The problem of predicting the size distribution of sediment supplied by hillslopes to rivers

Sklar, L. S.; Riebe, C. S.; Marshall, Jill; Genetti, J. R.; Leclere, S.; Lukens, Claire E.; Merces, Viviane

doi:10.1016/j.geomorph.2016.05.005

Cited by 138 publications

(189 citation statements)

References 143 publications

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“…This is the first time, to our knowledge, that the prediction of stronger rocks delivering coarser grain sizes (e.g. Allen et al ., ; Sklar et al ., ) is shown with empirical data from bedrock outcrops. We attribute this correlation to the fact that both the degree of weathering and fracturing at the outcrop scale are well‐captured by Schmidt hammer rebound measurements (e.g.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

“…Selby, ; Portenga and Bierman, ; Allen et al ., ), and the degree of weathering and jointing of bedrock (e.g. Selby, ; Moore et al ., ; Clarke and Burbank, ; Sklar et al ., ). However, there are few empirical data sets exploring how these variables control hillslope sediment production and delivery, in contrast with the large body of research studying how this primary sedimentary signal is transformed during transport and deposition (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Overall, these studies suggest that the grain size distributions of sediment supplied from hillslopes are somewhat predictable (e.g. Sklar et al ., ). The grain size distributions input to channels are expected to be coarser when they are supplied by landslides (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lithological controls on hillslope sediment supply: insights from landslide activity and grain size distributions

Roda-Boluda

D’Arcy

McDonald

et al. 2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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The volumes, rates and grain size distributions of sediment supplied from hillslopes represent the initial input of sediment delivered from upland areas and propagated through sediment routing systems. Moreover, hillslope sediment supply has a significant impact on landscape response time to tectonic and climatic perturbations. However, there are very few detailed field studies characterizing hillslope sediment supply as a function of lithology and delivery process. Here, we present new empirical data from tectonically‐active areas in southern Italy that quantifies how lithology and rock strength control the landslide fluxes and grain size distributions supplied from hillslopes. Landslides are the major source of hillslope sediment supply in this area, and our inventory of ~2800 landslides reveals that landslide sediment flux is dominated by small, shallow landslides. We find that lithology and rock strength modulate the abundance of steep slopes and landslides, and the distribution of landslide sizes. Outcrop‐scale rock strength also controls the grain sizes supplied by bedrock weathering, and influences the degree of coarsening of landslide supply with respect to weathering supply. Finally, we show that hillslope sediment supply largely determines the grain sizes of fluvial export, from catchments and that catchments with greater long‐term landslide rates deliver coarser material. Therefore, our results demonstrate a dual control of lithology on hillslope sediment supply, by modulating both the sediment fluxes from landslides and the grain sizes supplied by hillslopes to the fluvial system. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 87%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Lithological controls on hillslope sediment supply: insights from landslide activity and grain size distributions

Roda-Boluda

D’Arcy

McDonald

et al. 2018

Earth Surf Processes Landf

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“…Yang et al [14] used particle size distribution to reflect the formation of soil in Qilian Mountains. The size distribution of sediment supplied by hillslopes to rivers showed the size of sediments produced on hillslopes and delivered to channels [15]. Grain size index was proposed for use in a soil classification system and empirical models to predict physical and mechanical properties of soils [16].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fitting Performance of Different Models on Loess Particle Size Distribution Curves

Liu

Chen

et al. 2017

Advances in Materials Science and Engineering

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The soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) describes the relationship between matric suction and moisture of soil, the testing process of which is time-consuming. The test time of particle size distribution (PSD), in contrast, is relatively short. Thus, it is quite important to establish a proper model for PSD to forecast SWCC. This paper analyzed PSD of 25 groups of loess by way of laser diffraction technique (LD) and sieve-settlement method. Works were carried out on fitting analysis on PSD with Logarithmic model, Fredlund model, Jaky model, and Gompertz model. Statistical method was used to explain the fitting performance. Meanwhile, an empirical model was put forward. Compared to the four models, the empirical model has fewer parameters, simple model form, and smaller fluctuations of parameters. Results of LD showed higher clay content but lower silt content. It is suggested that Fredlund model or the empirical model be adopted to forecast SWCC of Malan loess.

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“…Spatial variations in these factors commonly correspond to differences in elevation. For example, elevation influences both the magnitude and phase of precipitation (Roe, 2005;Minder et al, 2011), the climatic factors that govern rock weathering (White and Blum, 1995;Riebe et al, 2004), the particle size and production rate of sediment from slopes (Marshall and Sklar, 2012;Riebe et al, 2015;Sklar et al, 2016), and both the distribution of biomes (Lomolino, 2001) and their net primary productivity (Raich et al, 1997). Thus, elevation is a fundamental characteristic of the source areas that supply water, solutes, and sediment to catchment outlets.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Catchment power and the joint distribution of elevation and travel distance to the outlet

et al. 2016

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Abstract. The delivery of water, sediment, and solutes by catchments is influenced by the distribution of source elevations and their travel distances to the outlet. For example, elevation affects the magnitude and phase of precipitation, as well as the climatic factors that govern rock weathering, which influence the production rate and initial particle size of sediments. Travel distance, in turn, affects the timing of flood peaks at the outlet and the degree of sediment size reduction by wear, which affects particle size distributions at the outlet. The distributions of elevation and travel distance have been studied extensively but separately, as the hypsometric curve and width function. Yet a catchment can be considered as a collection of points, each with paired values of elevation and travel distance. For every point, the ratio of elevation to travel distance defines the mean slope for transport of mass to the outlet. Recognizing that mean slope is proportional to the average rate of loss of potential energy by water and sediment during transport to the outlet, we use the joint distribution of elevation and travel distance to define two new metrics for catchment geometry: "source-area power", and the corresponding catchmentwide integral "catchment power". We explore patterns in source-area and catchment power across three study catchments spanning a range of relief and drainage area. We then develop an empirical algorithm for generating synthetic source-area power distributions, which can be parameterized with data from natural catchments. This new way of quantifying the three-dimensional geometry of catchments can be used to explore the effects of topography on the distribution on fluxes of water, sediment, isotopes, and other landscape products passing through catchment outlets, and may provide a fresh perspective on problems of both practical and theoretical interest.

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The problem of predicting the size distribution of sediment supplied by hillslopes to rivers

Cited by 138 publications

References 143 publications

Lithological controls on hillslope sediment supply: insights from landslide activity and grain size distributions

Lithological controls on hillslope sediment supply: insights from landslide activity and grain size distributions

Fitting Performance of Different Models on Loess Particle Size Distribution Curves

Catchment power and the joint distribution of elevation and travel distance to the outlet

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