What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine whether landforms and sediment movement are primarily controlled by rare, catastrophic events or by frequent events of moderate magnitude.

January 1, 1960The Journal of Geology

Magnitude and Frequency of Forces in Geomorphic Processes

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Authors

MWM. Gordon WolmanJohns Hopkins University JMJohn P. MillerHealth Canada

Discussion

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Implication

Empirical analysis reveals that moderate, frequent flows perform the majority of sediment transport in river systems, indicating landscape morphology is primarily shaped by recurrent events.

Key Points

To determine whether landforms and sediment movement are primarily controlled by rare, catastrophic events or by frequent events of moderate magnitude.
Analyzed empirical sediment transport records across river basins of varying drainage area and flow variability.
Modeled geomorphic work as the product of stress-driven material transport rates and log-normal magnitude-frequency distributions of natural flows.
Observed channel geometry, bankfull recurrence intervals, and equilibrium forms of alluvial rivers, sand dunes, and beaches.
The largest portion of total river sediment is transported by moderate flows that recur on average once or twice per year rather than by rare catastrophic floods.
Storm discharges recurring at least once every five years remove 90 percent of the total sediment in smaller drainage basins with high flow variability.
Channel dimensions and meandering patterns in alluvial rivers correspond directly to bankfull discharge levels recurring every one to two years.

Cite This Study

Wolman et al. (1960) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69fc349e81d49a44f4fa3de0 https://doi.org/10.1086/626637

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January 1, 1960The Journal of Geology

Magnitude and Frequency of Forces in Geomorphic Processes

View Full Paper

Ask AI

Bookmark

Authors

MWM. Gordon WolmanJohns Hopkins University JMJohn P. MillerHealth Canada

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Empirical analysis reveals that moderate, frequent flows perform the majority of sediment transport in river systems, indicating landscape morphology is primarily shaped by recurrent events.

Key Points

To determine whether landforms and sediment movement are primarily controlled by rare, catastrophic events or by frequent events of moderate magnitude.
Analyzed empirical sediment transport records across river basins of varying drainage area and flow variability.
Modeled geomorphic work as the product of stress-driven material transport rates and log-normal magnitude-frequency distributions of natural flows.
Observed channel geometry, bankfull recurrence intervals, and equilibrium forms of alluvial rivers, sand dunes, and beaches.
The largest portion of total river sediment is transported by moderate flows that recur on average once or twice per year rather than by rare catastrophic floods.
Storm discharges recurring at least once every five years remove 90 percent of the total sediment in smaller drainage basins with high flow variability.
Channel dimensions and meandering patterns in alluvial rivers correspond directly to bankfull discharge levels recurring every one to two years.

Cite This Study

Wolman et al. (1960) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/69fc349e81d49a44f4fa3de0 https://doi.org/10.1086/626637

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