Measuring the significance of a divide to local drainage patterns

This article presents a framework for estimating a new topographic attribute derived from digital elevation models (DEMs) called maximum branch length (B _max). Branch length is defined as the distance travelled along a flow path initiated at one grid cell to the confluence with the flow path passing through a second cell. B _max is the longest branch length measured for a grid cell and its eight neighbours. The index provides a physically meaningful method for assessing the relative significance of drainage divides to the dispersion of materials and energy across a landscape, that is, it is a measure of ‘divide size’. B _max is particularly useful for studying divide network structure, for mapping drainage divides, and in landform classification applications. Sensitivity analyses were performed to evaluate the robustness of estimates of B _max to the algorithm used to estimate flow lengths and the prevalence of edge effects resulting from inadequate DEM extent. The findings suggest that the index is insensitive to the specific flow algorithm used but that edge effects can result in significant underestimation along major divides. Edge contamination can, however, be avoided by using an appropriately extensive DEM.     

西藏朋曲流域不同地貌部位流动沙丘粒度特征

沙丘粒度特征不仅能反映沙丘沙物质的来源与动力,也可以体现地形对风沙流运移的改变。对西藏朋曲流域不同地貌部位流动沙丘表层沉积物的粒度特征进行分析。结果表明：（1）朋曲流域流动沙丘表层沉积物粒度组分以中沙（46.51%）和细沙（40.52%）为主,粗沙（5.87%）与极细沙（5.87%）次之,黏土（0.37%）与粉沙（0.85%）含量最低。流动沙丘表层沉积物平均粒径1.41—2.32 Φ,分选系数0.45—0.79 Φ,偏度0.01—0.24,峰度0.98—1.80。（2）从河漫滩到河流阶地到山坡,流动沙丘粒度逐渐变小,频率分布曲线逐渐变高变窄,粒径越来越集中,沿主导风向自西南向东北概率累积曲线斜率逐渐增大,分选性逐渐变好。（3）河漫滩至河流高级阶地流动沙丘表层沉积物随海拔升高粒径变小,坡麓至坡顶随海拔升高粒径变大,分选却变好,表明山坡上沙丘与阶地上沙丘的沙物质来自于不同河段的河床或河漫滩。     

哥伦比亚OMBU区古近系Em组层序地层研究

综合利用地震、测井等地质资料,运用层序地层学方法和技术,建立了层序地层格架和对比模式,对研究区古近系Em组地层的发育展布特征以及沉积环境进行了研究。Em组顶底均为区域上的不整合面,内部划分为两期基准面升降体系域。构造运动和沉积物供应控制下的基准面升级使得沉积初期研究区发育辩状河-曲流河沉积体系,至晚期演变为曲流河沉积体系。     

广州番禺眉山阶地第四系剖面的年代学框架及构造学意义

眉山阶地第四系剖面地处番禺断隆区的边缘,毗邻狮子洋断陷区,是珠江三角洲第一次海侵所到达的区域,附近的断裂包括文冲断裂、化龙—黄阁断裂、新会—市桥断裂等三角洲内典型断裂。发育于网纹红土基座上的堆积阶地,自下而上大致分为杂色砂层、白色砂层、淤泥质层3层,构成一个完整的从动水环境到静水环境的沉积旋回。野外调查及14C测年和光释光（OSL）测年结果表明,眉山第四系剖面年龄约在70～30 ka B.P.之间,相当于深海O同位素4—2阶段。结合前人的研究资料,认为阶地面与沉降区的下旋回原本在同一高度,但自晚更新世以来,在断块差异升降中被错开,垂直距离在20 m以上,直观地指示了断隆区与断陷区的运动特征。     

Reconstructing fluvial bar surfaces from compound cross‐strata and the interpretation of bar accretion direction in large river deposits

The interpretation of fluvial styles from the rock record is based for a significant part on the identification of different types of fluvial bars, characterized by the geometric relationship between structures indicative of palaeocurrent and surfaces interpreted as indicative of bar form and bar accretion direction. These surfaces of bar accretion are the boundaries of flood‐related bar increment elements, which are typically less abundant in outcrops than what would be desirable, particularly in large river deposits in which each flood mobilizes large volumes of sediment, causing flood‐increment boundary surfaces to be widely spaced. Cross‐strata set boundaries, on the other hand, are abundant and indirectly reflect the process of unit bar accretion, inclined due to the combined effect of the unit bar surface inclination and the individual bedform climbing angle, in turn controlled by changes in flow structure caused by local bar‐scale morphology. This work presents a new method to deduce the geometry of unit bar surfaces from measured pairs of cross‐strata and cross‐strata set boundaries. The method can be used in the absence of abundant flood‐increment bounding surfaces; the study of real cases shows that, for both downstream and laterally accreting bars, the reconstructed planes are very similar to measured bar increment surfaces.     

Controls on knickpoint migration in a drainage network of the moderately uplifted Ardennes Plateau,Western Europe

Much research has been devoted to the development of numerical models of river incision. In settings where bedrock channel erosion prevails, numerous studies have used field data to calibrate the widely acknowledged stream power model of incision and to discuss the impact of variables that do not appear explicitly in the model's simplest form. However, most studies have been conducted in areas of active tectonics, displaying a clear geomorphic response to the tectonic signal. Here, we analyze the traces left in the drainage network 0.7 My after the Ardennes region (western Europe) underwent a moderate 100–150 m uplift. We identify a set of knickpoints that have traveled far upstream in the Ourthe catchment, following this tectonic perturbation. Using a misfit function based on time residuals, our best fit of the stream power model parameters yields m = 0.75 and K = 4.63 × 10^‐8 m^‐0.5y^‐1. Linear regression of the model time residuals against quantitative expressions of bedrock resistance to erosion shows that this variable does not correlate significantly with the residuals. By contrast, proxies for position in the drainage system prove to be able to explain 76% of the residual variance. High time residuals correlate with knickpoint position in small tributaries located in the downstream part of the Ourthe catchment, where some threshold was reached very early in the catchment's incision history. Removing the knickpoints stopped at such thresholds from the data set, we calculate an improved m = 0.68 and derive a scaling exponent of channel width against drainage area of 0.32, consistent with the average value compiled by Lague for steady state incising bedrock rivers. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

金沙江雅砻江河口-金坪子河段贯通过程

通过对金沙江雅砻江河口-金坪子段的地貌、沉积和年代学的研究, 结合区域地貌和新生代沉积, 初步认为该区域河流发育经历了4个阶段:高原面解体河流发育期(7～4.2Ma)、高原湖泊和盆地形成期(4.2～1.1 Ma)、古雅砻江和古金沙江期(1.1～0.73 Ma)和金沙江贯通东流期(0.73 Ma至今)。7～4.2Ma, 高原面解体发育河流, 攀枝花地区河流形成两级陡坎, 并形成昔格达组下伏的卵石层; 古鲹鱼河开始发育形成, 可能越过现代金沙江的位置进入古掌鸠河, 汇合到昆明盆地。4.2～1.1 Ma, 昔格达组、会理、会东盆地均发育; 古城河可能流入元谋盆地; 攀西地区的湖泊和元谋的湖泊可能不相连; 古鲹鱼河在1.1Ma前改道东流, 并未贯通为金沙江。1.1～0.73 Ma, 古鲹鱼河贯通为金沙江, 不断地向古城河方向溯源侵蚀; 古雅砻江和古城河入元谋盆地; 0.73 Ma, 金沙江袭夺古城河、古雅砻江而贯通, 元谋组堆积结束。0.73 Ma以来, 金沙江快速深切; 中晚更新世开始发育阶地。      

太行山东麓汤西断裂南段活动特征分析

采用槽探、年代样品测试、阶地调查和形变测量监测等方法，对太行山东麓汤西断裂南段进行研究，分析其活动特征。结果表明，汤西断裂发育于中更新世，历经多次活动，断裂并未上延到上更新统地层中，其南段的活动强度较高，最新活动年代为中更新世；汤西断裂西代村场地的垂直形变监测（1999~2014年）结果存在异常，综合监测点数据和区域新构造特征分析发现，该异常可能是研究区区域形变场的反映，并非由汤西断裂活动引起。     

Experimental study of the response of a gravel streambed to increased sediment supply

If increased sediment supply to a river channel exceeds its transport capacity, deposition necessarily occurs as the bed adjusts to accommodate the increased supply. Both the mean and spatial patterns in bed elevation and grain size may change and an ability to understand their relative importance is needed to predict bed response. We report on an experiment in a field‐scale flume in which sediment supply is increased to a gravel bed with alternate bars. Sediment was recirculated in the experiments, but augmented in two steps, after which the bed was allowed to reach a new steady state. The transport rate at the end of the experiment was three times larger than at the start. High‐resolution sediment flux and topographic measurements, grain size derived from photographs, and hydrodynamic modeling allow us to document the topographic and textural response of the bed to increased sediment supply. The spatial patterns of bed topography and texture were forced by the flume setup and the initial and final steady states included long stationary alternate bars with associated grain size sorting. The transient bed contained several scales of shorter wavelength migrating bedforms superimposed on, and temporarily replacing the stationary alternate bars. Bed topography and textural patterns adjusted to increased sediment supply over different timescales. Bed slope and mean stress increased directly with sediment supply rate to produce a new transport steady state in a time about 2.5 times the minimum needed to deposit the required sediment wedge, indicating a trap efficiency of about 40% for the aggrading wedge. Adjustments in local topography and sorting, primarily in the form of smaller, migrating bars, continued for a period approximately equal to that required to initially reach transport steady state. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.