Influence of precipitation phase on the form of mountain ranges

Research Article| June 01, 2008 Influence of precipitation phase on the form of mountain ranges Alison M. Anders; Alison M. Anders 1University of Washington, 4000 15th Ave NE, Box 351310, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA *Current Address: Department of Geology, 254 Natural History Building, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1301 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Gerard H. Roe; Gerard H. Roe 2University of Washington, Quaternary Research Center, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Box 351310, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David R. Montgomery; David R. Montgomery 2University of Washington, Quaternary Research Center, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Box 351310, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Bernard Hallet Bernard Hallet 2University of Washington, Quaternary Research Center, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Box 351310, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Alison M. Anders *Current Address: Department of Geology, 254 Natural History Building, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1301 West Green Street, Urbana, Illinois 61801, USA. 1University of Washington, 4000 15th Ave NE, Box 351310, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA Gerard H. Roe 2University of Washington, Quaternary Research Center, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Box 351310, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA David R. Montgomery 2University of Washington, Quaternary Research Center, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Box 351310, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA Bernard Hallet 2University of Washington, Quaternary Research Center, 4000 15th Avenue NE, Box 351310, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 28 Jan 2008 Revision Received: 13 Feb 2008 Accepted: 20 Feb 2008 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2008 Geological Society of America Geology (2008) 36 (6): 479–482. https://doi.org/10.1130/G24821A.1 Article history Received: 28 Jan 2008 Revision Received: 13 Feb 2008 Accepted: 20 Feb 2008 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Alison M. Anders, Gerard H. Roe, David R. Montgomery, Bernard Hallet; Influence of precipitation phase on the form of mountain ranges. Geology 2008;; 36 (6): 479–482. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G24821A.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Observations of precipitation fall speeds and precipitation patterns suggest that precipitation phase (rain versus snow) is a significant control on the relationship between precipitation patterns and topography, due to the potential for increased downwind advection of snow relative to rain. A coupled model of orographic precipitation and surface erosion shows that for a range of climate variables, steady-state precipitation patterns vary from nearly uniform and maximizing over the highest topography, to highly spatially variable, closely coupled to topography and reaching a maximum on low slopes. Precipitation patterns are a first-order control on modeled range scale and ridge-valley scale relief, channel concavity, and the position of the drainage divide. An association between cool climates, spatially uniform precipitation, and efficient erosion of high topography is indicated. The importance of precipitation phase to the evolution of precipitation patterns and topography further demonstrates the fundamental importance of the coupled climate, erosion, and tectonic system in the evolution of mountain topography. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.