Award Abstract # 0439037
Experimental Flume Study of Bedrock Incision by Abrasion: Interface Evolution

NSF Org: EAR
Division Of Earth Sciences
Recipient: MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
Initial Amendment Date: January 10, 2005
Latest Amendment Date: January 9, 2008
Award Number: 0439037
Award Instrument: Continuing Grant
Program Manager: L. Douglas James
EAR
 Division Of Earth Sciences
GEO
 Directorate for Geosciences
Start Date: January 1, 2005
End Date: March 31, 2008 (Estimated)
Total Intended Award Amount: $0.00
Total Awarded Amount to Date: $314,535.00
Funds Obligated to Date: FY 2005 = $66,073.00
FY 2006 = $119,504.00

FY 2007 = $22,318.00
History of Investigator:
  • Kelin Whipple (Principal Investigator)
    kxw@asu.edu
Recipient Sponsored Research Office: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 MASSACHUSETTS AVE
CAMBRIDGE
MA  US  02139-4301
(617)253-1000
Sponsor Congressional District: 07
Primary Place of Performance: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
77 MASSACHUSETTS AVE
CAMBRIDGE
MA  US  02139-4301
Primary Place of Performance
Congressional District:
07
Unique Entity Identifier (UEI): E2NYLCDML6V1
Parent UEI: E2NYLCDML6V1
NSF Program(s): Hydrologic Sciences,
Geomorphology & Land-use Dynam
Primary Program Source: app-0105 
app-0106 

app-0107 
Program Reference Code(s): 0000, 9189, EGCH
Program Element Code(s): 157900, 745800
Award Agency Code: 4900
Fund Agency Code: 4900
Assistance Listing Number(s): 47.050

ABSTRACT

At orogen scale, rock uplift rates are strongly influenced by erosional efficiency, which is set by climatic conditions, bedrock quality, and the sediment load carried by rivers. And, river incision rates ultimately control regional denudation rates and patterns because rivers set the boundary condition for hillslope erosion. This project will develop and test process-specific models of river incision into bedrock. In particular, the quantitative relationships among bedrock properties, river sediment load (flux, size, sorting), flow hydrodynamics, and bed morphology remain important unknowns and support the conceptual framework that erosion rates depend on evolving feedbacks among bed topography, fluid flow, and sediment transport. A refined, physically reasonable, quantitative model of bedrock incision into bedrock will be developed to rationally interpret specific erosional morphologies observed in the field in terms of flow and sediment transport conditions. Preliminary experiments have been conducted in (SAFL, UMn) and a new flume to be constructed at MIT.

PUBLICATIONS PRODUCED AS A RESULT OF THIS RESEARCH

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Johnson,Joel and Whipple, Kelin X. "Feedbacks between erosion and sediment transport in experimental bedrock channels" Earth and Planetary Science Letters , 2007 10.1002/esp.1471

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