1197, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1183-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1183-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper proposes a method for describing large-wood behavior in terms of the convection equation and the storage equation, which are associated with active sediment erosion and deposition. Compared to the existing Lagrangian method, the proposed method can easily simulate the behavior of large wood in the flow field with active sediment transport. The method is applied to the flood disaster in the Akatani River in 2017, and the 2-D flood flow computations are successfully performed.
Hemanti Sharma and Todd A. Ehlers
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1161–1181, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1161-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1161-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Seasonality in precipitation (P) and vegetation (V) influences catchment erosion (E), although which factor plays the dominant role is unclear. In this study, we performed a sensitivity analysis of E to P–V seasonality through numerical modeling. Our results suggest that P variations strongly influence seasonal variations in E, while the effect of seasonal V variations is secondary but significant. This is more pronounced in moderate and least pronounced in extreme environmental settings.
Eduardo Gomez-de la Peña, Giovanni Coco, Colin Whittaker, and Jennifer Montaño
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1145–1160, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1145-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1145-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Predicting how shorelines change over time is a major challenge in coastal research. We here have turned to deep learning (DL), a data-driven modelling approach, to predict the movement of shorelines using observations from a camera system in New Zealand. The DL models here implemented succeeded in capturing the variability and distribution of the observed shoreline data. Overall, these findings indicate that DL has the potential to enhance the accuracy of current shoreline change predictions.
Anuska Narayanan, Sagy Cohen, and John Robert Gardner
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2271, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2271, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This study investigates Amazon deforestation's profound impact on sediment dynamics. Novel remote sensing data and statistical analyses reveal significant changes, especially in heavily deforested regions, with rapid effects within a year. In less disturbed areas, a 1- to 2-year lag occurs, influenced by natural sediment shifts and human activities. These findings highlight the need to understand human activities' consequences for our planet's future.
Christoph Rettinger, Mina Tabesh, Ulrich Rüde, Stefan Vollmer, and Roy M. Frings
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1097–1115, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1097-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1097-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Packing models promise efficient and accurate porosity predictions of fluvial sediment deposits. In this study, three packing models were reviewed, calibrated, and validated. Only two of the models were able to handle the continuous and large grain size distributions typically encountered in rivers. We showed that an extension by a cohesion model is necessary and developed guidelines for successful predictions in different rivers.
Alexander A. Ermilov, Gergely Benkő, and Sándor Baranya
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1061–1095, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1061-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1061-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
A novel, artificial-intelligence-based riverbed sediment analysis methodology is introduced that uses underwater images to identify the characteristic sediment classes. The main novelties of the procedure are as follows: underwater images are used, the method enables continuous mapping of the riverbed along the measurement vessel’s route contrary to conventional techniques, the method is cost-efficient, and the method works without scaling.
Kelly M. Sanks, John B. Shaw, Samuel M. Zapp, José Silvestre, Ripul Dutt, and Kyle M. Straub
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1035–1060, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1035-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1035-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
River deltas encompass many depositional environments (like channels and wetlands) that interact to produce coastal environments that change through time. The processes leading to sedimentation in wetlands are often neglected from physical delta models. We show that wetland sedimentation constrains flow to the channels, changes sedimentation rates, and produces channels more akin to field-scale deltas. These results have implications for the management of these vulnerable coastal landscapes.
Katharina Wetterauer and Dirk Scherler
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 1013–1033, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1013-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-1013-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
In glacial landscapes, debris supply rates vary spatially and temporally. Rockwall erosion rates derived from cosmogenic 10Be concentrations in medial moraine debris at five Swiss glaciers around Pigne d'Arolla indicate an increase in erosion from the end of the Little Ice Age towards deglaciation but temporally more stable rates over the last ∼100 years. Rockwall erosion rates are higher where rockwalls are steep and north-facing, suggesting a potential slope and temperature control.
Prakash Pokhrel, Mikael Attal, Hugh D. Sinclair, Simon M. Mudd, and Mark Naylor
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2157, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2157, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Pebbles become increasingly rounded during downstream transport in rivers due to abrasion. This study quantifies pebble roundness along the length of two Himalayan rivers. We demonstrate that roundness increases with downstream distance and that the rates are dependent on rock type. We apply this to reconstructing travel distances, and hence size of ancient Himalayan. Results show that the ancient river network was larger than the modern indicating that there has been river capture.
Jacob Hardt, Tim Dooley, and Michael Hudec
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2104, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-2104, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Subsurface salt structures may play an important role in the energy transition, e.g., as energy storage. Thus, it is important to understand all processes that affect their stability. We investigate into the reaction of salt structures on ice sheet transgressions. We used series of sandbox models that enabled us to experiment with scaled-down versions of salt bodies from northern Germany. The strongest reactions occurred when large salt pillows were partly covered by the ice load.
Sam Anderson, Nicole Gasparini, and Joel Johnson
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 995–1011, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-995-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-995-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We measured rock strength and amount of fracturing in the two different rock types, sandstones and carbonates, in Last Chance Canyon, New Mexico, USA. Where there is more carbonate bedrock, hills and channels steepen in Last Chance Canyon. This is because the carbonate-type bedrock tends to be more thickly bedded, is less fractured, and is stronger. The carbonate bedrock produces larger boulders than the sandstone bedrock, which can protect the more fractured sandstone bedrock from erosion.
Jens M. Turowski, Gunnar Pruß, Anne Voigtländer, Andreas Ludwig, Angela Landgraf, Florian Kober, and Audrey Bonnelye
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 979–994, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-979-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-979-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Rivers can cut into rocks, and their strength modulates the river's erosion rates. Yet, which properties of the rock control its response to erosive action is poorly understood. Here, we describe parallel experiments to measure rock erosion rates under fluvial impact erosion and the rock's geotechnical properties such as fracture strength, elasticity, and density. Erosion rates vary over a factor of a million between different rock types. We use the data to improve current theory.
Koji Ohata, Hajime Naruse, and Norihiro Izumi
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 961–977, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-961-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-961-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We investigated the influence of sediment transport modes on the formation of bedforms using theoretical analysis. The results of the theoretical analysis were verified with published data of plane beds obtained by fieldwork and laboratory experiments. We found that suspended sand particles can promote the formation of plane beds on a fine-grained bed, which suggests that the presence of suspended particles suppresses the development of dunes under submarine sediment-laden gravity currents.
Eric Petersen, Regine Hock, and Michael G. Loso
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1913, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1913, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Ice cliffs are melt hot spots that increase melt rates on debris-covered glaciers which otherwise see a reduction in melt rates. In this study, we show how surface runoff streams contribute to the generation, evolution, and survival of ice cliffs by carving into the glacier and transporting rocky debris. On Kennicott Glacier, Alaska, 31.4 % of streams are actively influenced by streams, while nearly half are within 10 m of streams.
Matan Ben-Asher, Florence Magnin, Sebastian Westermann, Josué Bock, Emmanuel Malet, Johan Berthet, Ludovic Ravanel, and Philip Deline
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 899–915, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-899-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-899-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Quantitative knowledge of water availability on high mountain rock slopes is very limited. We use a numerical model and field measurements to estimate the water balance at a steep rock wall site. We show that snowmelt is the main source of water at elevations >3600 m and that snowpack hydrology and sublimation are key factors. The new information presented here can be used to improve the understanding of thermal, hydrogeological, and mechanical processes on steep mountain rock slopes.
Jessica Droujko, Srividya Hariharan Sudha, Gabriel Singer, and Peter Molnar
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 881–897, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-881-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-881-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We combined data from satellite images with data measured from a kayak in order to understand the propagation of fine sediment in the Vjosa River. We were able to find some storm-activated and some permanent sources of sediment. We also estimated how much fine sediment is carried into the Adriatic Sea by the Vjosa River: approximately 2.5 Mt per year, which matches previous findings. With our work, we hope to show the potential of open-access satellite images.
Kate C. P. Leary, Leah Tevis, and Mark Schmeeckle
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 835–847, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-835-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-835-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Despite the importance of bedforms (e.g., ripples, dunes) to sediment transport, the details of sediment transport on a sub-bedform scale are poorly understood. This paper investigates sediment transport in the downstream and cross-stream directions over bedforms with straight crests. We find that the patterns of bedload transport are highly variable on the sub-bedform scale, which is important for our understanding of the evolution of bedforms with complex crest geometries.
Daniel O'Hara, Liran Goren, Roos M. J. van Wees, Benjamin Campforts, Pablo Grosse, Pierre Lahitte, Gabor Kereszturi, and Matthieu Kervyn
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1921, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1921, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Understanding how volcanic edifices develop drainage basins remains an unexplored aspect of landscape evolution. Using Digital Evolution Models of volcanoes with varying ages, we quantify the geometries of their edifices and associated drainage basins through time. We find that these metrics correlate with edifice age, and are thus useful indicators of a volcano’s history. We then develop a generalized model for volcano basin develop and compare our results to basin evolution in other settings.
Paul A. Carling, John D. Jansen, Teng Su, Jane Lund Andersen, and Mads Faurschou Knudsen
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 817–833, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-817-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-817-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Many steep glaciated rock walls collapsed when the Ice Age ended. How ice supports a steep rock wall until the ice decays is poorly understood. A collapsed rock wall was surveyed in the field and numerically modelled. Cosmogenic exposure dates show it collapsed and became ice-free ca. 18 ka ago. The model showed that the rock wall failed very slowly because ice was buttressing the slope. Dating other collapsed rock walls can improve understanding of how and when the last Ice Age ended.
Paul A. Jarvis, Clement Narteau, Olivier Rozier, and Nathalie M. Vriend
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 803–815, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-803-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-803-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Sand dune migration velocity is inversely proportional to dune size. Consequently, smaller, faster dunes can collide with larger, slower downstream dunes. Such collisions can result in either coalescence or ejection, whereby the dunes exchange mass but remain separate. Our numerical simulations show that the outcome depends probabilistically on the dune size ratio, which we describe through an empirical function. Our numerical predictions compare favourably against experimental observations.
Adrian Ringenbach, Peter Bebi, Perry Bartelt, Andreas Rigling, Marc Christen, Yves Bühler, Andreas Stoffel, and Andrin Caviezel
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 779–801, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-779-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-779-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Swiss researchers carried out repeated rockfall experiments with rocks up to human sizes in a steep mountain forest. This study focuses mainly on the effects of the rock shape and lying deadwood. In forested areas, cubic-shaped rocks showed a longer mean runout distance than platy-shaped rocks. Deadwood especially reduced the runouts of these cubic rocks. The findings enrich standard practices in modern rockfall hazard zoning assessments and strongly urge the incorporation of rock shape effects.
Jens Martin Turowski, Aaron Bufe, and Stefanie Tofelde
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1770, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-1770, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Fluvial valleys are ubiquitous landforms, and understanding their formation and evolution affects a wide range of disciplines, from archaeology over geology to fish biology. Here, we develop a model to predict the width of fluvial valleys for a wide range of geographic conditions. In the model, fluvial valley width is controlled by the two competing factors of lateral channel mobility and uplift. The model complies with available data and yields a broad range of quantitative predictions.
Colin K. Bloom, Corinne Singeisen, Timothy Stahl, Andrew Howell, and Chris Massey
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 757–778, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-757-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-757-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Earthquakes can cause damaging coastal cliff retreat, but we have a limited understanding of how these infrequent events influence multidecadal retreat. This makes hazard planning a challenge. In this study, we use historic aerial images to measure coastal cliff-top retreat at a site in New Zealand. We find that earthquakes account for close to half of multidecadal retreat at this site, and our results have helped us to develop tools for estimating the influence of earthquakes at other sites.
Rishitosh K. Sinha, Dwijesh Ray, Tjalling De Haas, Susan J. Conway, and Axel Noblet
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 713–730, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-713-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-713-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Our detailed investigation of Martian gullies formed in different substrates in 29 craters distributed between 30°–75° S latitude suggests that they can be differentiated from one another in terms of (1) morphology and length of alcoves and (2) mean gradient of the gully fans. The comparison between the Melton ratio, alcove length, and fan gradient of Martian and terrestrial gullies suggests that Martian gullies were likely formed by terrestrial debris-flow-like processes in the past.
Christopher J. Skinner and Thomas J. Coulthard
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 695–711, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-695-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-695-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Landscape evolution models allow us to simulate the way the Earth's surface is shaped and help us to understand relevant processes, in turn helping us to manage landscapes better. The models typically represent the land surface using a grid of square cells of equal size, averaging heights in those squares. This study shows that the size chosen by the modeller for these grid cells is important, with larger sizes making sediment output events larger but less frequent.
Hossein Hosseiny, Claire C. Masteller, Jedidiah E. Dale, and Colin B. Phillips
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 681–693, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-681-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-681-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
It is of great importance to engineers and geomorphologists to predict the rate of bed load in rivers. In this contribution, we used a large dataset of measured data and developed an artificial neural network (ANN), a machine learning algorithm, for bed load prediction. The ANN model predicted the bed load flux close to measured values and better than the ones obtained from four standard bed load models with varying degrees of complexity.
Ian Delaney, Leif Anderson, and Frédéric Herman
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 663–680, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-663-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-663-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
This paper presents a two-dimensional subglacial sediment transport model that evolves a sediment layer in response to subglacial sediment transport conditions. The model captures sediment transport in supply- and transport-limited regimes across a glacier's bed and considers both the creation and transport of sediment. Model outputs show how the spatial distribution of sediment and water below a glacier can impact the glacier's discharge of sediment and erosion of bedrock.
Sam Y. J. Huang, Steven Y. J. Lai, Ajay B. Limaye, Brady Z. Foreman, and Chris Paola
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 615–632, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-615-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-615-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We use experiments and a model to study the effects of confinement width and the inflow-to-sediment discharge ratio on the evolution of submarine braided channels. We find that confinement width controls most of the morphological changes. These trends are consistent for submarine braided channels both with and without confinement width effects and similar to fluvial braided rivers. Furthermore, we built a model that can simulate the flow bifurcation and confluence of submarine braided channels.
Alice Lefebvre and Julia Cisneros
Earth Surf. Dynam., 11, 575–591, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-575-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-11-575-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Underwater dunes are found in various environments with strong hydrodynamics and sandy sediment. Using a numerical model, we investigated how the dune shape influences flow velocity and turbulence. We propose a classification with three types of dunes, depending on their mean lee side angles (low-angle dunes, intermediate-angle dunes and high-angle dunes). We discuss the implications of this classification on the interaction between dune morphology, flow and sediment transport.
Cited articles
Adams, J.: Contemporary uplift and erosion of the Southern Alps, New
Zealand, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 91, 1–114, 1980.
Ahnert, F.: Local relief and the height limits of mountain ranges, Am. J. Sci., 284, 1035–1055, 1984.
Baran, R., Friedrich, A. M., and Schlunegger, F.: The late Miocene to
Holocene erosion pattern of the Alpine foreland basin reflects Eurasian slab
unloading beneath the western Alps rather than global climate change,
Lithosphere, 6, 124–131, 2014.
Bennett, G., Molnar, P., Eisenbeiss, H., and McArdell, B. W.: Erosional power
in the Swiss Alps: characterization of slope failure in the Illgraben, Earth
Surf. Proc. Land., 37, 1627–1640, https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.3263, 2012.
Bini, A., Buoncristani, J.-F., Couterrand, S., Ellwanger, D., Felber, M.,
Florineth, D., Graf, H.R., Keller, O., Kelly, M., Schlüchter, C., and
Schoeneich, P.: Switzerland during the last glacial maximum, Swisstopo,
1 : 50 0000, Wabern, 2009.
Brocklehurst, S. H. and Whipple, K. X.: Glacial erosion and relief production
in the Eastern Sierra Nevada, California, Geomorphology, 42, 1–24, 2002.
Brocklehurst, S. H. and Whipple, K. X.: Hypsometry of glaciated landscapes,
Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 29, 907–926, 2004.
Brozović, N., Burbank, D. W., and Meigs, A. J.: Climatic Limits on
Landscape Development in the Northwestern Himalaya, Science, 276, 571–574,
1997.
Cederbom, C. E., van der Beek, P., Schlunegger, F., Sinclair, H. D., and
Oncken, O.: Rapid extensive erosion of the North Alpine foreland basin at
5–4 Ma, Basin Research, 23, 528–550, 2011.
Champagnac, J.-D., Molnar, P., Anderson, R. S., Sue, C., and Delacou, B.:
Quarternary erosion-induced isostatic rebound in the western Alps, Geology,
35, 195–198, 2007.
Champagnac, J.-D., Schlunegger, F., Norton, K. P., von Blanckenburg, F.,
Abbühl, L. M., and Schwab, M.: Erosion-driven uplift of the modern
Central Alps, Tectonophysics, 474, 236–249, 2009.
Champagnac, J.-D., Molnar, P., Sue, C., and Herman, F.: Tectonics, climate,
and mountain topography, J. Geophys. Res., 117, B02403,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2011JB008348, 2012.
Cheng, K.-Y., Hung, J.-H., Chang, H.-C., Tsai, H., and Sung, Q.-C.: Scale
independence of basin hypsometry and steady state topography, Geomorphology,
171–172, 1–11, 2012.
Chittenden, H., Delunel, R., Schlunegger, F., Akçar, N., and Kubik, P.:
The influence of bedrock orientation on the landscape evolution, surface
morphology and denudation (10Be) at the Niesen, Switzerland, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 39, 1153–1166,
2014.
Cruz Nunes, F., Delunel, R., Schlunegger, F., Akçar, N., and Kubik, P.:
Bedrock bedding, landsliding and erosional budgets in the Central European
Alps, Terra Nova, 00, 1–10, 2015.
Dürst Stucki, M. and Schlunegger, F.: Identification of erosional
mechanisms during past glaciations based on a bedrock surface model of the
central European Alps, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 384, 57–70, 2013.
Dürst Stucki, M., Schlunegger, F., Christener, F., Otto, J. C., and
Götz, J.: Deepening of inner gorges through subglacial meltwater – An
example from the UNESCO Entlebuch area, Switzerland, Geomorphology, 139,
506–517, 2012.
Egli, D. and Mancktelow, N.: The structural history of the Mont Blanc massif
with regard to models for its recent exhumation, Swiss Journal for Geosciences, 106, 469–489, 2013.
England, P. and Molnar, P.: Surface uplift, uplift of rocks, and exhumation
of rocks, Geology, 18, 1173–1177, 1990.
Fäh, D.,Giardini, D., Kästli, P., Deichmann, N., Gisler, M.,
Schwarz-Zanetti, G., Alvarez-Rubio, S., Sellami, S., Edwards, B., Allmann,
B., Bethmann, F., Wössner, J., Gassner-Stamm, G., Fritsche, S., and
Eberhard, D.: ECOS-09 Earthquake Catalogue of Switzerland Release 2011
Report and Database, Public catalogue, Swiss Seismological Service ETH
Zürich, Report SED/RISK/R/001/20110417, 2011.
Flint, J. J.: Stream Gradient as a Function of Order, Magnitude and
Discharge, Water Resour. Res., 10, 969–973, 1974.
Florineth, D. and Schlüchter, C.: Reconstructing the Last Glacial
Maximum (LGM) ice surface geometry and flowlines in the Central Swiss Alps,
Eclogae Geol. Helv., 91, 391–407, 1998.
Fox, M., Herman, F., Kissling, E., and Willett, S. D.: Rapid exhumation in the
Western Alps driven by slab detachment and glacial erosion, Geology, 43,
379–382, 2015.
Frei, C. and Schär, C.: A precipitation climatology of the Alps from
high-resolution rain-gauge observations, Int. J. Climatol., 18, 873–900, 1998.
Froitzheim, N., Schmid, S. M., and Frey, M.: Mesozoic paleogeography and the
timing of eclogite-facies metamorphism in the Alps: A working hypothesis,
Eclogae Geol. Helv., 89, 81–110, 1996.
Granger, D. E., Kirchner, J. W., and Finkel, R.: Spatially averaged long-term
erosion rates measured from in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides in alluvial
sediment, The Journal of Geology, 104, 249–257, 1996.
Gudmundsson, G.: An order-of-magnitude estimate of the current uplift-rates
in Switzerland caused by the Wuerm Alpine deglaciation, Eclogae Geol. Helv., 87, 545–557,
1994.
Hallett, B., Hunter, L., and Bogen, J.: Rates of erosion and sediment
evacuation by glaciers: A review of field data and their implications,
Global and Planetary Change, 12, 213–235, 1996.
Hoek, E. and Brown, E. T.: Practical estimates of rock mass strength,
Int. J. Rock Mech. Min., 34, 1165–1186,
1997.
Hurtrez, J.-E., Lucazeau, F., Lavé, J., and Avouac, J.-P.: Investigation
of the relationships between basin morphology, tectonic uplift, and
denudation from the study of an active fold belt in the Siwalik hills,
central Nepal, J. Geophys. Res., 104, 12779–12796, 1999.
Ivy-Ochs, S., Kreschner, H., Reuther, A., Preusser, F., Heine, K., Maisch,
M., Kubik, P. W., and Schlüchter, C.: Chronology of the last glacial cycle in
the European Alps, J. Quaternary Sci., 23, 559–573, 2008.
Jäckli, H.: Gegenwartsgeologie des bündnerischen Rheingebietes,
Beitr. Geol. Schweiz, 36, 136 pp., 1957.
Jansen, J. D., Codilean, A. T., Stroeven, A. P., Fabel, D., Hättestrand,
C., Kleman, J., Harbor, J. M., Heyman, J., Kubik, P. W., and Xu, S.: Inner
gorges cut by subglacial meltwater during Fennoscandian ice sheet decay,
Nature communications, 5, 3815, https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms4815, 2014.
Kahle, H. G., Geiger, A., Bürki, B., Gubler, E., Marti, U., Wirth, B.,
Rothacher, M., Gurtner, W., Beutler, G., Bauersima, I., and Pfiffner, O. A.:
Recent crustal movements, geoid and density distribution: Contribution from
integrated satellite and terrestrial measurements, in: Deep
structure of the Swiss Alps: Results of NRP 20, edited by: Pfiffner, O. A.,
Lehner, P., Heitzmann, P., Müller, S., and Steck, A., Birkhäuser Verlag,
Basel, 251–259, 1997.
Kelly, M. A., Buoncristiani, J. F., and Schlüchter, C.: A reconstruction
of the last glacial maximum (LGM) ice-surface geometry in the western Swiss
Alps and contiguous Alpine regions in Italy and France, Eclogae Geol. Helv., 97, 57–75, 2004.
Korup, O.: Rock type leaves topographic signature in landslide-dominated
mountain ranges, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L11402,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2008GL034157, 2008.
Korup, O. and Montgomery, D. R.: Tibetan plateau river incision inhibited by
glacial stabilization of the Tsangpo gorge, Nature, 455, 786–790, 2008.
Korup, O. and Schlunegger, F.: Rock-type control on erosion-induced uplift,
eastern Swiss Alps, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 278, 278–285, 2009.
Korup, O. and Weidinger, J. T.: Rock type, precipitation, and the steepness
of Himalayan threshold hillslopes, Geological Society, London, Special
Publications, 353, 235–249, 2011.
Korup, O., Schmidt, J., and McSaveney, M. J.: Regional relief characteristics
and denudation pattern of the western Southern Alps, New Zealand,
Geomorphology, 71, 402–423, 2005.
Kuhlemann, J., Frisch, W., Székely, B., Dunkl, I., and Kázmér,
M.: Post-collisional sediment budget history of the Alps: tectonic versus
climatic control, Int. J. Earth Sci., 91, 818–837,
2002.
Kühni, A. and Pfiffner, O. A.: The relief of the Swiss Alps and adjacent
areas and its relation to lithology and structure: topographic analysis from
a 250-m DEM, Geomorphology, 41, 285–307, 2001.
Maurer, H. R., Burkhard, M., Deichmann, N., and Green, A. G.: Active tectonism
in the central Alps: contrasting stress regimes north and south of the Rhone
Valley, Terra Nova, 9, 91–94, 1997.
McLachlan, G. J.: Discriminant analysis and statistical pattern recognition,
Wiley Interscience, New York, 552 pp., 2004.
Michalski, I. and Soom, M.: The Alpine thermo-tectonic evolution of the Aar
and Gotthard massifs, Central Switzerland: Fission Track ages on zircon and
apatite and K-Ar mica ages, Schweizerische mineralogische und
petrographische Mitteilungen, 70, 373–388, 1990.
Molnar, P., Anderson, R. S., and Anderson, S. P.: Tectonics, fracturing of
rock, and erosion, J. Geophys. Res., 112, F03014,
https://doi.org/10.1029/2005JF000433, 2007.
Montgomery, D. R.: Valley formation by fluvial and glacial erosion, Geology,
30, 1047–1050, 2002.
Montgomery, D. R. and Brandon, M. T.: Topographic controls on erosion rates in
tectonically active mountain ranges, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett.,
201, 481–489, 2002.
Montgomery, D. R., Balco, G., and Willett, S. D.: Climate, tectonics, and the
morphology of the Andes, Geology, 29, 579–582, 2001.
Morel, P., von Blanckenburg, F., Schaller, M., Kubik, P. W., and Hinderer,
M.: Lithology, landscape dissection and glaciation controls on catchment
erosion as determined by cosmogenic nuclides in river sediment (the Wutach
Gorge, Black Forest), Terra Nova, 15, 398–404, 2003.
Niggli, P. and de Quervain, F. D.: Geotechnische Karte der Schweiz.
Schweizerische Geotechnische Kommission, Kümmerly and Frey,
Geotechnischer Verlag, Bern, 1936.
Norton, K. P., von Blanckenburg, F., and Kubik, P. W.: Cosmogenic
nuclide-derived rates of diffusive and episodic erosion in the glacially
sculpted upper Rhone Valley, Swiss Alps, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 35, 651–662, 2010a.
Norton, K. P., Abbühl, L. M., and Schlunegger, F.: Glacial conditioning as
an erosional driving force in the Central Alps, Geology, 38, 655–658, 2010b.
Norton, K. P., von Blanckenburg, F., DiBiase, R., Schlunegger, F., and Kubik,
P. W.: Cosmogenic 10Be-derived denudation rates of the Eastern and Southern
European Alps, Int. J. Earth Sci., 100, 1163–1179,
2011.
Persaud, M. and Pfiffner, O. A.: Active deformation in the eastern Swiss
Alps: post-glacial faults, seismicity and surface uplift, Tectonophysics,
385, 59–84, 2004.
Pfiffner, O. A., Sahli, S., and Stäuble, M.: Compression and uplift of the
external massifs in the Helvetic zone, in: Deep Structure of the
Swiss Alps: Results of NRP 20, Pfiffner, O. A., Lehner, P.,
Heitzmann, P., Müller, S., and Steck, A., Birkhäuser, Switzerland, 139–153, 1997.
Robl, J., Prasicek, G., Hergarten, S., and Stüwe, K.: Alpine topography
in the light of tectonic uplift and glaciation, Global and Planetary Change,
127, 34–49, 2015.
Schaller, M., von Blanckenburg, F., Hovius, N., and Kubik, P. W.: Large-scale
erosion rates from in situ-produced cosmogenic nuclides in European river
sediments, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 188, 441–458, 2001.
Scharf, T. E., Codilean, A. T., De Wit, M., Jansen, J. D., and Kubik, P. W.:
Strong rocks sustain ancient postorogenic topography in southern Africa,
Geology, 41, 331–334, 2013.
Schlatter, A., Schneider, D., Geiger, A., and Kahle, H. G.: Recent vertical
movements from precise levelling in the vicinity of the city of Basel,
Switzerland, Int. J. Earth Sci., 94, 507–514, 2005.
Schlunegger, F. and Hinderer, M.: Crustal uplift in the Alps: why the
drainage pattern matters, Terra Nova, 13, 425–432, 2001.
Schlunegger, F. and Norton, K. P.: Water versus ice: The competing roles of
modern climate and Pleistocene glacial erosion in the Central Alps of
Switzerland, Tectonophysics, 602, 370–381, 2013.
Schlunegger, F. and Willett, S. D.: Spatial and temporal variations in
exhumation of the Central Swiss Alps and implications for exhumation
mechanisms, in: Exhumation processes: normal faulting, ductile flow, and erosion, edited by:
Ring, U., Brandon, M. T., Lister, G. S., and Willett, S. D.,
Geological Society of London Special Publication, 154, 157–180, 1999.
Schmid, S. M., Pfiffner, O. A., Froitzheim, N., Schönborn, G., and
Kissling, E.: Geophysical-geological transect and tectonic evolution of the
Swiss-Italian Alps, Tectonics, 15, 1036–1064, 1996.
Schwanghart, W. and Kuhn, N. J.: TopoToolbox: a set of Matlab functions for
topographic analysis, Environ. Modell. Softw., 25, 770–781, 2010.
Schwarb, M.: The Alpine Precipitation Climate Evaluation of a
High-Resolution Analysis Scheme using Comprehensive Rain-Gauge Data, PhD
thesis, ETH Zurich, Switzerland, 131 pp., 2000.
Seward, D. and Mancktelow, N. S.: Neogene kinematics of the central and
western Alps: Evidence from fission-track dating, Geology, 22, 803–806,
1994.
Shuster, D. L., Ehlers, T. A., Rusmore, M. E., and Farley, K. A.: Rapid glacial
erosion at 1.8 Ma revealed by 4He/3He thermochronology, Science,
310, 1668–1670, 2005.
Small, E. E. and Anderson, R. S.: Pleistocene relief production in Laramide
mountain ranges, western United States, Geology, 26, 123–126, 1998.
Snyder, N. P., Whipple, K. X., Tucker, G. E., and Merritts, D. J.: Landscape
response to tectonic forcing: DEM analysis of stream profiles in the
Mendocino triple junction region, northern California, Geol. Soc. Am. Bull., 112, 1250–1263,
2000.
Spotila, J. A., Buscher, J. T., Meigs, A. J., and Reiners, P. W.: Long-term
glacial erosion of active mountain belts: Example of the Chugach-St. Elias
Range, Alaska, Geology, 32, 501–504, 2004.
Strahler, A. N.: Hypsometric (area-altitude) analysis of erosional
topography, Bull. Geol. Soc. Am., 63, 1117–1142,
1952.
Stüwe, K., White, L., and Brown, R.: The influence of eroding topography
on steady-state isotherms. Application to fission track analysis, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 124, 63–74, 1994.
Sue, C., Delacou, B., Champagnac, J.-D., Allanic, C., Tricart, P., and
Burkhard, M.: Extensional neotectonics around the bend of the
western/central Alps: An overview, Int. J. Earth Sci.,
96, 1101–1129, 2007.
Tonini, M., Pedrazzini, A., Penna, I., and Jaboyedoff, M.: Spatial pattern
of landslides in Swiss Rhone Valley, Natural Hazards, 73, 97–110, 2014.
Valla, P. G., Shuster, D. L., and van der Beek, P.: Significant increase in
relief of the European Alps during mid-Pleistocene glaciations, Nature Geosciences, 4, 688–692, 2011.
Vernon, A. J., van der Beek, P. A., Sinclair, H. D., and Rahn, M. K.: Increase in
late Neogene denudation of the European Alps confirmed by analysis of a
fission-track thermochronology database, Earth Planet. Sc. Lett., 270, 316–329, 2008.
Whipple, K. X.: Bedrock rivers and the geomorphology of active orogens,
Annu. Rev. Earth Pl. Sc., 32, 151–185, 2004.
Whipple, K. X. and Tucker, G. E.: Dynamics of the stream-power river incision
model: Implications for the height limits of mountain ranges, landscape
response time scales, and research needs, J. Geophysi. Res.,
104, 17661–17674, 1999.
Willett, S. D.: Orogeny and orography: The effects of erosion on the
structure of mountain belts, J. Geophys. Res., 104,
28957–28981, 1999.
Willett, S. D. and Brandon, M. T.: On steady states in mountain belts,
Geology, 30, 175–178, 2002.
Willett, S. D., Schlunegger, F., and Picotti, V.: Messinian climate change and
erosional destruction of the central European Alps, Geology, 34, 613–616,
2006.
Willgoose, G. and Hancock, G.: Revisiting the hypsometric curve as an
indicator of form and process in transport-limited catchment, Earth Surf. Proc. Land., 23, 611–623, 1998.
Wischmeier, W. H.: A Rainfall Erosion Index for a Universal Soil-Loss
Equation, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 23, 246–249,
https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1959.03615995002300030027x, 1959.
Wittmann, H., von Blanckenburg, F., Kruesmann, T., Norton, K. P., and Kubik,
P. W.: Relation between rock uplift and denudation from cosmogenic nuclides
in river sediment in the Central Alps of Switzerland, J. Geophys.
Res., 112, F04010, https://doi.org/10.1029/2006JF000729, 2007.
Wobus, C., Whipple, K. X., Kirby, E., Snyder, E., 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.
M., Geological Society of America Special Paper, Boulder, Colorado, USA, 398, 55–74, 2006.
Short summary
This paper considers the influence of lithology on the landscape development in the Central Swiss Alps. In high-alpine settings such as the upper Rhône valley, external forcing by climate, glaciation and uplift affects the geomorphological evolution of the landscape. By careful compilation of published data and geomorphological analysis we found that the rock type and its susceptibility to erosion are the main factors controlling the response time to those perturbations.
This paper considers the influence of lithology on the landscape development in the Central...
