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Design and installation of a novel automatic erosion monitoring system
Author(s) -
Lawler D. M.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
earth surface processes and landforms
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.294
H-Index - 127
eISSN - 1096-9837
pISSN - 0197-9337
DOI - 10.1002/esp.3290170505
Subject(s) - erosion , landform , deposition (geology) , sediment , computer science , geology , remote sensing , process (computing) , calibration , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , geomorphology , geotechnical engineering , statistics , mathematics , operating system
Process inference in geomorphology is hindered by a lack of information on the true temporal distribution of contemporary erosional and depositional activity. To tackle this problem a low‐cost, automatic monitoring system based on the photo‐electronic erosion pin (PEEP) sensor has been developed. The PEEP is essentially an array of photosensitive cells enclosed within a transparent tube and connected by cable to a datalogger. When inserted into an eroding landform, subsequent retreat of the face exposes more photosensitive cells to light which increases PEEP voltage output. Deposition decreases sensor outputs. The logged signals thus reveal the magnitude, timing and frequency of erosion and deposition events with much greater precision than has hitherto been possible. Measurement principles, electronic and physical design, calibration, field installation, problems and prospects and pilot results from a river bank erosion site are discussed. The PEEP system appears to have great potential for disentangling competing hypotheses in geomorphological process studies, and in building and testing erosion and sediment transport models of high temporal resolution.