Hydroclimatic and channel snowpack controls over suspended sediment and grain size transport in a High Arctic catchment

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)



Description :
This study reports the relationship between discharge and suspended sediment characteristics in a small High Arctic catchment, at Cape Bounty, Melville Island, Nunavut. Based on 3 seasons of field observations (2004-2006), suspended sediment-discharge hysteresis patterns were investigated on seasonal event and diurnal timescales. Hysteresis relationships of varying temporal scale were used to examine the role of interannual variability in catchment and channel snowpack as controls over discharge characteristics, sediment load and accessibility, and suspended sediment grain-size characteristics. Results from years with substantially different snowpack conditions and discharge and sediment delivery responses provide a comprehensive understanding of the sensitivity of suspended sediment yield in High Arctic rivers to climate variability and point to the critical role of channel snowpack.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Earth surface processes and landforms, issn : 0197-9337, 2009, vol. 34, n°. 3, p. 424-436, nombre de pages : 13, Références bibliographiques : 1 p.

Date :
2009

Editeur :
Pays édition : Royaume-Uni, Chichester, Wiley