A Statistical Analysis of Spatial Variability of Mean Topographic Slope on Stream Dissected Glacial Materials

Abstract

It is probable that spatial variability of topographic slope is best explained by some measure of the vertical topographic dimension in areas where insufficient time has elapsed since deposition of materials for slopes to attain time independence. A statistical analysis of some spatial relationships of mean topographic slope beyond that with local relief was conducted on erosional terrain in the glaciated Upper Mississippi Valley. Although all variables are statistically significant, the results indicate that factors other than relief, including nature of long stream profile, position, orientation, degree of dissection, and parent materials, have less relevance in explaining place-to-place variation of topographic slope.HIS paper relates formulation of a multi-T variate statistical model accounting for spatial variability of mean topographic slope and application of the model in an area containing stream-dissected glacial materials2 The purpose of the analysis is to assess the relevance of a reasonably comprehensive set of variables and attributes elicited from the

Contributions to the Understanding of Geomorphic Landscapes Published in the Annals

“…In the Annals, Savigear (1965), for example, explored the potential for mapping landform segments and facets based on breaks of slope and inflections (termed morphological mapping). However, few quantitative studies of landscape morphometry, relating form to process, actually appeared in the Annals in this period (by way of exception, see McConnell 1966). Subsequently, articles on morphometric analyses, investigating factors controlling the direction, density, and pattern of channel networks (Abrahams 1980;Mark 1983), shoreline erosion (Phillips 1986), and fractal physiography (Goodchild and Mark 1987) have been published in the Annals.…”