Hillslope evolution by nonlinear creep and landsliding: An experimental study

Research Article| February 01, 2001 Hillslope evolution by nonlinear creep and landsliding: An experimental study Joshua J. Roering; Joshua J. Roering 1Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-4767, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar James W. Kirchner; James W. Kirchner 1Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-4767, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Leonard S. Sklar; Leonard S. Sklar 1Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-4767, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar William E. Dietrich William E. Dietrich 1Department of Earth and Planetary Science, University of California, Berkeley, California 94720-4767, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2001) 29 (2): 143–146. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)0292.0.CO;2 Article history received: 01 Jun 2000 rev-recd: 23 Oct 2000 accepted: 05 Nov 2000 first online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Joshua J. Roering, James W. Kirchner, Leonard S. Sklar, William E. Dietrich; Hillslope evolution by nonlinear creep and landsliding: An experimental study. Geology 2001;; 29 (2): 143–146. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(2001)0292.0.CO;2 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 Landscape evolution models are widely used to explore links between tectonics, climate, and hillslope morphology, yet mechanisms of hillslope erosion remain poorly understood. Here we use a laboratory hillslope of granular material to experimentally test how creep and landsliding contribute to hillslope erosion. In our experimental hillslope, disturbance-driven sediment transport rates increase nonlinearly with slope due to dilation-driven granular creep, and become increasingly episodic at steep slope angles as creep gives way to periodic landsliding. We use spectral analysis to quantify the variability of sediment flux and estimate the slope-dependent transition from creep to landsliding. The power spectrum of sediment flux steepens with hillslope gradient, exhibiting fractal 1/f scaling just below the creep-landsliding transition. By evolving the experimental hillslope under fixed base-level boundary conditions, we demonstrate how disturbance-driven transport generates hillslope convexity. The transient evolution is consistent with numerical predictions derived from a recently proposed nonlinear transport model, as initially steep hillslopes are lowered rapidly by landsliding before slopes decay slowly by creep-dominated transport. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.