Universität zu Köln

Gabet, E. J., Mudd, S. M., Wood, R. W., Grieve, S. W. D., Binnie, S. A. and Dunai, T. J. (2021). Hilltop Curvature Increases With the Square Root of Erosion Rate. J. Geophys. Res.-Earth Surf., 126 (5). WASHINGTON: AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION. ISSN 2169-9011

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Abstract

The shape of soil-mantled hillslopes is typically attributed to erosion rate and the transport efficiency of the various processes that contribute to soil creep. While climate is generally hypothesized to have an important influence on soil creep rates, a lack of uniformity in the measurement of transport efficiency has been an obstacle to evaluating the controls on this important landscape parameter. We addressed this problem by compiling a data set in which the transport efficiency has been calculated using a single method, the analysis of hilltop curvatures using 1-m LiDAR data, and the erosion rates have also been determined via a single method, in-situ cosmogenic Be-10 concentrations. Moreover, to control for lithology, we chose sites that are only underlain by resistant bedrock. The sites span a range of erosion rates (6-922 mm/kyr), mean annual precipitation (39-320 cm/yr), and aridity index (0.08-1.38). Surprisingly, we find that hilltop curvature varies with the square root of erosion rate, whereas previous studies predict a linear relationship. In addition, we find that the inferred transport coefficient also varies with the square root of erosion rate but is insensitive to climate. We explore various mechanisms that might link the transport coefficient to the erosion rate and conclude that present theory regarding soil-mantled hillslopes is unable to explain our results and is, therefore, incomplete. Finally, we tentatively suggest that processes occurring in the bedrock (e.g., fracture generation) may play a role in the shape of hillslope profiles at our sites.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Creators:	Creators Email ORCID ORCID Put Code Gabet, E. J. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Mudd, S. M. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Wood, R. W. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Grieve, S. W. D. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Binnie, S. A. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED Dunai, T. J. UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
URN:	urn:nbn:de:hbz:38-589611
DOI:	10.1029/2020JF005858
Journal or Publication Title:	J. Geophys. Res.-Earth Surf.
Volume:	126
Number:	5
Date:	2021
Publisher:	AMER GEOPHYSICAL UNION
Place of Publication:	WASHINGTON
ISSN:	2169-9011
Language:	English
Faculty:	Unspecified
Divisions:	Unspecified
Subjects:	no entry
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Keywords Language HILLSLOPE EVOLUTION; DENUDATION RATES; SIERRA-NEVADA; FIELD EVIDENCE; SOIL-CREEP; BEDROCK; BE-10; MORPHOLOGY; RIVER; ACCUMULATION Multiple languages Geosciences, Multidisciplinary Multiple languages
URI:	http://kups.ub.uni-koeln.de/id/eprint/58961