A rain splash transport equation assimilating field and laboratory measurements

作者:Dunne Thomas*; Malmon Daniel V; Mudd Simon M
来源:Journal of Geophysical Research, 2010, 115: F01001.
DOI:10.1029/2009JF001302

摘要

Process-based models of hillslope evolution require transport equations relating sediment flux to its major controls. An equation for rain splash transport in the absence of overland flow was constructed by modifying an approach developed by Reeve (1982) and parameterizing it with measurements from single-drop laboratory experiments and simulated rainfall on a grassland in East Africa. The equation relates rain splash to hillslope gradient, the median raindrop diameter of a storm, and ground cover density; the effect of soil texture on detachability can be incorporated from other published results. The spatial and temporal applicability of such an equation for rain splash transport in the absence of overland flow on uncultivated hillslopes can be estimated from hydrological calculations. The predicted transport is lower than landscape-averaged geologic erosion rates from Kenya but is large enough to modify short, slowly eroding natural hillslopes as well as microtopographic interrill surfaces between which overland flow transports the mobilized sediment.

  • 出版日期2010-1-7