Forward-modeling of co-evolution of turbidity currents,sediment transport,and cyclic steps in the Rio Muni Basin

Previous quantitative studies of field-scale cyclic steps are mostly based on analysis of field data. Such studies have shed light on the erosion/deposition patterns over these morphological features as well as the magnitudes of the turbidity current parameters back estimated using the measured geometry data. However, it remains unclear to what extent such back estimated hydraulic features and erosion/deposition patterns can be numerically reproduced by process-based numerical models. Here, a tw...     

坡面侵蚀过程中细沟水流动力学参数估算探讨

细沟侵蚀是坡面侵蚀的主要方式 ,在坡面侵蚀产沙及其输移过程中占有重要的地位和作用。通过放水冲刷试验 ,测定并研究了坡面细沟中径流的水力要素特征及其相互关系。试验中坡度采用 6° ,10°,12°和 15°共 4级 ,径流流量变化控制在 40～ 5 0 0ml/s之间。结果表明 ,黄土陡坡上细沟径流的流速、过水断面宽度 ,以及径流深都能表示成径流量和坡度的函数。在确定坡面细沟流各水力要素间关系指数的基础上 ,探讨了用径流量和坡度因子估算细沟径流水力参数的方法。经用实测资料验证 ,在实验土壤及流量、坡度条件下 ,用文中提出的方法估算的细沟径流深具有一定的精度。     

Erosion calderas: origins, processes, structural and climatic control

 The origin and development of erosion-modified, erosion-transformed, and erosion-induced depressions in volcanic terrains are reviewed and systematized. A proposed classification, addressing terminology issues, considers structural, geomorphic, and climatic factors that contribute to the topographic modification of summit or flank depressions on volcanoes. Breaching of a closed crater or caldera generated by volcanic or non-volcanic processes results in an outlet valley. Under climates with up to ∼2000–2500 mm annual rainfall, craters, and calderas are commonly drained by a single outlet. The outlet valley can maintain its dominant downcutting position because it quickly enlarges its drainage basin by capturing the area of the primary depression. Multi-drained volcanic depressions can form if special factors, e.g., high-rate geological processes, such as faulting or glaciation, suppress fluvial erosion. Normal (fluvial) erosion-modified volcanic depressions the circular rim of which is derived from the original rim are termed erosion craters or erosion calderas, depending on the pre-existing depression. The resulting landform should be classed as an erosion-induced volcanic depression if the degradation of a cluster of craters produces a single-drained, irregular-shaped basin, or if flank erosion results in a quasi-closed depression. Under humid climates, craters and calderas degrade at a faster rate. Mostly at subtropical and tropical ocean-island and island-arc volcanoes, their erosion results in so-called amphitheater valleys that develop under heavy rainfall (>∼2500 mm/year), rainstorms, and high-elevation differences. Structural and lithological control, and groundwater in ocean islands, may in turn preform and guide development of high-energy valleys through rockfalls, landsliding, mudflows, and mass wasting. Given the intense erosion, amphitheater valleys are able to breach a primary depression from several directions and degrade the summit region at a high rate. Occasionally, amphitheater valleys may create summit depressions without a pre-existing crater or caldera. The resulting, negative landforms, which may drain in several directions and the primary origin of which is commonly unrecognizable, should be included in erosion-transformed volcanic depressions. Received: 4 January 1998 / Accepted: 18 January 1999     

Pyroclast/snow interactions and thermally driven slurry formation. Part 2: Experiments and theoretical extension to polydisperse tephra

Received: 15 March 1999 / Accepted: 9 December 1999     

EROSION RATES ON UPLAND AREAS IN THE MIDSOUTH USA

lINTR0DUCTIONSoilerosi0n0fslopingagriculturallandoccursduringandimmediatelyafterrainfalleventswherethesoilsurfaceisn0tadequatelyprotectedfromtheerosiveforces0frainfallandrunoffThebestaltemativefortheconservationplarinerist0minimizesoilerosionasmuchasp0ssible.Managementofsoilsurfaceconditionsinvolvesexperienceandjudgmeniinselectingmanagementpracticesthatutilizecr0presiduesandminimizedisturbancebytillage.Concentfatedrun0ffs0metimescausessevereerosi0n,particularlyonunprotectedsteepslopes.Ril…     

PROCESSES OF HEADCUT GROWTH AND MIGRATION IN RILLS AND GULLIES

lINTRoDUCTIONHeadcuterosionwithinrills,ephemeralguIlies,classicgullies,andstreamscausesseriousenvironmentalproblems.Headcuterosionacceleratesthelossoftopsoilanddecreasestheproductivityofagriculturallands.Erodedsedimentsoftenendupinreceivingstreams,causingwaterqualityproblemsandnegativelyimpactingbioIogicalprocesses.Inadditiontolandscapedegradation,gulliesarethedominantformofdamagetoearthspillways.lfagullycanmovethroughanearthspillwayandbreachthecrestofadam,thentheimpoundedfloodwaterswiI1…     

A two-phase numerical model for sediment transport prediction under oscillatory sheet flows

To predict sediment transport under oscillatory sheet flow condition, especially for fine sand, is still a challenging research subject in coastal engineering. This paper describes a newly-developed numerical model based on two-phase theory with the use of a one-equation turbulence closure, and its applications in predicting fine sediment suspension in near-prototype oscillatory sheet flow conditions. Model results were compared with comprehensive laboratory measurements of flow velocity and sediment concentration under both symmetrical and asymmetrical oscillatory sheet flows from a large-scale water tunnel. Good agreements between the model results and measurements were achieved and the results demonstrated that the model is capable of reproducing detailed characteristics of sediment entrainment process in the sheet flow regime. The comparisons also revealed the fact that the concentration peaks at flow reversal is associated with the strong vertical sediment transport flux in the pickup layer, which has been widely observed in many laboratory experiments. The effects of flow reversal events on total sediment transport were also discussed.     

Decoupled Erosion of Authigenic and Detrital Components in Soil

In the study of surface processes, it is generally assumed that erosion occurs equally throughout the soil profile so that chemical depletion of the topsoil can represent the intensity of chemical weathering and the duration of surface exposure to cosmogenic radiation can reflects the soil residence time, and then the rate of erosion can be calculated. In comparison with fresh bedrock, the depletion of soluble elements in soil mainly comes from fine-grained secondary clay components, while the depletion degree of detrital minerals is weak. The preferential erosion of fine-grained secondary clay will lead to the underestimation of weathering intensity, and the retention time of detrital mineral will be longer than the total retention time of soil， and thus the soil erosion rate will be underestimated. Based on the uranium isotope comminution ages of soil in the Lesotho Highlands, we found that erosion operates differentially between the detrital and authigenic components of the soil. Uranium isotope comminution ages show a soil residence time of (543±32) ka for the detrital particles. In contrast, soil residence time of the authigenic phases is constrained to be (22±11) ka according to the accumulation of recoiled ²³⁴U from the absorbed ²³⁸U to river water. The residence time of secondary clay matches with the regional erosion rate 24-33 t/(km²·a) calculated from weathering flux, indicating that secondary clay is the main component of soil erosion. The results indicate that the decoupled erosion of different components in soil may be common. This finding implies that the intensity of weathering based on bulk soil erosion and the rate of soil erosion determined by exposure dating of coarse soil grains may be invalidated due to the preferential erosion of authigenic particles. As a result, a lower estimate of weathering flux may be made, and therefore the role of chemical weathering in the global carbon cycle could be underestimated.     

地貌发育的趋向与变异

事物发展,既有趋向,又有变异。趋向是事物长期发展的总方向,变异则是发展长途中出现的曲折和反复,是在某一具体时段内偏离长期发展趋势的情况。认识地貌景观发生、发展直至更新的总趋向,把握过程的阶段性,才能预期过程未来的进程,加以因势利     

Gas-induced erosion features in the North Sea

Pockmarks are prominent features on the seafloor at two main regions of the North Sea, the South Fladen area and the Norwegian Trench. The pockmarks vary in size from 5 m across to about 150 m and in depth from 1 m to about 20 m. Some of the features consist of several very small ‘unit-pockmarks’. These are probably gas-induced erosion features and found only in soft, finegrained, marine and glaciomarine sediments. They are probably caused by shallow- or deep-seated gas (or fluid) release through the seabed, whereby the finest particles are thrown into suspension and redistributed by nearbottom currents. On the North Sea Plateau a small pockmarked area has recently been found. A close relationship exists here between mobile gas in the upper sediments, faulting in the soft sediments and the morphology of the seabed. Other morphological features in the North Sea such as ‘coast parallel depressions’ and ‘elongated depressions’ or terraces are also interpreted here as gas-induced erosion products. This applies, yet again, to the ‘mottled seabed’ features, which appear as patches of high reflectivity on side scan sonar records from the North Sea Plateau; they correspond to shallow seabed depressions on the deep towed boomer records. Judging from reported observations from several shallow seas world wide volatile transport through the seabed is probably quite common and several morphological features are undoubtably induced by this process. Several erosion features of similar origin are probably common, also, in deep ocean basins.