Exceptional river gorge formation from unexceptional floods

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dc.contributor.authorAntón López, Loreto
dc.contributor.authorMather, A.E.
dc.contributor.authorStokes, M.
dc.contributor.authorMuñoz Martín, Alfonso
dc.date.accessioned2023-06-18T06:51:05Z
dc.date.available2023-06-18T06:51:05Z
dc.date.issued2015-08-05
dc.description.abstractAn understanding of rates and mechanisms of incision and knickpoint retreat in bedrock rivers is fundamental to perceptions of landscape response to external drivers, yet only sparse field data are available. Here we present eye witness accounts and quantitative surveys of rapid, amphitheatre-headed gorge formation in unweathered granite from the overtopping of a rock-cut dam spillway by small-moderate floods (B100–1,500m3 s�1). The amount of erosion demonstrates no relationship with flood magnitude or bedload availability. Instead, structural pattern of the bedrock through faults and joints appears to be the primary control on landscape change. These discontinuities facilitate rapid erosion (4270m headward retreat; B100m incision; and B160m widening over 6 years) principally through fluvial plucking and block topple. The example demonstrates the potential for extremely rapid transient bedrock erosion even when rocks are mechanically strong and flood discharges are moderate. These observations are relevant to perceived models of gorge formation and knickpoint retreat.
dc.description.departmentDepto. de Geodinámica, Estratigrafía y Paleontología
dc.description.facultyFac. de Ciencias Geológicas
dc.description.refereedTRUE
dc.description.statuspub
dc.eprint.idhttps://eprints.ucm.es/id/eprint/36551
dc.identifier.doi10.1038/ncomms8963
dc.identifier.issn2041-1723
dc.identifier.officialurlhttp://www.nature.com/ncomms/index.html
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/24398
dc.issue.number7963
dc.journal.titleNature Communications
dc.language.isospa
dc.page.final11
dc.page.initial1
dc.publisherNature Publishing Group
dc.rights.accessRightsopen access
dc.subject.keywordEarth sciences
dc.subject.keywordGeology
dc.subject.keywordGeophysics
dc.subject.ucmGeología
dc.subject.ucmGeodinámica
dc.subject.unesco2506 Geología
dc.subject.unesco2507 Geofísica
dc.titleExceptional river gorge formation from unexceptional floods
dc.typejournal article
dc.volume.number6
dspace.entity.typePublication
relation.isAuthorOfPublicationd2462af2-5512-4ceb-afb5-918ef99bf6c6
relation.isAuthorOfPublication70f369a3-b3cd-43cb-874e-a7888da25de1
relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscoveryd2462af2-5512-4ceb-afb5-918ef99bf6c6
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