Hillslope infiltration: Divergent and convergent slopes

This perturbation analysis of divergence/convergence effects on hillslope infiltration and downslope unsaturated flow indicates that, in general, these effects are unimportant for usual hillslope topography. Only where the radius of the contour is less than about 10 times the characteristic infiltration length l grav (or 10 times the sorptive length) need the perturbation be taken into account. This result opens up a considerable extension of applicability of the analysis of infiltration on planar hillslopes to embrace slopes with curved contours, such as ridge noses and hollows.