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Length‐scale dependence of relief along the south eastern border of Massif Central (France)
Author(s) -
Lucazeau Francis,
Hurtrez Jean Emmanuel
Publication year - 1997
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 - 10.1029/97gl01673
Subject(s) - massif , geology , plateau (mathematics) , context (archaeology) , structural basin , geomorphology , scale (ratio) , drainage , paleontology , geography , cartography , mathematical analysis , ecology , mathematics , biology
Relief has been calculated over four orders of length‐scales (75 m to 800 km) for several drainage basins along the south‐eastern border of Massif Central, an asymmetric plateau edge feature. Relief is not uniform over the length‐scale domain, but rather appears as smooth at small and large scales, and rough at meso‐scale. This heterogeneous behaviour is interpreted as a consequence of the different processes that shape topography at such ranges of scales. The threshold between small and meso scales is rather well constrained for all basins (400–500 m), and may represent the limit where channel networks appear, while the threshold between meso‐scale and large scale varies with geological context: where relief is fault controlled (Mediterranean drainage basins), the threshold value is of the order of 15–20 km. Where topography is flexurally controlled (Atlantic drainage basins), the threshold value is different (40–80 km).