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( ) Scarp retreat I
a
( c Scarp rounding I
Debris apron
20 m
20 m
( b Scarp retreat II
( d Scarp rounding II
50 m
50 m
Figure 1.5 Example of a geomorphic model: the predicted evolution of a fault scarp according to assumptions made
about slope processes. (a) Parallel scarp retreat with deposition of debris at the base. The scarp is produced by a single
movement along the fault. (b) Parallel scarp retreat with deposition at the base. The scarp is produced by four separate
episodes of movement along the fault. In cases (a) and (b) it is assumed that debris starts to move downslope once a
threshold angle is reached and then comes to rest where the scarp slope is less than the threshold angle. Allowance is made
for the packing density of the debris and for material transported beyond the debris apron. (c) Rounding of a fault scarp
that has been produced by one episode of displacement along the fault. (d) Rounding of a fault scarp that has been
produced by four separate episodes of movement along the fault. In cases (c) and (d), it is assumed that the volume of
debris transported downslope is proportional to the local slope gradient.
Source: Adapted from Nash (1981)
and beyond. Landslides and debris flows may become
more common, soil erosion may become more severe
and the sediment load of some rivers increase, some
beaches and cliffs may erode faster, coastal lowlands may
become submerged, and frozen ground in the tundra
environments may thaw. Applied geomorphologists can
address all these potentially damaging changes. Second,
a worrying aspect of global warming is its effect on natural
resources - water, vegetation, crops, and so on. Applied
geomorphologists, equipped with such techniques as
terrain mapping, remote sensing, and geographical infor-
mation systems, can contribute to environmental man-
agement programmes. Third, applied geomorphologists
are able to translate the predictions of global and regional
temperature rises into predictions of critical boundary
changes, such as the poleward shift of the permafrost
line and the tree-line, which can then guide decisions
about tailoring economic activity to minimize the effects
of global environmental change.
Other geomorphologies
There are many other kinds of geomorphology, includ-
ing tectonic geomorphology, submarine geomorphology,
climatic geomorphology, and planetary geomorphology.
Tectonic geomorphology is the study of the interplay
between tectonic and geomorphic processes in regions
where the Earth's crust actively deforms. Advances in
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