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Scale‐Dependent Flow Directions of Rivers and the Importance of Subplate Support
Author(s) -
Lipp Alex G.,
Roberts Gareth G.
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2020gl091107
Subject(s) - geology , scale (ratio) , biota , wavelength , flow (mathematics) , hydrology (agriculture) , ecology , geography , geometry , cartography , physics , mathematics , optoelectronics , geotechnical engineering , biology
Large rivers play crucial roles in determining locations of civilization, biodiversity, and efflux to the oceans. The paths they take across Earth's surface vary with scale. At long‐wavelengths rivers can have simple flow paths. At smaller scales, in meanders for example, their paths change rapidly as a consequence of lithology, biota, and other environmental variables. It is not straightforward to identify the scales at which river planforms are set. We overcome these issues by developing a spectral (wavelet) methodology to map flow‐directions as a function of distance and scale. This methodology allows short‐wavelength features (e.g., meanders) to be filtered from river flow‐paths. With short‐wavelength structure removed, the flow‐directions of rivers in Western USA correlate with long‐wavelength gravity anomalies suggesting control by subplate support. This relationship is replicated by an ensemble of landscape evolution models. These results combined suggest that drainage at large scales, O(10 3 ) km, is set by subplate support.

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