scholarly journals Erosional response of an actively uplifting mountain belt to cyclic rainfall variations

2014 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 971-1004 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Braun ◽  
C. Voisin ◽  
A. T. Gourlan ◽  
C. Chauvel

Abstract. We present an approximate analytical solution to the stream power equation describing the erosion of bedrock in an actively uplifting mountain range subject to periodic variations in precipitation rate. It predicts a time lag between the climate forcing and the erosional response of the system that increases with the forcing period. The predicted variations in the sedimentary flux coming out of the mountain are also scaled with respect to the imposed rainfall variations in a direct proportion to the discharge exponent, m, in the stream power law expression. These findings are confirmed by 1-D and 2-D numerical solutions. We also show that the response of a river channel is independent of its length and thus the size of its catchment area, implying that all actively eroding streams in a mountain belt will constructively contribute to the integrated signal in the sedimentary record. We show that rainfall variability at Milankovitch periods should affect the erosional response of fast uplifting mountain belts such as the Himalayas, Taiwan or the South Island, New Zealand, and predict 1–10 thousand years offsets between forcing and response. We suggest that this theoretical prediction could be used to independently constrain the value of the poorly defined stream power law exponents, and provide an example of how this could be done, using geochemical proxy signals from an ODP borehole in the Bengal Fan.

2015 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-14 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Braun ◽  
C. Voisin ◽  
A. T. Gourlan ◽  
C. Chauvel

Abstract. We present an approximate analytical solution to the stream power equation describing the erosion of bedrock in an actively uplifting mountain range subject to periodic variations in precipitation rate. It predicts a time lag between the climate forcing and the erosional response of the system that increases with the forcing period. The predicted variations in the sedimentary flux coming out of the mountain are also scaled with respect to the imposed rainfall variations in a direct proportion to the discharge exponent, m, in the stream power law expression. These findings are confirmed by 1-D and 2-D numerical solutions. We also show that the response of a river channel is independent of its length and thus the size of its catchment area, implying that all actively eroding streams in a mountain belt will constructively contribute to the integrated signal in the sedimentary record. We show that rainfall variability at Milankovitch periods should affect the erosional response of fast uplifting mountain belts such as the Himalayas, Taiwan or the South Island, New Zealand, and predict 1000 to 10 000-year offsets between forcing and response. We suggest that this theoretical prediction could be used to independently constrain the value of the poorly defined stream power law exponents, and provide an example of how this could be done, using geochemical proxy signals from an ODP borehole in the Bengal Fan.


2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (29) ◽  
pp. 1250146 ◽  
Author(s):  
BHASKAR SEN GUPTA ◽  
SHANKAR P. DAS

The renormalized dynamics described by the equations of nonlinear fluctuating hydrodynamics (NFH) treated at one loop order gives rise to the basic model of the mode coupling theory (MCT). We investigate here by analyzing the density correlation function, a crucial prediction of ideal MCT, namely the validity of the multi step relaxation scenario. The equilibrium density correlation function is calculated here from the direct solutions of NFH equations for a hard sphere system. We make first detailed investigation for the robustness of the correlation functions obtained from the numerical solutions by varying the size of the grid. For an optimum choice of grid size we analyze the decay of the density correlation function to identify the multi-step relaxation process. Weak signatures of two step power law relaxation is seen with exponents which do not match predictions from the one loop MCT. For the final relaxation stretched exponential (KWW) behavior is seen and the relaxation time grows with increase of density. But apparent power law divergences indicate a critical packing fraction much higher than the corresponding MCT predictions for a hard sphere fluid.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rens Hofman ◽  
Joern Kummerow ◽  
Simone Cesca ◽  
Joachim Wassermann ◽  
Thomas Plenefisch ◽  
...  

<p>The AlpArray seismological experiment is an international and interdisciplinary project to advance our understanding of geophysical processes in the greater Alpine region. The heart of the project consists of a large seismological array that covers the mountain range and its surrounding areas. To understand how the Alps and their neighbouring mountain belts evolved through time, we can only study its current structure and processes. The Eastern Alps are of prime interest since they currently demonstrate the highest crustal deformation rates. A key question is how these surface processes are linked to deeper structures. The Swath-D network is an array of temporary seismological stations complementary to the AlpArray network located in the Eastern Alps. This creates a unique opportunity to investigate high resolution seismicity on a local scale.</p><p>In this study, a combination of waveform-based detection methods was used to find small earthquakes in the large data volume of the Swath-D network. Methods were developed to locate the seismic events using semi-automatic picks, and estimate event magnitudes. We present an overview of the methods and workflow, as well as a preliminary overview of the seismicity in the Eastern Alps.</p>


2013 ◽  
Vol 46 ◽  
Author(s):  
Monique Fort ◽  
Etienne Cossart

Active mountains supply the largest sediment fluxes experienced on earth. At mountain range scale, remote sensing approaches, sediments provenance or stream power law analyses, collectively provide rough long-term estimates of total erosion. Erosion is indeed controlled by rock uplift and climate, hence by a wide range of processes (detachment, transport and deposition), all operating within drainage basin units, yet with time and spatial patterns that are quite complex at local scale. We focus on the Kali Gandaki valley, along the gorge section across the Higher Himalaya (e.g. from Kagbeni down to Tatopani). Along this reach, we identify sediment sources, stores and sinks, and consider hillslope int eractions with valley floor, in particular valley damming at short and longer time scales, and their impact on sediment budgets and fluxes. A detailed sediment budget is presented, constrained by available dates and/or relative chronology, ranging from several 10 kyr to a few decades. Obtained results span over two orders of magnitude that can best be explained by the type and magnitude of erosional processes involved. We show that if large landslides contribute significantly to the denudation history of active mountain range, more frequent medium to small scales landslides are in fact of primary concern for Himalayan population.


2009 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
pp. 682 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roslyn Hickson ◽  
Steven Barry ◽  
Geoff Mercer

2013 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 779-791 ◽  
Author(s):  
K.V. Prasad ◽  
K. Vajravelu ◽  
I. Pop

Abstract The boundary layer flow and heat transfer of a viscous fluid over a nonlinear permeable shrinking sheet in a thermally stratified environment is considered. The sheet is assumed to shrink in its own plane with an arbitrary power-law velocity proportional to the distance from the stagnation point. The governing differential equations are first transformed into ordinary differential equations by introducing a new similarity transformation. This is different from the transform commonly used in the literature in that it permits numerical solutions even for asymptotically large values of the power-law index, m. The coupled non-linear boundary value problem is solved numerically by an implicit finite difference scheme known as the Keller- Box method. Numerical computations are performed for a wide variety of power-law parameters (1 < m < 100,000) so as to capture the effects of the thermally stratified environment on the velocity and temperature fields. The numerical solutions are presented through a number of graphs and tables. Numerical results for the skin-friction coefficient and the Nusselt number are tabulated for various values of the pertinent parameters.


Climate ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 75 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stefanos Stefanidis ◽  
Dimitrios Stathis

In this study, the authors evaluated the spatial and temporal variability of rainfall over the central Pindus mountain range. To accomplish this, long-term (1961–2016) monthly rainfall data from nine rain gauges were collected and analyzed. Seasonal and annual rainfall data were subjected to Mann–Kendall tests to assess the possible upward or downward statistically significant trends and to change-point analyses to detect whether a change in the rainfall time series mean had taken place. Additionally, Sen’s slope method was used to estimate the trend magnitude, whereas multiple regression models were developed to determine the relationship between rainfall and geomorphological factors. The results showed decreasing trends in annual, winter, and spring rainfalls and increasing trends in autumn and summer rainfalls, both not statistically significant, for most stations. Rainfall non-stationarity started to occur in the middle of the 1960s for the annual, autumn, spring, and summer rainfalls and in the early 1970s for the winter rainfall in most of the stations. In addition, the average magnitude trend per decade is approximately −1.9%, −3.2%, +0.7%, +0.2%, and +2.4% for annual, winter, autumn, spring, and summer rainfalls, respectively. The multiple regression model can explain 62.2% of the spatial variability in annual rainfall, 58.9% of variability in winter, 75.9% of variability in autumn, 55.1% of variability in spring, and 32.2% of variability in summer. Moreover, rainfall spatial distribution maps were produced using the ordinary kriging method, through GIS software, representing the major rainfall range within the mountainous catchment of the study area.


2019 ◽  
Vol 116 (35) ◽  
pp. 17201-17206 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liangcheng Tan ◽  
Chuan-Chou Shen ◽  
Ludvig Löwemark ◽  
Sakonvan Chawchai ◽  
R. Lawrence Edwards ◽  
...  

Tropical rainfall variability is closely linked to meridional shifts of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and zonal movements of the Walker circulation. The characteristics and mechanisms of tropical rainfall variations on centennial to decadal scales are, however, still unclear. Here, we reconstruct a replicated stalagmite-based 2,700-y-long, continuous record of rainfall for the deeply convective northern central Indo-Pacific (NCIP) region. Our record reveals decreasing rainfall in the NCIP over the past 2,700 y, similar to other records from the northern tropics. Notable centennial- to decadal-scale dry climate episodes occurred in both the NCIP and the southern central Indo-Pacific (SCIP) during the 20th century [Current Warm Period (CWP)] and the Medieval Warm Period (MWP), resembling enhanced El Niño-like conditions. Further, we developed a 2,000-y-long ITCZ shift index record that supports an overall southward ITCZ shift in the central Indo-Pacific and indicates southward mean ITCZ positions during the early MWP and the CWP. As a result, the drying trend since the 20th century in the northern tropics is similar to that observed during the past warm period, suggesting that a possible anthropogenic forcing of rainfall remains indistinguishable from natural variability.


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