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Modelling karst denudation on a synthetic landscape
Author(s) -
Kaufmann Georg,
Braun Jean
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
terra nova
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.353
H-Index - 89
eISSN - 1365-3121
pISSN - 0954-4879
DOI - 10.1046/j.1365-3121.2001.00345.x
Subject(s) - denudation , karst , fluvial , escarpment , geology , plateau (mathematics) , geomorphology , weathering , erosion , earth science , paleontology , structural basin , tectonics , mathematical analysis , mathematics
This contribution presents the results of a numerical study of karst denudation on limestone plateaux. The landscape evolution model used incorporates not only long‐range fluvial and short‐range hill‐slope processes, but also large‐scale chemical dissolution of limestone surfaces. The relative efficiencies of fluvial and chemical processes are of equal importance to the landscape evolution of a plateau dropping to sea level along an escarpment. While fluvial processes have an impact confined mostly to river channels, the karst denudation process is more uniform, removing material also from the plateau surface. The combined effect of both processes results in a landscape evolution almost twice as effective as the purely erosional evolution of an insoluble landscape.