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Hillslope processes, drainage density, and landscape morphology

Hillslope processes, drainage density, and landscape morphology Catchment morphology and drainage density are strongly influenced by hillslope processes. The consequences of several different hillslope process laws are explored in a series of experiments with a numerical model of drainage basin evolution. Five different models are considered, including a simple diffusive‐advective process transition, a runoff generation threshold, an erosion threshold, and two types of threshold‐activated landsliding. These different hillslope processes alter both the visual appearance of the landscape and the predicted relationship between slope and contributing area. On the basis of the different threshold theories, we derive expressions for the relationships between drainage density and environmental factors such as rainfall, relief, and mean erosion rate. These relationships vary depending on the dominant hillslope threshold. In particular, the sign of the predicted relationship between drainage density and relief is positive in semiarid, low‐relief landscapes and negative in humid landscapes dominated by a saturation threshold and/or in high‐relief landscapes dominated by simple threshold landsliding. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Water Resources Research Wiley

Hillslope processes, drainage density, and landscape morphology

Tucker, Gregory E.; Bras, Rafael L.
Water Resources Research , Volume 34 (10) – Oct 1, 1998
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References (73)

Publisher
Wiley
Copyright
Copyright © 1998 by the American Geophysical Union.
ISSN
0043-1397
eISSN
1944-7973
DOI
10.1029/98WR01474
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

Catchment morphology and drainage density are strongly influenced by hillslope processes. The consequences of several different hillslope process laws are explored in a series of experiments with a numerical model of drainage basin evolution. Five different models are considered, including a simple diffusive‐advective process transition, a runoff generation threshold, an erosion threshold, and two types of threshold‐activated landsliding. These different hillslope processes alter both the visual appearance of the landscape and the predicted relationship between slope and contributing area. On the basis of the different threshold theories, we derive expressions for the relationships between drainage density and environmental factors such as rainfall, relief, and mean erosion rate. These relationships vary depending on the dominant hillslope threshold. In particular, the sign of the predicted relationship between drainage density and relief is positive in semiarid, low‐relief landscapes and negative in humid landscapes dominated by a saturation threshold and/or in high‐relief landscapes dominated by simple threshold landsliding.

Journal

Water Resources Research – Wiley

Published: Oct 1, 1998

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