HR: 1330h
AN: H42C-1095    [PDF]
TI: Spatial organization of soil depths using a landform evolution model.
AU: * Saco, P M
EM: patricia.saco@newcastle.edu.au
AF: Discipline of Civil, Surveying and Environmental Engineering, School of Engineering, The University of Newcastle, University Drive Callaghan, Newcastle, NSW 2308 Australia
AU: Willgoose, G
EM: g.willgoose@geog.leeds.ac.uk
AF: Earth and Biosphere Institute, School of Geography, University of Leeds, Woodhouse Lane, Leeds, LS2 9JT United Kingdom
AU: Hancock, G
EM: gggh@alinga.newcastle.edu.au
AF: School of Geosciences, The University of Newcastle, University Drive Callaghan, Newcastle, NSW 2308 Australia
AB: The spatial and temporal changes and self-organization of soil depth are examined at both the hillslope and basin scale. In this study the evolution of soil depth is investigated by modeling the interaction between bedrock weathering and surface erosion within a landform evolution model. An enhanced version of the landform evolution model SIBERIA that simulates soil evolution on evolving landforms over geologic time is used in this study. The analysis is performed by modeling the physical processes of soil development such as erosion and weathering. A variety of bedrock weathering models are examined to assess the implications for soil evolution and self organization. For instance, one considers the feedback effects of soil moisture distribution on weathering rate. Previous research in hillslope hydrology has shown the important role of the bedrock surface, representing the effective hydrological impeding layer, in controlling the spatial dynamics of soil moisture. In this study two sets of simulations are compared using the soil wetness index computed using (1) the soil surface and (2) the bedrock elevations to explore the potential impact of the nonlinear feedback of soil moisture on soil organization. Preliminary comparison of the model results with field data is presented.
DE: 1815 Erosion and sedimentation
DE: 1824 Geomorphology (1625)
DE: 1866 Soil moisture
DE: 1886 Weathering (1625)
DE: 3220 Nonlinear dynamics
SC: Hydrology [H]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting