Numerical modeling of non–steady-state river profile evolution using a sediment-flux-dependent incision model

Gasparini, N. M.; Bras, Rafael L.; Whipple, K. X.

doi:10.1130/2006.2398(08)

Cited by 74 publications

(140 citation statements)

References 39 publications

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“…The sensitivity of sediment production on hillslopes is thus expected to make fluvial geomorphology even more sensitive to lateral advection than simulated in this paper, if one incorporates sediment-flux-dependent incision rules [Whipple and Tucker, 2002;Gasparini et al, 2006;Crosby et al, 2007;Gasparini et al, 2007]. One prediction of landscape evolution models with sediment-flux-dependent incision is the production of oversteepened reaches [Gasparini et al, 2006;Crosby et al, 2007].…”

Section: Lateral Bedrock Motion and Stream Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One prediction of landscape evolution models with sediment-flux-dependent incision is the production of oversteepened reaches [Gasparini et al, 2006;Crosby et al, 2007]. Such steep reaches of streams have been observed to reach slopes up to S % 1 [Schoenbohm et al, 2004;Gasparini et al, 2006;Wobus et al, 2006b;Crosby et al, 2007]. Like hillslopes, the responses of these oversteepened reaches may be affected considerably by lateral advection.…”

Section: Lateral Bedrock Motion and Stream Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…[56] Interestingly, some slope-flux-dependent incision models also produce steady state slope-area plots that have steeper apparent concavities than expected by the unit stream power model , and such models also show transient responses may also exhibit large concavities corresponding with large steepness indices [Gasparini et al, 2006]. Such large concavities have not been noted in streams that flow in the strike-parallel direction [Kirby and Whipple, 2001] and thus the importance of sediment-flux-dependent incision in the Siwalik Hills remains unclear.…”

Section: Lateral Bedrock Motion and Stream Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characteristics of steady state fluvial topography above fault‐bend folds

2007

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[1] In steady state convergent orogens, erosion balances lateral as well as vertical bedrock motions. For simple geometrical reasons, the difference between the total steady state erosion flux and its vertical component is up to 30% for typical fluvial slopes and bedrock streamline inclinations, suggesting that lateral advection is also likely to be expressed topographically. In order to understand these geomorphologic consequences, we focus on steady state topography developed on active fault-bend folds. First, we derive an analytical solution for the slopes of detachment-limited streams that incorporates lateral advection. Next, we conduct experiments using a numerical two-dimensional landscape evolution model (Channel-Hillslope Integrated Landscape Development model (CHILD)) incorporating linear diffusion on hillslopes and detachment-limited stream channel incision above a fault-bend fold. The concavity and steepness indices of steady state long profiles are functions of bedrock velocity magnitude and direction, streamflow direction, and fluvial erosivity. Asymmetry of mountain range profiles varies as a function of fluvial erosivity or bedrock velocity only if we account for the lateral velocity component. This asymmetry is equally sensitive to this lateral component, fluvial incision, and hillslope diffusion. However, the effect of diffusion on drainage divide position is significant only at high diffusivities, short length scales, low bedrock advection rates, or relatively low fluvial erosivity. Thus in most mountain ranges and fault blocks, drainage divide migration is expected to be dictated by stream channel erosion. Model results are shown to be consistent with topography in the Siwalik Hills, Nepal, which overlie fault-bend folds produced above the frontal fault systems in the Himalayan foreland.

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Section: Lateral Bedrock Motion and Stream Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lateral Bedrock Motion and Stream Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Lateral Bedrock Motion and Stream Profilesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Characteristics of steady state fluvial topography above fault‐bend folds

2007

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“…For example, Whipple and Tucker (2002) and Gasparini et al (2006) showed that four current models for stream incision can produce identical longitudinal profiles under steady conditions, but very different patterns under transient acceleration or deceleration. Natural experiments in transient landscape evolution are critical for testing such models.…”

Section: Natural Experiments In Transient Topographymentioning

confidence: 99%

Natural experiments in landscape evolution

Tucker

2009

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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A natural experiment in landscape evolution is a case study of landform development in which only one element varies significantly, and for which the driving forces, initial conditions, and/or boundary conditions are well constrained. Natural experiments provide a means of testing landscape evolution theory on the large space and time scales to which that theory applies. Natural experiments can involve either steady or transient conditions. Cases with steady conditions allow one to test predictions about the relationships among topography, erosion rates, and various attributes related to climate and material properties. Transient cases are valuable for distinguishing between models whose predictions might be similar, and therefore indistinguishable, under steady conditions. Essential ingredients of a natural experiment include minimal variation in all but one factor, good constraints on timing and/or rates, well-characterized processes, and high quality topographic data. Other useful ingredients include information about intermediate topographic states (such as a former valley profile revealed by strath terraces), and knowledge of the time history of erosion rates. In order to deepen our understanding of the physics and chemistry of longterm landscape evolution, there is a pressing need to identify natural experiments and develop the necessary databases to take advantage of them.

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“…The major limitation of basic stream power and shear stress models is the lack of a description of how sediment influences channel bed erosion. A large number of sediment-flux-dependent incision models, in which the interaction of sediment flux with sediment transport capacity enhances or inhibits bedrock erosion, have been developed to fill this gap (e.g., Dietrich, 1998, 2004;Whipple and Tucker, 2002;Gasparini et al, 2006Gasparini et al, , 2007Turowski et al, 2007;Chatanantavet and Parker, 2009;Hobley et al, 2011). Sediment may act as "cover," inhibiting bedrock erosion, or as "tools," accelerating bedrock erosion (see review by Hobley et al, 2011).…”

Section: Approaches To Bedrock Erosionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The SPACE 1.0 model: a Landlab component for 2-D calculation of sediment transport, bedrock erosion, and landscape evolution

2017

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Abstract. Models of landscape evolution by river erosion are often either transport-limited (sediment is always available but may or may not be transportable) or detachmentlimited (sediment must be detached from the bed but is then always transportable). While several models incorporate elements of, or transition between, transport-limited and detachment-limited behavior, most require that either sediment or bedrock, but not both, are eroded at any given time. Modeling landscape evolution over large spatial and temporal scales requires a model that can (1) transition freely between transport-limited and detachment-limited behavior, (2) simultaneously treat sediment transport and bedrock erosion, and (3) run in 2-D over large grids and be coupled with other surface process models. We present SPACE (stream power with alluvium conservation and entrainment) 1.0, a new model for simultaneous evolution of an alluvium layer and a bedrock bed based on conservation of sediment mass both on the bed and in the water column. The model treats sediment transport and bedrock erosion simultaneously, embracing the reality that many rivers (even those commonly defined as "bedrock" rivers) flow over a partially alluviated bed. SPACE improves on previous models of bedrockalluvial rivers by explicitly calculating sediment erosion and deposition rather than relying on a flux-divergence (Exner) approach. The SPACE model is a component of the Landlab modeling toolkit, a Python-language library used to create models of Earth surface processes. Landlab allows efficient coupling between the SPACE model and components simulating basin hydrology, hillslope evolution, weathering, lithospheric flexure, and other surface processes. Here, we first derive the governing equations of the SPACE model from existing sediment transport and bedrock erosion formulations and explore the behavior of local analytical solutions for sediment flux and alluvium thickness. We derive steadystate analytical solutions for channel slope, alluvium thickness, and sediment flux, and show that SPACE matches predicted behavior in detachment-limited, transport-limited, and mixed conditions. We provide an example of landscape evolution modeling in which SPACE is coupled with hillslope diffusion, and demonstrate that SPACE provides an effective framework for simultaneously modeling 2-D sediment transport and bedrock erosion.

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Numerical modeling of non–steady-state river profile evolution using a sediment-flux-dependent incision model

Cited by 74 publications

References 39 publications

Characteristics of steady state fluvial topography above fault‐bend folds

Characteristics of steady state fluvial topography above fault‐bend folds

Natural experiments in landscape evolution

The SPACE 1.0 model: a Landlab component for 2-D calculation of sediment transport, bedrock erosion, and landscape evolution

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