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Water is the driver of Nature. - Leonardo da VinciSourceRivers and beaches are part of sediment transfer systems.We’ll use 1 equation in this classInputs to RiversOutputs from RiversInputs to BeachesOutputs from BeachesThe Big Picture = The Rock CycleErosion counter-balances rock upliftMountain streams receive material from hillslopes and transport it to riversRivers transport material to the coastNear-shore processes redistribute sediment along beaches and coastlinesTypes of beaches reflect differences in sediment sources and transportMaterial eroded from mountains enters streams and rivers and is delivered to coastal environments, from where it is moved to dThe Rock CycleErosion in the Rock CycleWhat we see as rivers and beaches are rest stops for sediment moving through the eroding half of the rock cycle.Source to SinkIf the mountains fell in the sea, let it be (Jimi Hendrix)ErosionErosionTransportFall mountains, just don’t fall on me (Jimi Hendrix)ErosionTransportDepositionClass Concept: Rivers and beaches are part of sediment transfer systemsFramework:Dynamic Earth Surface ProcessesProduce, Transport, and Store SedimentWater is the driver of Nature.- Leonardo da VinciLeonardo da Vinci studied the topography of the Arno River basin, drew the first contour map of a whole river basin, and believed that rivers carved their valleys and shaped topography.Italian and French hydraulic engineers developed the study of rivers in the late 17th century to address flooding problems along rivers draining the Alps.Della Natura de’ FiumiFirst Book on Rivers was published by DomenicoGugleilmini in 1697.“Nature has formed such a connection between mountains and rivers, that in describing one, we are unavoidably led to speak of the other.”-Jeremy Belknap (History of New Hampshire, 1792, p. 55)SourceSourceRivers are the circulatory system of landscapes.They carry away runoff and sediment eroded from hillslopes.Rivers and beaches are part of sediment transfer systems.• What forms them?• What are the processes that maintain them?• Why are there different types of rivers and beaches?• What are they, what controls their distribution across Earth, and how are they related?We’ll use 1 equation in this classI - O = ΔSInput minus output equals change in storage.Also known as conservation of mass(Δ means change in something)Inputs to Rivers– Soil production– Soil creep and erosion by runoff – Landsliding– Sediment eroded by glaciers– Sediment transferred from upstream riversOutputs from Rivers–Water – Sediment– Dissolved constituents – Organic material (wood and other dead stuff)Inputs to Beaches– Sediment delivered to the coast by rivers– Coastal erosion – Wave actionOutputs from Beaches– Sediment moved offshore by wave action– Sediment moved along shore by wave actionThe Big Picture = The Rock CycleIn order for there to be mountains rocks must be uplifted above sea level.If uplift continued unopposed there would be no limit to how high mountain ranges can get.Erosion counter-balances rock upliftMountain streams receive material from hillslopes and transport it to riversRivers transport material to the coastNear-shore processes redistribute sediment along beaches and coastlinesTypes of beaches reflect differences in sediment sources and transportMaterial eroded from mountains enters streams and rivers and is delivered to coastal environments, from where it is moved to deeper sedimentary basins that get shoved back into mountains through processes of rock uplift.The Rock CycleThe Rock CycleErosion in the Rock CycleWhat we see as rivers and beaches are rest stops for sediment moving through the eroding half of the rock cycle.Framework for this ClassRock uplift Æ Mountains Mountains Æ Mountain Streams Mountain Streams Æ Rivers Rivers Æ Estuaries Estuaries Æ Beaches Beaches Æ Off-shore depositional basinsOff-shore depositional basins Æ Rock


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UW ESS 230 - Study Notes

Documents in this Course
Soils

Soils

36 pages

Erosion

Erosion

37 pages

Soils

Soils

37 pages

Erosion

Erosion

34 pages

Rivers

Rivers

42 pages

Soils

Soils

37 pages

Soils

Soils

36 pages

Erosion

Erosion

35 pages

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