Hillslope response to knickpoint migration in the Southern Appalachians: implications for the evolution of post-orogenic landscapes

Auteur(s) et Affiliation(s)



Description :
Values of normalized hypsometry, hypsometric integral, and mean slope vs elevation are used in south-western North Carolina for 14 tributary basins and the Cullasaja basin as a whole to characterize landscape evolution following upstream knickpoint migration. Results highlight the existence of a transient spatial relationship between knickpoints present along the fluvial network of the Cullasaja basin and adjacent hillslopes. This transient effect of knickpoint-driven channel incision on basin hillslopes is captured by measuring the relief, mean slope steepness, and mass movement frequency of tributary basins and comparing these results with the distance from major knickpoints along the Cullasaja River. A conceptual model of area–elevation and slope distributions is presented that may be representative of post-orogenic landscape evolution.


Type de document :
Article de périodique

Source :
Earth surface processes and landforms, issn : 0197-9337, 2011, vol. 36, n°. 9, p. 1254-1267, nombre de pages : 14, Références bibliographiques : 2 p.

Date :
2011

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