Linking cosmogenic 10Be erosion-rate estimates

with landscape variables:Compilation and consideration of multiple

data sets from around the world

Joanna M. Reuter1

Paul R. Bierman1, Milan J. Pavich2, Jennifer Larsen1, Robert C. Finkel3

1University of Vermont2USGS

3Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Funding: NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, USGS, University of Vermont, NSF EAR-0034447 & EAR-0310208

Regions with 10Be erosion rate data from sedimentPublished data from:Bierman and Caffee, 2001; Brown et al., 1995; Brown et al., 1998; Clapp et al., 2000; Clapp et al., 2002; Granger et al., 1996; Heimsath et al., 1997; Heimsath et al., 2001; Hewawasam, 2003; Kirchner et al., 2001; Matmon et al., 2003; Morel, 2003; Riebe et al., 2000; Riebe et al., 2003; Schaller et al., 2001; Vance et al., 2003

In press, in preparation, and unpublished data from:Bierman, Duncan, Johnsson, Nichols, Reuter, Safran

Erosion rates Landscape characteristics

• Tectonics• Topography• Climate• Vegetation• Lithology

Sediment yield

Cosmogenic 10Be in fluvial sediment

Low temperature thermochronology (apatite fission track, (U-Th)/He)ti

me

scal

e

Erosion rates– Sediment yield

Landscape characteristics

• Topography– Relief

from Ahnert, 1970Mean relief h (m)

Mea

n d

enu

dat

ion

rat

e d

(m

/1,0

00 y

ears

)

For example:

Erosion rates– 10Be in fluvial sediment

Landscape characteristics

• Topography– Relief

from Vance et al., 2003

For example:

Cosmic ray bombardment produces 10Be in quartz.

O 10Be

Quartz

Cosmic Rays

0

1

2

3

0 50 100% % %

Depth (meters)

Production Rate

10Be is a proxy for erosion rate.

Regions with 10Be erosion rate data from sedimentPublished data from:Bierman and Caffee, 2001; Brown et al., 1995; Brown et al., 1998; Clapp et al., 2000; Clapp et al., 2002; Granger et al., 1996; Heimsath et al., 1997; Heimsath et al., 2001; Hewawasam, 2003; Kirchner et al., 2001; Matmon et al., 2003; Morel, 2003; Riebe et al., 2000; Riebe et al., 2003; Schaller et al., 2001; Vance et al., 2003

In press, in preparation, and unpublished data from:Bierman, Duncan, Johnsson, Nichols, Reuter, Safran

10 KILOMETERS

Topography --

Tectonics -----

Climate ---------

Vegetation ----

SRTM and NED

Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Project

Leemans & Cramer

AVHRR Tree Cover

Topography --

Tectonics -----

Climate ---------

Vegetation ----

Lithology ------

SRTM and NED

Global Seismic Hazard Assessment Project

Leemans & Cramer

AVHRR Tree Cover

available in some regions, not globally

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

VR SS VR SH

10Be 10Be

10Beerosion

rate(meters/millionyears)

Lithology

Susquehanna River, USA

Sandstone Shale

Valley and Ridge samples

n = 17

n = 9

y = 57.25e0.0105x

R2 = 0.3462

1

10

100

1000

-100 -50 0 50 100RESIST SCORE

ER

OS

ION

RA

TE

, IN

ME

TE

RS

PE

R M

ILL

ION

YE

AR

S

Lithology

Rio Puerco, New Mexico, USA

10Be erosion rate (meters per million

years)

Score of erodibility

R2 = 0.35p < 0.001

Mean tree cover in basin (percent)1

0B

e er

osi

on

rat

e (m

eter

s p

er m

illi

on

yea

rs) Vegetation

Rio Puerco

Mean tree cover in basin (percent)1

0B

e er

osi

on

rat

e (m

eter

s p

er m

illi

on

yea

rs) Vegetation

n = 454

Mean annual precipitation in basin (millimeters)1

0B

e er

osi

on

rat

e (m

eter

s p

er m

illi

on

yea

rs) Climate

n = 454

Precipitation of 3 driest months/total precipitation

10B

e er

osi

on

rat

e (m

eter

s p

er m

illi

on

yea

rs) Climate

uniformseasonal

n = 454

R2 = 0.37

p < 0.001

Relief from max-min elevation (meters) in 25 km2 cells1

0B

e er

osi

on

rat

e (m

eter

s p

er m

illi

on

yea

rs) Topography

n = 454

R2 = 0.42

p < 0.001

Mean slope of basin (degrees)1

0B

e er

osi

on

rat

e (m

eter

s p

er m

illi

on

yea

rs) Topography

n = 454

R2 = 0.39

p < 0.001

10B

e er

osi

on

rat

e (m

eter

s p

er m

illi

on

yea

rs)

Mean basin elevation (meters)

Topography

n = 454

R2 = 0.44

p < 0.001

Peak ground acceleration (m/s2) with 10% probability of exceedance in 50 years1

0B

e er

osi

on

rat

e (m

eter

s p

er m

illi

on

yea

rs) Tectonics

n = 454

R2 = 0.50

p < 0.001

Summary

LithologyRock Type (Susquehanna)

Erodibility metric (Rio Puerco)

No

Yes

Vegetation Tree cover No

Climate Mean annual precipitation

Seasonality of precipitation

No

Yes

TopographySlope

Relief

Elevation

Yes

Yes

Yes

Tectonics Seismic hazard assessment Yes

Relates to 10Be erosion rate?

Landscape characteristic Metric