Debris Flow Network Morphology and a New Erosion Rate Proxy for Steepland Basins with Application to the Oregon Coast Range and Cascadia Subduction Zone
Loading...
Date
2015-08-18
Authors
Penserini, Brian
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of Oregon
Abstract
Reaches dominated by debris flow scour and incision tend to greatly influence landscape form in steepland basins. Debris flow networks, despite their ubiquity, have not been exploited to develop erosion rate proxies. To bridge this gap, I applied a proposed empirical function that describes the variation of valley slope with drainage area in fluvial and debris flow reaches of steepland channel networks in the Oregon Coast Range. I calibrated a relationship between profile concavity and erosion rate to map spatial patterns of long-term uplift rates assuming steady state. I also estimated the magnitude and inland extent of coseismic subsidence in my study area. My estimates agree with field measurements in the same area along the Cascadia margin, indicating that debris flow valley profiles can be used to make interpretations from spatial patterns of rock uplift that may better constrain physical models of crustal deformation.
This thesis includes unpublished co-authored material.
Description
Keywords
Cascadia, Coseismic subsidence, Debris flow, Topography