Geomorphology最新文献

{"title":"Toward an efficient framework for remote sensing of river bathymetry: Comparing sensors and algorithms on an inaccessible proglacial river in Alaska","authors":"Carl J. Legleiter ,&nbsp;Christina M. Leonard ,&nbsp;Paul A. Burger ,&nbsp;Addison G. Pletcher ,&nbsp;Paul J. Kinzel","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110140","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110140","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Remote sensing can provide reliable information on river depths and this approach might be particularly valuable in areas that are difficult to survey via conventional field methods. In this study, we assessed the potential to map the bathymetry of an inaccessible proglacial river in Alaska from both aerial orthophotos and a multispectral satellite image. In addition, we evaluated a variety of depth retrieval algorithms with different input data requirements, including some methods that require field measurements of water depth for calibration and other techniques that can be applied even when such field data are not available. These approaches might enable more efficient use of remote sensing methods by resource management agencies. Our results suggest that bathymetric mapping along the turquoise-colored river we examined was not only feasible but highly accurate (<span><math><msup><mrow><mi>R</mi></mrow><mrow><mn>2</mn></mrow></msup></math></span> up to 0.94) for both types of image data. Algorithms that use paired observations of depth and reflectance to train depth retrieval models were the most accurate, with errors on the order of 15%–20% and little or no bias. Alternative techniques based on hydraulic and statistical concepts also led to strong agreement between predicted and observed depths but were more susceptible to systematic biases toward under- or over-estimation of depth. In contrast to clear-flowing streams, bathymetric mapping in this environment was enabled by a direct relationship between the depth and brightness of the water due to scattering by suspended sediment. In selecting an appropriate depth retrieval method, a compromise might need to be reached between the level of field effort invested and the accuracy of the resulting image-derived bathymetry. Standalone software for implementing these techniques is freely available.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110140"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840679","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Late-Quaternary activity of parallel normal faults along the southern margin of the Yuguang Basin in the Shanxi Rift, China and its seismogeological implications","authors":"Junjie Zou ,&nbsp;Feng Shi ,&nbsp;Honglin He ,&nbsp;Zhigang Shao ,&nbsp;Wenqiao Li ,&nbsp;Yoshiki Shirahama ,&nbsp;Zhanyu Wei ,&nbsp;Jianhua Huang","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110135","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110135","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The geometric structure of faults, especially normal faults in extensional regions, is often complex. In faulted depression basins, normal faults typically exhibit branching in both bedrock and sedimentary areas. While paleoearthquake history in sedimentary regions can be studied through the trenching method, this method is not applicable to bedrock faults. For bedrock faults, terrestrial Light Detection and Ranging (t-LiDAR) has become an effective tool for analyzing fault scarps. To fully evaluate fault activity, traditional methods should be combined with new techniques. In this study, we focus on the Yu-Guang Basin southern marginal fault (YBSM Fault) in the Shanxi Rift, China. Although previous studies have investigated the fault, the co-seismic slip history and seismogenic potential remain unclear. We analyzed the Nanmazhuang (NMZ) bedrock fault surface using quantitative morphological analysis, aerial, and field surveys, identifying two seismic events with co-seismic dip slips of 3.1 m and 3.4 m. Empirical formulas suggest the bedrock branch fault can produce earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7.5. At the Xizhuangtou (XZT) site, a Holocene fault was found with a cumulative displacement of 7 m and a throw rate of 0.7–0.85 mm/yr. A paleoearthquake with a co-seismic slip of 0.4–0.5 m occurred after 23.4–22.5 ka in sediments. The complete paleoearthquake sequence indicates an average recurrence interval of ~6.8 ka and an average elapsed time of ~8.5 ka for the sedimentary fault branch. The study integrates data from both fault branches, demonstrating that both are potential seismic risk sources. Considering the bedrock fault's large coseismic slip and capacity for M &gt; 7.5 earthquakes, as well as the longer elapsed time, attention to seismic hazards on the YBSM Fault is critical.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110135"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798565","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A new Multiple Flow Direction (MFD) algorithm for modeling ridge and valley evolution","authors":"Hiroshi Serizawa,&nbsp;Takashi Amemiya,&nbsp;Kiminori Itoh","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110111","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110111","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Channelized ridge and valley evolution in the Landscape Evolution Model (LEM) is strongly affected by flow direction algorithms. In particular, the Multiple Flow Direction (MFD) is believed to be indispensable for development of tree-shaped river channel networks. An original MFD system is presented in this research and compared with several already known MFD systems. In our new MFD system, all the segments of flow lines with a unit length are consecutively connected one after another. In addition, two or three new flow lines start from the adjacent cells around each node. Thus, the mechanism of our MFD system is considered to be the creation of new headwaters, where the key indicator is the distance between the node and the central points of surrounding cells. In our numerical simulations, tectonic uplift is regarded as compensation of the soil, which is carried out separately from erosion and diffusion processes expressed by the partial differential equation. As a result, the altitudes of topography are entirely included within a range of 0 ≤ <em>z</em> ≤ 1 all the time. In addition, we propose a new mechanism called the altitude effect that adjusts the mountain profile, which is mainly applied to existing MFD systems such as the D∞ model and the TOPMODEL. Free-pass boundary conditions are imposed that guarantee free and immediate discharge of the soil and water through four boundaries.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110111"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145840677","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Morphometric typology of closed depressions in the loess belt and its link to land cover (Nałęczów Plateau, East Poland)","authors":"Leszek Gawrysiak ,&nbsp;Waldemar Kociuba","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110103","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110103","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The relief of loess areas is undergoing continuous change. Among its features are closed depressions (CDs), which diversify the monotonous surface of the loess plateau. These are landforms that have formed and developed since the end of the last glacial, when the accumulation of loess was completed. These forms are common in all loess areas of the world. Their origin is linked to the morphology of the initial loess plain and natural processes, as well as human activity. Previous studies of their morphology and morphometric features have been based on field studies and analysis of topographic maps. With the availability of high-resolution Digital Terrain Models derived from Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) survey, the possibility of conducting much more accurate analyses of the distribution and morphometric features of closed depressions has become available. The Nałęczów Plateau (493 km²), a region located in eastern Poland and almost entirely covered by loess, was selected for a detailed study of CD landforms. Using dedicated algorithms, implemented in a Geographic Information System (GIS), 5320 CDs were extracted from DTM's of 1x1m resolution, and their basic morphometric features were calculated. CDs vary in shape and size, and their area reaches up to 36,625m². On the basis of the database prepared in this way, clustering was carried out and three main landform types (groups), characterized by unique features, were identified. First type, most frequent, are smallest, oval CDs which represent the last stage of evolution (disappearance), second, medium size type occur less frequent and third, largest size and complex shape is least numerous. Both, second and third, represent intermediate stage of development. In the next step, the variability of morphometric features was analysed in relation to the main land cover types. It was found that the groups differed significantly in their morphometric features according to land cover.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110103"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145750301","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Provenance changes of Quaternary fillings and geomorphic processes of modern aeolian sand formation in the Hailar Basin, NE China","authors":"Yehui Wang ,&nbsp;Yuanyun Xie ,&nbsp;Lei Sun ,&nbsp;Zhenyu Wei ,&nbsp;Haodong Qi ,&nbsp;Haijin Liu ,&nbsp;Peng Wu","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110127","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110127","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Terrestrial sedimentary systems, as faithful records of the coupling between tectonic and climatic processes, not only reflect the evolutionary history of surface processes but also profoundly influence regional and even global environmental changes through complex feedback mechanisms. The Hailar Basin in Northeast China, as a Quaternary terrestrial basin in an arid-semi-arid region, holds significant importance for understanding the East Asian dust system and response mechanisms to the tectonic and climate through clarifying its geomorphic evolution and aeolian surface processes. The Quaternary fillings in the Hailar Basin, NE China, consist mainly of the Early Pleistocene Baitushan Formation, the Late Pleistocene Hailar Formation, and the Holocene aeolian sand covers. In this study, we present the first detrital zircon U<img>Pb geochronological data for the infilling and major river sediments in the Hailar Basin. This study aims to reveal changes in the provenance and surface processes of the Hailar Basin since the Early Pleistocene through zircon age comparison, quantitative results of inverse Monte Carlo, and multidimensional scaling (MDS). By integrating the evolution of sedimentary facies and the depositional ages of various strata, the research further explores the dominant driving mechanisms behind these changes, providing an important reference for sedimentary research on terrestrial basins in Northeast Asia. The results indicate that tectonics and climate jointly influenced the changes in surface processes, including provenance shifts and the formation of the modern Hulunbuir Sandy Land (HLSL). With the uplift of the Great Xing'an Range during the Early Pleistocene (∼1.4 Ma), a significant amount of coarse-grained clastics, such as gravels and sands, were transported by major rivers into the basin, resulting in the formation of the Baitushan Formation sediments (with ∼98 % of the material derived from the Great Xing'an Range). At this stage, climate may exert a slight potential influence on the intensity of source erosion and the rate of sedimentation. In the Late Pleistocene, the uplift of the Great Xing'an Range ceased, leading to the accumulation of fine-grained sediments of the Hailar Formation within the basin and the concurrent development of fluvial-lacustrine landscapes. Meanwhile, the uplift of the Central Mongolia Block (C. MG) and the intensification of the East Asian Winter Monsoon (EAWM) resulted in the deposition of a substantial amount of sandy material (25.19–48.5 %) from the C. MG into the basin. Subsequently, the warmer and wetter regional climate increased precipitation and fluvial erosion, leading to the continuous reworking of detrital materials from the C. MG, the basin basement, and the Hailar Formation through the interplay of northwesterly winds and fluvial processes. Ultimately, this process drove the formation of the modern aeolian sands in the HLSL.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110127"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798525","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"From shock to maturation: Tracing dam-impacted Jingjiang River morphodynamic adaptation using a four-stage neural SDE framework","authors":"Xiaolong Song ,&nbsp;Hai Huang ,&nbsp;Lei Zhang ,&nbsp;Jianzhao Guan","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110138","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110138","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the Anthropocene, large dam construction represents one of the most profound interventions in river morphodynamics, triggering non-linear responses in hydraulic geometry that challenge traditional stationarity-based modeling approaches. This study develops a neural stochastic differential equation (SDE) framework to trace the complete morphodynamic adaptation trajectory of monthly flood season (May–October) reach-scale variables—inflow discharge (<em>Q</em>), reach-averaged channel width (<em>B</em>), depth (<em>H</em>), and slope (<em>J</em>)—in the Jingjiang reach following Three Gorges Dam operation, from initial systemic shock through progressive maturation to a new dynamic equilibrium. The framework employs a log-space ‘physical base + stochastic residual’ paradigm for morphodynamic modeling, integrated with Chronos-T5 large language models for annual driver forecasting and a comprehensive three-tier evaluation system, enabling robust analysis of non-stationary morphodynamic evolution under deep uncertainty. Using a four-stage workflow that calibrates on the post-dam ‘new normal’, retrospectively diagnoses the pre-stabilization transition, validates out-of-sample performance, and explores future scenarios, we reveal quantitative evidence of morphodynamic system maturation. Back-casting over the transitional period (2000–2008) yields coverage as low as 59.3 % (vs. 95 %), quantifying transient dam impacts; comparing a short post-dam training set (2009–2016) with an extended set (2009–2022) shows the annual-driver model shifting from variability-driven indicators to rejecting slow climatic trends as confounding noise. Future projections under Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSP245 and SSP585) scenarios unveil divergent morphological adaptation pathways with distinct statistical signatures—SSP245 exhibits sustained incremental adjustment (channel width Mann-Kendall trend strength τ = 0.7298) versus SSP585's shock-adaptation response (τ = 0.7747)—while Dynamic Mode Decomposition indicates identical growth rates for discharge and channel width (0.0014 and 0.0003, respectively) with slight scenario differences for depth and slope, and Convergent Cross Mapping demonstrates enhanced causal coupling under extreme forcing (causal correlation coefficient ρ = 0.986 vs. 0.993). These findings fundamentally advance our understanding of dam-impacted river morphodynamic systems and provide a transferable methodological blueprint for analyzing complex morphodynamic processes undergoing regime transitions in human-dominated landscapes.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110138"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145939276","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High-density fold–cleavage structures as a controlling factor of landslides: A case study in the southern Oboke area of the Shikoku Mountains, Japan","authors":"Shintaro Yamasaki","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110137","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110137","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Landslides frequently occur in tectonically deformed mountain areas, where folding and faulting have altered rock mass conditions. Previous research has largely focused on the impacts of large-scale folds on rock mass quality and landslide occurrence; however, even smaller folds (mesoscopic- to microscopic-scale folds, hereafter MMFs) can markedly promote landslides when dense cleavage forms in conjunction with them. To clarify how MMFs and cleavage jointly control landslide distribution and failure, this study employed (1) an inventory of landslides to determine their spatial distribution and movement directions, (2) detailed outcrop surveys along roads and landslide sites to record the geometry of fold axial surfaces and cleavage, and (3) morphological analyses of rupture surfaces and open cracks at sites with recent landslide activity. The results indicate that areas with extensive MMFs experience more frequent landslides, and that open cracks and rupture surfaces can reach greater depths if formed by the combination of steep cleavage parallel or subparallel to the MMF axial surface and schistosity already steepened by folding. Such a crack network creates expanded pathways for rainwater and groundwater, making slopes more susceptible to landslides under repeated water pressure and stress changes during heavy rainfall or seismic shaking. In addition, these two-directional discontinuities arising from folds and cleavage are likely to be important factors in landslide prediction and risk evaluation in low-grade metamorphic mountains worldwide. The study's findings thus provide a reference for slope risk assessment in mountainous regions characterized by high-density folding and cleavage development.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110137"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798562","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Drainage basin reorganisation in Trivandrum block, Southern Western Ghats, India","authors":"M. Vandana,&nbsp;J. Amal Dev,&nbsp;J.K. Tomson,&nbsp;Srikumar Chattopadhyay","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110132","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110132","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Drainage basin reorganisation is a fundamental earth surface process with significant implications for landscape evolution, sediment routing, and hydrological regimes. In this study, we investigate the Kallada and Ithikkara rivers in the southern Western Ghats to constrain the timing, mechanisms, and geomorphic consequences of river capture in their upper catchments. Morphometric and sedimentary provenance analyses indicate that the upper Kallada and Ithikkara basins were once part of a single, integrated drainage network. Chi (χ) analysis further reveals that following the river capture event, the Ithikkara basin experienced a substantial reduction in upper catchment area. The chi map geometry suggests that the upper Kallada basin, presently located upstream of a pronounced channel elbow, may originally have drained through the present Ithikkara channel before being captured by the Kallada river. Detrital zircon U<img>Pb geochronology from sediments of both rivers exhibits remarkably similar age spectra, with prominent peaks at ~2500 Ma, ~1900 Ma, ~1000 Ma, ~750 Ma, and ~550 Ma, indicating derivation from a shared sediment source. Integration of geomorphic metrics with provenance data supports a scenario in which tectonic or geomorphic processes separated the upper Kallada basin from the main Ithikkara drainage system, resulting in reorganisation of the regional river network. These findings demonstrate the value of combining quantitative geomorphic approaches with sedimentary geochronology to reconstruct past drainage evolution, even in tectonically stable regions, and provide new insights into the links between river capture, sediment provenance, and landscape dynamics in the southern Western Ghats.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110132"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145798564","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Tectonics-induced drainage-divide migration at the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau","authors":"Xun Zeng ,&nbsp;Xibin Tan ,&nbsp;Chao Zhou ,&nbsp;Feng Shi","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110143","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110143","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau (NMTP) has endured intensified tectonic deformation and topography evolution in the Cenozoic, mainly controlled by the sinistral strike-slip Altyn Tagh Fault. However, how the modern drainage morphology in this region evolves, which may contain important information about the tectonics and climate, remain unclear. Here we reveal the stability of the main drainage divide at the NMTP, using methods of χ plot and Gilbert metrics. We find the segments of the drainage divide close to the plateau margin generally move south, the segments those extend into the plateau (in the western part) are roughly in a steady state, and some segments around restraining bend along the Altyn Tagh fault are migrating northward. We further use numerical modeling to reveal the uplift of the plateau and the associated drainage evolution. The results suggest the southward migration of the main drainage divide at the NMTP is a topographic response to the tectonic uplift of the plateau related to the Tarim Basin. The difference in drainage-divide stability along the NMTP indicates the western part has a longer uplift history than the eastern part. The northward-migrating drainage-divide segments are driven by the differential uplift at the restraining bends along the strike-slip Altyn Tagh Fault. This study reveals that tectonics are main controlling factor of the drainage-divide migration at the NMTP.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110143"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145841284","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Using paired Schmidt Hammer and terrestrial cosmogenic surface exposure dating to study the timing and style of rockfalls in the Rough River Basin, Kentucky: Results, constraints, and possible mechanisms","authors":"Daria Khashchevskaya ,&nbsp;Jason M. Dortch ,&nbsp;Lewis A. Owen ,&nbsp;Paula Figueiredo","doi":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110118","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.geomorph.2025.110118","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The setting of weak shales underlying heavily fractured sandstone caprock, coupled with the wet environmental conditions along the valley slopes of the Rough River Basin in north-central Kentucky, has led to massive rockfalls composed of clusters of sandstone boulders. However, the exact mechanisms of cliff retreat and sediment accumulation due to mass movement in that region remained unclear. In addition, the frequency and timing of these mass movement events are uncertain. To better understand mass movement mechanisms, we used the Schmidt Hammer exposure dating (SHED) technique and terrestrial cosmogenic nuclide dating on two sites in the Rough River basin, “Home Tucker” and “Linda Paul.” The results suggest that the degradation mechanism of sandstone cliffs by mass movement varies due to local geology and climate change. The Home Tucker site exhibits boulder accumulation through rockfall during the Early Holocene (10.6 ± 1.0 to 43.9 ± 3.0 ka), precluding the estimation of a cliff retreat rate. In contrast, the Linda Paul site exhibits block sliding and toppling, with detachment events spanning from 21 ± 1.6 to 66.8 ± 5.4 ka, and an estimated cliff retreat rate of 0.17 ± 0.09 mm/yr for Home Tucker site and 0.22 ± 0.1 mm/yr for the Linda Paul site. These findings suggest that detachment events occurred more frequently during the last glacial maximum, likely due to freeze-thaw processes or rapid climate change. With only one boulder dated to the Holocene, warming and a relatively stable climate during the Holocene have likely slowed cliff degradation. Attempts to develop a reliable SHED calibration curve were hindered by no correlation (r² = 0.1) between ¹⁰Be age and SHED rebound measurement. This lack of correlation is likely due to variable vegetation cover, moisture inconsistencies, temporally non-linear and spatially heterogeneous weathering of quartz arenite, inheritance of weathering from before rock fall, and bed-dependent variations in strength.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55115,"journal":{"name":"Geomorphology","volume":"495 ","pages":"Article 110118"},"PeriodicalIF":3.1,"publicationDate":"2026-02-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145750300","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"地球科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}