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Generic theory for channel sinuosity

Generic theory for channel sinuosity
Generic theory for channel sinuosity
Sinuous patterns traced by fluid flows are a ubiquitous feature of physical landscapes on Earth, Mars, the volcanic floodplains of the Moon and Venus, and other planetary bodies. Typically discussed as a consequence of migration processes in meandering rivers, sinuosity is also expressed in channel types that show little or no indication of meandering. Sinuosity is sometimes described as “inherited” from a preexisting morphology, which still does not explain where the inherited sinuosity came from. For a phenomenon so universal as sinuosity, existing models of channelized flows do not explain the occurrence of sinuosity in the full variety of settings in which it manifests, or how sinuosity may originate. Here we present a generic theory for sinuous flow patterns in landscapes. Using observations from nature and a numerical model of flow routing, we propose that flow resistance (representing landscape roughness attributable to topography or vegetation density) relative to surface slope exerts a fundamental control on channel sinuosity that is effectively independent of internal flow dynamics. Resistance-dominated surfaces produce channels with higher sinuosity than those of slope-dominated surfaces because increased resistance impedes downslope flow. Not limited to rivers, the hypothesis we explore pertains to sinuosity as a geomorphic pattern. The explanation we propose is inclusive enough to account for a wide variety of sinuous channel types in nature, and can serve as an analytical tool for determining the sinuosity a landscape might support.
0027-8424
8447-8452
Lazarus, E.D.
642a3cdb-0d25-48b1-8ab8-8d1d72daca6e
Constantine, J.A.
dd6ebd2b-db3e-4a61-a48e-67621045e087
Lazarus, E.D.
642a3cdb-0d25-48b1-8ab8-8d1d72daca6e
Constantine, J.A.
dd6ebd2b-db3e-4a61-a48e-67621045e087

Lazarus, E.D. and Constantine, J.A. (2013) Generic theory for channel sinuosity. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 110 (21), 8447-8452. (doi:10.1073/pnas.1214074110).

Record type: Article

Abstract

Sinuous patterns traced by fluid flows are a ubiquitous feature of physical landscapes on Earth, Mars, the volcanic floodplains of the Moon and Venus, and other planetary bodies. Typically discussed as a consequence of migration processes in meandering rivers, sinuosity is also expressed in channel types that show little or no indication of meandering. Sinuosity is sometimes described as “inherited” from a preexisting morphology, which still does not explain where the inherited sinuosity came from. For a phenomenon so universal as sinuosity, existing models of channelized flows do not explain the occurrence of sinuosity in the full variety of settings in which it manifests, or how sinuosity may originate. Here we present a generic theory for sinuous flow patterns in landscapes. Using observations from nature and a numerical model of flow routing, we propose that flow resistance (representing landscape roughness attributable to topography or vegetation density) relative to surface slope exerts a fundamental control on channel sinuosity that is effectively independent of internal flow dynamics. Resistance-dominated surfaces produce channels with higher sinuosity than those of slope-dominated surfaces because increased resistance impedes downslope flow. Not limited to rivers, the hypothesis we explore pertains to sinuosity as a geomorphic pattern. The explanation we propose is inclusive enough to account for a wide variety of sinuous channel types in nature, and can serve as an analytical tool for determining the sinuosity a landscape might support.

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e-pub ahead of print date: 22 April 2013
Organisations: Earth Surface Dynamics

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 400720
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/400720
ISSN: 0027-8424
PURE UUID: 6eb04b66-85c6-4d0c-9195-0d437acb243e
ORCID for E.D. Lazarus: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-2404-9661

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Date deposited: 23 Sep 2016 14:19
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 03:57

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Contributors

Author: E.D. Lazarus ORCID iD
Author: J.A. Constantine

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