Cenozoic erosion and flexural isostasy of Scandinavia

The presence of Cenozoic deposits along the Norwegian Atlantic margin required extensive erosion of the Scandinavian Mountains in a generally cooling climate from the Oligocene to the present. The volume of the deposits implies that the transfer of mass from the inland area to the offshore shelf induced isostatic displacements on a kilometer scale. However, except for glacial excavation of the deep fjords, little is known about the distribution of Cenozoic inland erosion. A long-lasting paradigm incorporates remnants of peneplains at high elevation and assumes very little Cenozoic erosion on these surfaces through time. This scenario has recently been challenged by quantitative geomorphological studies indicating that the matrix of Cenozoic sediments deposited offshore must have been sourced from these surfaces. An alternative explanation for the present-day high-elevation low-relief surfaces is therefore that they evolved throughout the Cenozoic because of glacial and periglacial erosion processes that are known to vary strongly with altitude. Here we explore the implications of the latter scenario by reconstructing a pre-Cenozoic fluvial landscape without elevated low-relief surfaces. We use the present-day offshore sediment volumes for constraining the total Cenozoic erosion, and we find that a likely pre-Cenozoic fluvial landscape is only in few places more than 1 km higher than today. The rock mass of the offshore sediments is generally used for filling the fjords created during the Quaternary glaciations and for restoring concave river profiles from sea level to the peaks. Our reconstruction is based on a fluvial landscape algorithm and considers the isostatic response to the transfer of rock mass – from the basins onto the onshore area. A comparison between the reconstructed and the present-day topography demonstrates that offshore tilting of pre-Cenozoic strata can be partly explained by flexural isostatic compensation in response to the Cenozoic erosion and deposition. Locations of future thermochronometry studies for testing Scandinavian landscape evolution models are suggested based on temperature estimates of the present-day surface buried beneath the erosion products restored from the offshore basins.     

Modelling the effect of Pliocene–Quaternary changes in sea level on stable and tectonically active land masses

A mathematical model was used to examine the effect of Pliocene and Quaternary changes in sea level on the development of tectonically active and inactive rock coasts. The model calculated rates of mechanical wave erosion according to such factors as the deep water wave regime, bottom topography and surface roughness, and the resistance of the rocks. Subaerial terraces were truncated or eliminated by subsequent terrace formation at lower elevations, especially on steeply sloping landmasses experiencing slow rates of uplift. Submarine terraces formed during glacial stillstands were best preserved when rapid subsidence quickly carried them below the level of wave action. On slowly subsiding landmasses, submarine terraces formed during interglacials and glacial periods experienced repeated erosional modification during subsequent periods of rising and falling sea level and were generally less distinctive. On rapidly rising or subsiding (>5 mm yr^‐1) landmasses, terraces that formed during interglacial stages alternated, above and below present sea level, with terraces formed during glacial stages. Despite some differences in terrace occurrence and elevational distribution, it may be difficult to distinguish profiles cut during accelerating or decelerating uplift. The amount of erosion during sea level oscillations increases with oscillation amplitude and the larger oscillations in the middle to late Quaternary were therefore more conducive to erosion than the smaller oscillations of the Pliocene and early Quaternary. The effect of oscillation amplitude may have been countered during the earlier stages of profile development, however, by steeper submarine gradients and reduced rates of wave attenuation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In situ cosmogenic ~(10)Be dating of the Quaternary glaciations in the southern Shaluli Mountain on the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau

It is generally considered that four-times ice age happened during the Quaternary epoch on the Tibetan Plateau. However, the research on the chronology of the four-times ice age is far from enough. The Shaluli Mountain on the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau is an ideal place for plaeo-glacier study, because there are abundant Quaternary glacial remains there. This paper discusses the ages of the Quaternary glaciations, based on the exposure dating of roche moutonnée, moraines and gla- cial erosion surfaces using in situ cosmogenic isotopes 10Be. It is found that the exposure age of the roche moutonnée at Tuershan is 15 ka, corresponding to Stage 2 of the deep-sea oxygen isotope, suggesting that the roche moutonnée at Tuershan is formed in the last glacial maximum. The expo- sure age of glacial erosion surface at Laolinkou is 130―160 ka, corresponding to Stage 6 of the deep-sea oxygen isotope. The oldest end moraine at Kuzhaori may form at 421―766 kaBP, corre- sponding to Stages 12―18 of the deep-sea oxygen isotope. In accordance with the climate charac- teristic of stages 12,14,16 and 18 reflected by the deep-sea oxygen isotope, polar ice cores and loess sequence, the oldest end moraine at Kuzhaori may form at stage 12 or stage 16, the latter is more possible.     

In situ cosmogenic 10Be dating of the Quaternary glaciations in the southern Shaluli Mountain on the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau

It is generally considered that four-times ice age happened during the Quaternary epoch on the Tibetan Plateau. However, the research on the chronology of the four-times ice age is far from enough. The Shaluli Mountain on the Southeastern Tibetan Plateau is an ideal place for plaeo-glacier study, because there are abundant Quaternary glacial remains there. This paper discusses the ages of the Quaternary glaciations, based on the exposure dating of roche moutonnée, moraines and glacial erosion surfaces using in situ cosmogenic isotopes ¹⁰Be. It is found that the exposure age of the roche moutonnée at Tuershan is 15 ka, corresponding to Stage 2 of the deep-sea oxygen isotope, suggesting that the roche moutonnée at Tuershan is formed in the last glacial maximum. The exposure age of glacial erosion surface at Laolinkou is 130–160 ka, corresponding to Stage 6 of the deep-sea oxygen isotope. The oldest end moraine at Kuzhaori may form at 421–766 kaBP, corresponding to Stages 12–18 of the deep-sea oxygen isotope. In accordance with the climate characteristic of stages 12, 14, 16 and 18 reflected by the deep-sea oxygen isotope, polar ice cores and loess sequence, the oldest end moraine at Kuzhaori may form at stage 12 or stage 16, the latter is more possible.     

Variability in erosion rates related to the state of landscape transience in the semi‐arid Chilean Andes

We quantify erosion rates in the higher sectors of the Huasco Valley, in the Main Cordillera of the semi‐arid Andes of Chile, using elevation differences between three successive geomorphic markers (pediments and paleo‐valleys) and the present day valley. Available Ar‐Ar ages of Neogene pediments are used to estimate mean erosion rates for the three periods (16 to 13 My, 13 to 8 My, and following 8 My). The landscape of the Huasco Valley is in a transient state, as indicated by well‐preserved pediment surfaces in interfluves, valleys deeply incised by fluvial and glacial erosion and scarped head‐valleys that represent the current knickzones. Higher erosion rates (45–75 m/My) are calculated for the more recent period (< 8 My) during which deep incision developed compared to previous periods (6–31 m/My). Quantitative data indicate that glaciers had a much higher erosional capability than fluvial activity in the higher sectors of the Main Cordillera. Comparison with erosion rates calculated in other drainage basins of the Chilean Andes suggests that the variability of erosion rates depends on the landscape's transient erosive state. The landscape's geomorphologic response to the uplift of the Main Cordillera results in the retreat of a knickzone, for which retreat velocity depends on precipitation rate pattern and glacial erosion intensity. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluvial response to climatic and anthropogenic forcing in the Moselle drainage basin (NE France) during historical periods: evidence from OSL dating

The aim of this paper is to study a low energy fluvial system response to natural and anthropogenic forcing during the last two millennia. In contrast with longer timescales (Holocene to Quaternary), historical sedimentary archives are sparse in such systems which are typically characterized by the predominance of erosion compared with aggradation. We studied three main sections in the Moselle valley (northeastern France) by a multi‐proxy approach combining morphology, sedimentology, archaeological evidence, historical archives, and dating. The geochronological framework was based on Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and validated by independent age control. The exposed sediments were allocated to different historical periods from Roman period to present. The first results show that, in contrast with many other fluvial systems, the Moselle and its tributaries did not experience major changes during historical periods. Climatic changes such as the Little Ice Age had a minor influence on floodplain aggradation (e.g. in grain size or sedimentation rates) in the Moselle valley and were only able to affect the fluvial style. This provides evidence that the reworking of sediments is the main fluvial process at short timescales in the valley floors of the Moselle catchment. In contrast, anthropogenic forcing seems important not only during recent centuries but also since Roman times. This is suggested by the case‐study of the Metz‐Mazelle section where significant headward erosion and sedimentation were recognized, and may be related to human occupation. The results therefore point to a need for increasing geoarchaeological and geochronological research in the Moselle catchment and similar low energy fluvial systems. Such research is actually essential to improve the knowledge of the fluvial response to environmental changes during the historical periods and to recognize the respective influence of natural variability and human forcing. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Luminescence dating reveals a rapid response to climate change of fluvial terrace formation along the Ani River,northeastern Japan,during the last glacial period

Fluvial terraces along the middle reaches of many Japanese rivers were formed during the last glacial period as a result of changes in sediment discharge related to cooler temperatures and/or reduced water discharge because of lower precipitation. The influence of climate change on these fluvial terraces is not yet fully understood because most previous studies lacked detailed reconstructions of the chronology of terrace development. This study provides a detailed luminescence chronology of fluvial terrace deposits along the Ani River, northeastern Honshu, Japan, and compares that chronology to paleoclimatic records. Eight samples for luminescence dating were obtained from an outcrop of terrace deposits (∼10 m thick) in the Ani River valley. The fading-corrected infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) ages are consistent with the fading-corrected post-IR IRSL ages for some samples, which suggests that fading corrections were effective despite the higher fading rates of the IRSL signal. However, for the other samples, the post-IR IRSL ages are significantly older than the fading-corrected IRSL ages due to incomplete bleaching. The pulsed IRSL signals are close to field saturation for older samples, which might have resulted in a greater variation of the ages. Fading-corrected IRSL ages demonstrate periods of rapid aggradation during 105–90 ka and 75–60 ka. Comparison of terrace development with paleoclimatic records indicates that the two periods of fluvial deposition correspond to decreases in precipitation caused by weakened East Asian summer monsoon precipitation and possibly decreases in temperature. The results of this study show that the Ani River responded rapidly to climate change on a time scale of a few tens of thousands of years during the last glacial period.     

The dynamics of mountain erosion: Cirque growth slows as landscapes age

Glacial cirques are widely used palaeoenvironmental indicators, and are key to understanding the role of glaciers in shaping mountain topography. However, notable uncertainty persists regarding the rate and timing of cirque erosion. In order to address this uncertainty, we analyse the dimensions of 2208 cirques in Britain and Ireland and model ice accumulation to investigate the degree of coupling between glacier occupation times and cirque growth. Results indicate that during the last ~120 ka, cirques were glacier-free for an average of 52.0 ± 21.2 ka (43 ± 18%); occupied by small (largely cirque-confined) glaciers for 16.2 ± 9.9 ka (14 ± 8%); and occupied by large glaciers, including ice sheets, for 51.8 ± 18.6 ka (43 ± 16%). Over the entire Quaternary (i.e. 2.6 Ma), we estimate that cirques were glacier-free for 1.1 ± 0.5 Ma; occupied by small glaciers for 0.3 ± 0.2 Ma; and occupied by large glaciers for 1.1 ± 0.4 Ma. Comparing occupation times to cirque depths, and calculating required erosion rates, reveals that continuous cirque growth during glacier occupation is unlikely. Instead, we propose that cirques attained much of their size during the first occupation of a non-glacially sculpted landscape (perhaps during the timeframe of a single glacial cycle). During subsequent glacier occupations, cirque growth may have slowed considerably, with the highest rates of subglacial erosion focused during periods of marginal (small glacier) glaciation. We propose comparatively slow rates of growth following initial cirque development because a ‘least resistance’ shape is formed, and as cirques deepen, sediment becomes trapped subglacially, partly protecting the bedrock from subsequent erosion. In support of the idea of rapid cirque growth, we present evidence from northern British Columbia, where cirques of comparable size to those in Britain and Ireland developed in less than 140 ka. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. © 2019 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lateral bedrock erosion and valley formation in a heterogeneously layered landscape,Northeast Kansas

In this study, we present direct field measurements of modern lateral and vertical bedrock erosion during a 2-year study period, and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages of fluvial material capping a flat bedrock surface at Kings Creek located in northeast Kansas, USA. These data provide insight into rates and mechanisms of bedrock erosion and valley-widening in a heterogeneously layered limestone-shale landscape. Lateral bedrock erosion outpaced vertical incision during our 2-year study period. Modern erosion rates, measured at erosion pins in limestone and shale bedrock reveal that shale erosion rate is a function of wetting and drying cycles, while limestone erosion rate is controlled by discharge and fracture spacing. Variability in fracture spacing amongst field sites controls the size of limestone block collapse into the stream, which either allowed continued lateral erosion following rapid detachment and transport of limestone blocks, or inhibited lateral erosion due to limestone blocks that protected the valley wall from further erosion. The OSL ages of fluvial material sourced from the strath terrace were older than any material previously dated at our study site and indicate that Kings Creek was actively aggrading and incising throughout the late Pleistocene. Coupling field measurements and observations with ages of fluvial terraces can be useful to investigate the timing and processes linked to how bedrock rivers erode laterally over time to form wide bedrock valleys.     

Controls on the erosion of Cenozoic Asia and the flux of clastic sediment to the ocean

Rates of continental erosion may be reconstructed from variations in the rate of accumulation of clastic sediment, most of which lies offshore. Global rates of marine sedimentation are usually considered to have reached a maximum after 3–4 Ma, driven by enhanced erosion in a variable glacial–interglacial climate. However, a new compilation of seismic data from the marginal seas of Asia now shows that only the Red River reached its historic peak after 4 Ma. Sediment flux from Asia first peaked in the early–middle Miocene (24–11 Ma), well before the initiation of a glacial climate, indicating that rock uplift and especially precipitation are the key controls on erosion, at least over long periods of geologic time. Reconstructions of weathering in East Asia show that faster erosion correlates with more humid, warm climates in the early–middle Miocene, changing to less erosive, drier climates after 14 Ma when Antarctic glaciation begins. Average rates of sedimentation on most east Asian continental margins since 1.8 Ma are 5–6 times less than the modern fluvial flux, implying that the flux to the oceans varies sharply on short timescales and is not always buffered over timescales of ∼10⁴ yr by storage in flood plains.     

Preservation of the last aggradation phase in climate-driven terraces: Evidence from Late Quaternary reach-specific fluvial dynamics of the Allier River (France)

There is limited knowledge about the preservation of aggradation phases in Quaternary fluvial records. Previous numerical modelling of erosion and deposition in Late Quaternary Allier River (France) generated the prediction that this river has reach-specific fluvial dynamics related to climate-driven tributary sediment-flux dynamics. To test this prediction, new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) samples were collected of the Late Quaternary Fx terrace at five locations along a stretch of 60 km. OSL dates of both quartz and feldspar sand grains indicate that all relatively basalt-poor sediments display significantly different ages for each reach (ranging from 36.3 ± 2.0 to 21.1 ± 2.3 ka). The more basalt-rich terrace body consistently yields ages in the range 21.1 ± 1.7 to 16.1 ± 1.5 ka, suggesting contemporaneous aggradation along the whole studied Allier reach during this interval. Our own new OSL date of a Tartaret eruption around 16.8 ± 2.5 ka also fits this time window, suggesting a direct link with volcanic activity. However, there are many more dated volcanic events that coincide with the older basalt-poor units, making it less likely that a direct link between terrace-sediment basalt content and volcanic activity exists. The timings of the dated depositional events in MIS 3 and 2 all match with simulated climate drivers and published landscape erosion rates. Counterintuitively, the volcanic Chaîne des Puys area supplied more sediment during the cold and dry Last Glacial Maximum. Basalt content in the Allier terrace sediments reflects climate-related sediment-flux dynamics upstream. The scarcity of older basalt-poor sediment bodies from MIS 4 and 3 in the Fx terrace suggests that less sediment was supplied and/or the intermittent erosional phases in the Allier were very effective at removing them. We hypothesize that this observation of predominant preservation of the last aggradation phase could be a common phenomenon in most climate-driven terraces. © 2020 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

Sediment transmission and storage: the implications for reconstructing landform development

The late Holocene (last 3000 years) development of the lower Ribble valley (northwest England) displays evidence for a complex response to a sediment recharge event forced by land‐use change induced increases in erosion and sediment delivery. The deposition of fluvial sediments during the late Holocene was restricted to a series of reaches or depocenters separated by zones with no sediment accumulation constrained by older glacial and fluvial terrain. Apparent reach‐wide correlations of fluvial terraces break down under the scrutiny applied by comprehensive and extensive radiocarbon control. Bayesian testing of relative order models show that large‐scale geomorphological changes, e.g. the progression from one terrace level to another, were time transgressive between different depocenters. The different histories of sediment delivery and storage are probably a function of local‐ and process‐scale variations in these depocenters, and reflect (dis)connectivity relationships within a reach in propagating a basin‐scale change (superslug) in the sediment regime. Disconnectivity in the depositional regime through a fluvial reach limits what we can reconstruct in terms of sediment budgets, but radiocarbon dating of multiple palaeochannels offers considerable potential for landform‐based research to uncover rates of change within individual depocenters. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Flume tests on fluvial erosion mechanisms in till‐bed channels

Semi‐alluvial stream channels eroded into till and other glacial sediments are common in areas of extensive glacial deposition such as the Great Lakes region and northern interior plains of North America. The mechanics of erosion and erosional weakness of till results in the dominance of fluvial scour and mass erosion due to spontaneous fracture at planes of weakness under shearing flow. There have been few controlled tests looking at erosional mechanisms and resistance of till in river channels. We subjected small blocks of till to unidirectional flows in a laboratory flume to measure the threshold shear stress for erosion and observed the erosion mechanics. Critical shear stress for erosion varied from 7 to 8 Pa for samples with initial saturated moisture content in which a combination of fluvial scour and mass cracking/block erosion dominated. When dried, micro‐fissures occurred in the sample and erosional resistance of the till was extremely low at <1 Pa with erosion appearing to be by fluvial scour. When mobile gravel was added to the test conditions, the gravel reduced the erosion threshold slightly because of the enhanced scour around and below the gravel particles and the tendency for the gravel to aid in crack enlargement. Thus a partial or thin gravel cover over the till may provide no protection from erosion. The erosion processes and effects reflect the complex and contingent mechanics and properties of till, and suggest that the erosion characteristics of till bed semi‐alluvial channels differ from abrasion or plucking dominated processes in more resistant bedrock. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Predicting reach‐specific properties of fluvial terraces to guide future fieldwork. A case study for the Late Quaternary River Allier (France) with the FLUVER2 model

Numerical models have not yet systematically been used to predict properties of fluvial terrace records in order to guide fieldwork and sampling. This paper explores the potential of the longitudinal profile model FLUVER2 to predict testable field properties of the relatively well‐studied, Late Quaternary Allier system in France. For the Allier terraces an overlapping ¹⁴C and U‐series chronology as well as a record of ¹⁰Be erosion rates exist. The FLUVER2 modelling exercise is focused on the last 50 ka of the upper Allier reach because for this location and period the constraints of the available dating techniques are tightest. A systematic calibration based on terrace occurrence and thicknesses was done using three internal parameters related to (1) the sediment erodibility; (2) the sediment transport distance; and (3) the sediment supply derived from the surrounding landscape. As external model inputs, the best available, reconstructed, tectonic, climatic and base‐level data were used. Calibrated model outputs demonstrate a plausible match with the existing fluvial record. Validation of model output was done by comparing the modelled and measured timing of aggradation and incision phases for the three locations. The modelled range of landscape erosion rates showed a reasonably good match with existing erosion rate estimates derived from ¹⁰Be measurements of fluvial sands. The quasi‐validated model simulation was subsequently used to make new testable predictions about the timing and location of aggradation and erosion phases for three locations along the Allier river. The validated simulations predict that along the Allier, reach‐specific dynamics of incision and aggradation, related to the variations in sediment supply by major tributaries, cause relevant differences in the local fluvial terrace stratigraphy. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying glacial erosion on a limestone bed and the relevance for landscape development in the Alps

Glacial erosion is the basic process that has shaped the landscapes of the Alps. Despite intense research over centuries, and the use of various techniques, determination of glacial erosion rates remains challenging. This is not only because the location where the process occurs is almost inaccessible, but also because it is dependent on many different factors, including ice thickness and velocity, glacier thermal regime and lithology. Reported glacial erosion rates range over several orders of magnitude (0.01 to >10 mm a⁻¹). Most studies focus on crystalline bedrock, whereas few researchers have investigated glacial erosion on limestone. Here we analyse glacially polished bedrock surfaces at the recently deglaciated forefield of the Tsanfleuron glacier, Swiss Alps. The nearly horizontally bedded limestone hosts a well-developed karst system. Meltwater from the glacier drains into the subsurface within a few metres of the ice margin. By combining geomorphological mapping, measurement of cosmogenic ³⁶Cl concentrations of glacially eroded bedrock surfaces and a numerical model (MECED), we quantify at each sample location the amount of rock removed during glacier occupation. The glacial erosion rates calculated from these values range from 0 to 0.08 mm a⁻¹. These are orders of magnitude lower than values measured at comparable sites on crystalline bedrock. The high ³⁶Cl concentrations we measured show that the Tsanfleuron glacier was unable to effectively erode the gently dipping, strongly karstified limestone. We suggest that this effect may play a key role in formation and preservation over many glacial cycles of high-elevation, low-relief limestone plateaus in the Alps. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

The Role of Fluvial and Glacial Erosion in Landscape Evolution: The Ben Ohau Range,New Zealand

A morphometric comparison of valleys has been made for the Ben Ohau Range in the central Southern Alps of New Zealand. The range is undergoing rapid tectonic transport and uplift. The humid north of the range is a glacial trough-and-arête landscape, with a temperate glacial climate. The dry south has rounded divides and plateau remnants dissected by fluvial valleys. Assuming that space–time substitution allows today's spatial valley-form transition to represent evolutionary stages in valley development, the tectonic history allows time constraints to be placed on the rate of transition to an alpine glacial landscape. Morphometric change has been quantified using hypsometric curves, and distance–elevation plots of cirque and valley-floor altitudes. Ancestral fluvial valleys have less concave long profiles but are stepped at altitude owing to the presence of high-level cirques and remnant plateau surfaces, and possess a low proportion of land area at low elevation. Increasing glacial influence is manifest as smoother, more deeply concave long profiles and U-shaped cross-profiles associated with a higher proportion of the land area at lower elevation. The full morphological transition has involved up to 2.4 km of vertical denudation over the 4 Ma lifetime of the mountain range, of which 80 per cent would have occurred by preglacial fluvial erosion. Combining the trajectory of tectonic transport with reconstructed glaciation limits and climatic history, it is indicated that about 200 ka of temperate glacial erosion produces recognizable trough-and areête topography. Mean and modal relief increase where glacial activity is confined to cirques, but decrease when trough incision by ice becomes established as a dominant process in the landscape. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Erosion history of the Tibetan Plateau since the last interglacial: constraints from the first studies of cosmogenic 10Be from Tibetan bedrock

The cosmogenic ¹⁰Be exposure histories of in situ bedrock surfaces from the Tibetan Plateau indicate low erosion rates of <30 mm/ka in southern and central Tibet during the last interglacial–glacial cycle that contrast strongly with unusually rapid erosion rates (60–2000 mm/ka) for Kunlun in northern Tibet during the Holocene, comparable with published values from the Himalaya. By comparing apatite fission-track ages with cosmogenic data, erosion rates in southern Tibet appear to be decelerating since the Miocene, whereas in the Kunlun, erosion rates have accelerated over the same timescale. Such secular changes suggest that the southern and central regions of the plateau had formed their present flat relief by the Pleistocene. Unusually high erosion rates along the northern margin of the plateau may reflect intense tectonic activity during the Holocene. These findings indicate that over much of the high plateau erosion rates are exceptionally low, and therefore the sources of detritus carried by the great Asian rivers that rise in Tibet lie overwhelmingly in bedrocks at lower altitudes. This study illustrates the potential of cosmogenic studies for unraveling the most recent phase of the erosion/exhumation history of orogenic belts that cannot be resolved by either Ar-isotope or fission-track thermochronometers.     

Geomorphological response of fluvial and coastal terraces to Quaternary tectonics and climate as revealed by geostatistical topographic analysis

Geostatistical topographic analysis is widely recognized as a useful tool for the statistical reconstruction of planar geomorphic markers from relict surfaces. This work is aimed at improving the geostatistical approach used in previous works and developing a method for evaluating the incision rates of rivers in their lower catchments during the Late Quaternary. We chose the major valleys of the Adriatic foothills (central Italy), affected since Late Miocene by a differential tectonic uplift which is still active. In particular, (i) we applied the geostatistical analysis to reconstruct the original top‐surfaces of fluvial‐to‐coastal terrace bodies at the Metauro River and Cesano River mouths; (ii) we performed correlations between the height distribution of the alluvial terrace sequences and the Quaternary climatic curve to estimate the average long‐term fluvial incision rates in the lowermost reaches of the Metauro, Cesano, Misa and Esino Rivers. The obtained averaged incision rates have been interpreted also in the light of the Stream‐Length Gradient Index (SL Index), Steepness Index (K_s), and Concavity Index (θ) as proxies of the stream‐power per unit length. Results confirm that geostatistical and terrain analysis of topographic and geometric arrangements of fluvial and coastal terraces is an effective tool in detecting geomorphic and tectonic factors inducing perturbations on planar geomorphic markers. In particular, we better delineated the surface geometry and boundaries of well‐developed coastal fans at the mouths of the Metauro and Cesano Rivers, already recognized in previous works through sedimentological, morphostratigraphic, and chronological data. Moreover, we found evidence for cut‐and‐fill phases that took place during and immediately after the river aggradation of the late Quaternary glacial periods. Despite the Slope–Area analysis evidenced a widespread influence of the regional differential uplift on single river basin configuration, we observed some space and time variability of averaged incision rates for adjacent valleys, mainly explained by physiographic configuration and dynamics of drainage network. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Landscape response to tectonic and climatic forcing in the foredeep of the southern Apennines,Italy: insights from Quaternary stratigraphy,quantitative geomorphic analysis,and denudation rate proxies

We present new data about the morphological and stratigraphic evolution and the rates of fluvial denudation of the Tavoliere di Puglia plain, a low‐relief landscape representing the northernmost sector of the Pliocene‐Pleistocene foredeep of the southern Apennines. The study area is located between the easternmost part of the southern Apennine chain and the Gargano promontory and it is characterized by several orders of terraced fluvial deposits, disconformably overlying lower Pleistocene marine clay and organized in a staircase geometry, which recorded the emersion and the long‐term incision history of this sector since mid‐Pleistocene times. We used the spatial and altimetric distribution of several orders of middle to late Pleistocene fluvial terraces in order to perform paleotopographic reconstruction and GIS‐aided eroded volumes estimates. Then, we estimated denudation rates on the basis of the terraces chronostratigraphy, supported by published OSL and AAR dating. Middle to upper Pleistocene denudation rates estimated by means of such an approach are slightly lower than 0.1 mm yr^‐1, in good agreement with short‐term data from direct and indirect evaluation of suspended sediment yield. The analysis of longitudinal river profiles using the stream power erosion model provided additional information on the incision rates of the studied area. Middle to late Quaternary uplift rates (about 0.15 mm yr^‐1), calculated on the basis of the elevation above sea level of marine deposits outcropping in the easternmost sector of the study area, are quite similar to the erosion rates average value, thus suggesting a steady‐state fluvial incision. The approach adopted in this work has demonstrated that erosion rates traditionally obtained by quantitative geomorphic analysis and k_sn estimations can be successfully integrated to quantify rates of tectonic or geomorphological processes of a landscape approaching steady‐state equilibrium. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Supra‐glacial deposition and flux of catastrophic rock–slope failure debris,south‐central Alaska

The ongoing debate over the effects of global environmental change on Earth's cryosphere calls for detailed knowledge about process rates and their variability in cold environments. In this context, appraisals of the coupling between glacier dynamics and para‐glacial erosion rates in tectonically active mountains remain rare. We contribute to filling this knowledge gap and present an unprecedented regional‐scale inventory of supra‐glacial sediment flux and hillslope erosion rates inferred from an analysis of 123 large (> 0·1 km²) catastrophic bedrock landslides that fell onto glaciers in the Chugach Mountains, Alaska, as documented by satellite images obtained between 1972 to 2008. Assuming these supra‐glacial landslide deposits to be passive strain markers we infer minimum decadal‐scale sediment yields of 190 to 7400 t km^–2 yr^–1 for a given glacier‐surface cross‐section impacted by episodic rock–slope failure. These rates compare to reported fluvial sediment yields in many mountain rivers, but are an order of magnitude below the extreme sediment yields measured at the snouts of Alaskan glaciers, indicating that the bulk of debris discharged derives from en‐glacial, sub‐glacial or ice‐proximal sources. We estimate an average minimum para‐glacial erosion rate by large, episodic rock–slope failures at 0·5–0·7 mm yr^–1 in the Chugach Mountains over a 50‐yr period, with earthquakes likely being responsible for up to 73% of this rate. Though ranking amongst the highest decadal landslide erosion rates for this size of study area worldwide, our inferred rates of hillslope erosion in the Chugach Mountains remain an order of magnitude below the pace of extremely rapid glacial sediment export and glacio‐isostatic surface uplift previously reported from the region. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.