An experimental investigation of the random component in stream meandering is described. The results of sixty replicate experiments of meander initiation and development made using the same discharge, bed material and bed slope are described and analyzed. It is demonstrated that the commencement of meandering is a random process. The random component in meander behavior is indicated by the size of the coefficients of variation of meander amplitude and wavelength of 0.45 and 0.22, respectively. A simple model is put forward to explain the observed deterministic and random components of meander behavior.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.