Geomorphology: EAS 21700 System Analysis of The Earth Angelo Lampousis, PH.D

Geomorphology
EAS 21700
SYSTEM ANALYSIS OF THE EARTH
Angelo Lampousis, Ph.D.
geomorphology - reference
Fundamentals of
Geomorphology
(Routledge)
3rd Edition
Richard John Huggett
geomorphology
from three Greek words:
- γαία (the Earth)
- μορφή (form)
- λόγος (discourse)
Geomorphology is therefore ‘a discourse on

Earth forms’
Adopted from Huggett, Richard J. , Fundamentals of geomorphology, 3rd Edition

Feedbacks in geomorphology
Slope Stream
erosion bedload
Valley-side Channel
slope angle erosion
Negative feedback loop

Feedbacks in geomorphology
Infiltration Surface
capacity runoff
Slope
erosion
Positive feedback loop

Analogue model simulating long-term landform
evolution with uplift and variable rainfall rate
Bonnet, S. and Crave, A. (2003) Landscape response to climate change: insights from
experimental modeling and implications for tectonic versus climatic uplift of
topography. Geology 31, 123–6.
Figure 16.2 here
Distribution of Earth’s Water
Running Water
• The difference between runoff and

infiltration depends on
– Intensity and duration of rainfall
– The amount of water already in the soil
– The type of soil
– Slope of the land
– Nature of the vegetative cover
Running Water
River Systems
– Sediment production
• Zone where most sediment is derived
• Located in the headwater region of a river system
• Sediment generated by
– Bedrock broken into smaller pieces
– Bank erosion
– Scouring of the channel bed
Running Water
River Systems
– Sediment transport
• Sediment is transported in trunk streams
– In balance, the amount of sediment being eroded equals
the amount of sediment being deposited
– Sediment deposition
• When a river reaches a large body of water, the
energy decreases and the river deposits sediments
• Typically only fine sediments are deposited in
oceans
Zones of a River
World’s
Largest
Deltas

Geologic Processes in
Arid Climates
Weathering
– Mechanical weathering is more prominent
than in humid regions
– Some chemical weathering does occur over

long spans of time
• Produces clay, thin soils, and oxidation of iron-rich
sediments
Geologic Processes in
Arid Climates
Role of Water
– Most streambeds are dry most of the time
• Ephemeral streams only carry water in response to

specific periods of rainfall
• When rain falls, most of it flows as runoff into the

streambeds
Ephemeral Stream
Influence of
Channel Shape
on
Stream Velocity
Longitudinal Profile
Streamflow variables
• Viscosity
– Molecular or dynamic
– Eddy
• Laminar versus turbulent

flow (Reynolds number)
• Hydraulic radius
R=A/P
where
– R: Hydraulic radius
– A: cross sectional area
of flow
– P: wetted perimeter

Stream flow velocity
• Slope gradient
• bed roughness
• stream cross sectional form
• Chézy empirical equation

– ῡ: mean flow velocity
– R: hydraulic radius (same as depth in
large streams)
– s: channel gradient
– C: Chézy coefficient
• Manning empirical equation
– ῡ: mean flow velocity
– R: hydraulic radius
– s: channel gradient
– n: the Manning roughness coefficient

Streams as geomorphic agents
• Stream power: The capacity of a stream
to do work
Ω = ρgQs
– Ω: stream power per unit length
– ρ: water density
– g: acceleration of gravity
– Q: stream discharge
– s: channel slope

Stream vertical and lateral
erosion
Ek = ½ mv2
where
– Ek: Kinetic energy
– m: mass of water
– v: flow velocity
Chézy empirical equation
after substitution

Transport of Sediment by Streams
All streams transport sediment
• Dissolved load (in solution)
• Suspended load (in suspension)
• Bed load (rolling along the bottom)

Drainage Patterns
Stream order
Strahler’s versus Shreve’s ordering system
Water
Beneath
Earth’s
Surface
Interactions
Between
Groundwater
and
Streams
Factors Influencing Storage
and Movement of Groundwater
• Porosity
– The percentage of pore (open) spaces in a rock
or sediment is called porosity
• Depends on the size and shape of the grains, how
well they are sorted, and and how tightly they are
packed
– Poorly sorted sediments have a low porosity
– Determines how much groundwater can be
stored
Porosity Demonstration
How Groundwater Moves
• Groundwater moves very slowly

• Average rate is 4 centimeters per day
• A Simple Groundwater Flow System

– The force of gravity and pressure differences
move groundwater
• Groundwater is replenished in areas of recharge
• Groundwater flows back to the surface in a discharge
area
Groundwater Movement
• Measuring Groundwater Movement

– Darcy’s law is a measure of the volume of
water that flows through an aquifer, using the
hydraulic gradient, conductivity, and cross-
sectional area
• Hydraulic gradient is the water table slope
• Hydraulic conductivity takes into account the
permeability of the aquifer and viscosity of the liquid
to determine how fast water will flow through a
medium
Hydraulic Gradient
• Different Scales of Movement

– The area of groundwater flow systems vary
from a few square kilometers to tens of
thousands of square kilometers
– Regional groundwater systems interact with
deeper, larger groundwater systems
Hypothetical Groundwater
Flow System
Wells
• A well is a hole bored into the zone of

saturation
– Most common methods for removing
groundwater
– Drawdown—As water is withdrawn from the
well, the surrounding water table is lowered
• A cone of depression (cone-shaped depression in the
water table) forms around a well
Cone of Depression
Saltwater Contamination
City Water Systems
Comparing Two Aquifers
Changing Direction
• Runoff: Difference between precipitation
and evaporation rates (assuming constant
soil water storage capacity).
• Streams
– Perennial
– Intermittent
– Ephemeral
• Hortonian overland flow
– rainfall intensity exceeds the rate of water
infiltration in the soil
• Seepage flow
– groundwater table sits at ground surface
• Baseflow
– water entering the stream from the water table

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Geomorphology

Geomorphology is therefore ‘a discourse on

Adopted from Huggett, Richard J. , Fundamentals of geomorphology, 3rd Edition

Negative feedback loop

Adopted from Huggett, Richard J. , Fundamentals of geomorphology, 3rd Edition

Positive feedback loop

• The difference between runoff and

Adopted from Huggett, Richard J. , Fundamentals of geomorphology, 3rd Edition

– Some chemical weathering does occur over

– Most streambeds are dry most of the time

• Ephemeral streams only carry water in response to

• When rain falls, most of it flows as runoff into the

• Laminar versus turbulent

Adopted from Huggett, Richard J. , Fundamentals of geomorphology, 3rd Edition

• Chézy empirical equation

Adopted from Huggett, Richard J. , Fundamentals of geomorphology, 3rd Edition

Adopted from Huggett, Richard J. , Fundamentals of geomorphology, 3rd Edition

Adopted from Huggett, Richard J. , Fundamentals of geomorphology, 3rd Edition

• Dissolved load (in solution)

• Suspended load (in suspension)

• Bed load (rolling along the bottom)

• Groundwater moves very slowly

• A Simple Groundwater Flow System

• Measuring Groundwater Movement

• Different Scales of Movement

• A well is a hole bored into the zone of

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