Microtopography as an indicator of modern hillslope diffusivity in arid terrain

Research Article| August 01, 1997 Microtopography as an indicator of modern hillslope diffusivity in arid terrain R. Jyotsna; R. Jyotsna 1Division of Earth Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0230 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar P. K. Haff P. K. Haff 1Division of Earth Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0230 Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information R. Jyotsna 1Division of Earth Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0230 P. K. Haff 1Division of Earth Sciences, Nicholas School of the Environment, Duke University, Durham, North Carolina 27708-0230 Publisher: Geological Society of America First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 Geological Society of America Geology (1997) 25 (8): 695–698. https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0695:MAAIOM>2.3.CO;2 Article history First Online: 02 Jun 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation R. Jyotsna, P. K. Haff; Microtopography as an indicator of modern hillslope diffusivity in arid terrain. Geology 1997;; 25 (8): 695–698. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025<0695:MAAIOM>2.3.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 Diffusion of topography is normally considered a smoothing process, but at the scale of the diffusive disturbance, diffusion becomes a roughening process. Roughening is exemplified by topographic features associated with disturbances such as animal burrows, hoof prints of grazing animals, and small landslides (here called large-scale processes). Diffusive processes that make small or indistinct topographic landmarks, such as rain splash and rheological creep (here called small-scale processes), tend to erase these roughness elements. The ratio of the small-scale diffusion coefficient to the large-scale diffusion coefficient can be estimated by a measurement of the areal density of large-scale disturbances. In lightly vegetated, arid terrain, small-scale diffusion is dominant unless large-scale roughness elements cover a large fraction of the surface. The values of large-scale and small-scale modern diffusion coefficients can be estimated if the rate of generation of large-scale disturbances is known. Such estimates are performed for a burrowed fault scarp in Nevada. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.