River is one of the geomorphic units that are the most sensitive to tectonic activity, of which the longitudinal profile serves as a key archieve to record information on active tectonics. The stream-power incision mo...River is one of the geomorphic units that are the most sensitive to tectonic activity, of which the longitudinal profile serves as a key archieve to record information on active tectonics. The stream-power incision model is an important means to analyze channel long profiles and to extract both temporal and spatial patterns of regional tectonic activity. Analytical solutions to the steady-state and linear transient-state equations of the model provides means to calibrate drainage basin concavity,calculate channel steepness index, determine drainage divide stability, project the paleo-channel profile, and to invert the tectonic uplift rate history. Yet, not all of these functions have been implemented in the published open-source tools. Here, we developed a set of open-source codes, RiverProAnalysis, which was based on the Matlab platform and integrated all of these functions. The products of the tool set are in the format of image, text and vector files, which not only can be used for visual analysis, but be read by softwares of geographic information system. Taking examples of two transient drainage catchments in the northern margin of the Taiyuan Basin, we analyzed the long profiles of the trunk streams, identified two generations of knickpoints, and estimated the minimum amount of river incision. We combined all the trunk and tributary channels together to model the catchment-wide uplift history and found moderate increases in the uplift rates since the Middle Pliocene and rapid accelation since the late Quaternary. The inverted results are consistent with the sedimentary records in the adjacent basin. By comparing the chi value,slope, and topographic relief of both sides of the catchment divide, we concluded the stability of the drainage divide. Our tool set integrates the main functions of the modern studies on fluvial landsape, thus providing a powerful tool for analyzing river long profiles and for understanding tectonic geomorphology.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 41802227)。
文摘River is one of the geomorphic units that are the most sensitive to tectonic activity, of which the longitudinal profile serves as a key archieve to record information on active tectonics. The stream-power incision model is an important means to analyze channel long profiles and to extract both temporal and spatial patterns of regional tectonic activity. Analytical solutions to the steady-state and linear transient-state equations of the model provides means to calibrate drainage basin concavity,calculate channel steepness index, determine drainage divide stability, project the paleo-channel profile, and to invert the tectonic uplift rate history. Yet, not all of these functions have been implemented in the published open-source tools. Here, we developed a set of open-source codes, RiverProAnalysis, which was based on the Matlab platform and integrated all of these functions. The products of the tool set are in the format of image, text and vector files, which not only can be used for visual analysis, but be read by softwares of geographic information system. Taking examples of two transient drainage catchments in the northern margin of the Taiyuan Basin, we analyzed the long profiles of the trunk streams, identified two generations of knickpoints, and estimated the minimum amount of river incision. We combined all the trunk and tributary channels together to model the catchment-wide uplift history and found moderate increases in the uplift rates since the Middle Pliocene and rapid accelation since the late Quaternary. The inverted results are consistent with the sedimentary records in the adjacent basin. By comparing the chi value,slope, and topographic relief of both sides of the catchment divide, we concluded the stability of the drainage divide. Our tool set integrates the main functions of the modern studies on fluvial landsape, thus providing a powerful tool for analyzing river long profiles and for understanding tectonic geomorphology.
