Tectonic geomorphology: Adaptation of drainage to tectonic forcing
Research areas: Tectonic Geomorphology, Fluvial Geomorphology, Landscape evolution, Geochronology
Principal investigators: Dr. Steven Binnie, Prof. Dr. Klaus Reicherter, Dr. Pia Victor, PD Dr. Kathrin Lampert
Project Info: Phase 2
This project aims to investigate how faulting and tectonic uplift have influenced the evolution of drainage in northern Chile. Surface uplift due to fault displacement can cause channel avulsion and force reorganization of stream networks. This process has been shown to be prevalent in northern Chile, where relatively minor amounts of fault displacement have forced streams to abandon their courses. We propose to utilize both established and novel geochronological techniques to date stream channel avulsions at multiple fault locations throughout the Atacama Desert. This will be combined with surface and subsurface imaging of the responsible fault structures, improving our understanding of how faulting influences drainage and providing temporally constrained models of landscape evolution by estimating rates of deformation.
The central question is if drainage reorganization in the Atacama Desert is related primarily to local tectonic events, or rather to broad-scale shifts in climate, given that both are episodic and possibly related.
Phase 1
This project aims to investigate how tectonic uplift has influenced drainage evolution in northern Chile. Surface displacement due to faulting can reroute and force reorganization of stream networks. This process has been shown to be prevalent throughout northern Chile, where relatively minor amounts of fault slip can result in channel avulsion. We propose to utilize both established and novel geochronological techniques to date stream channel diversions at multiple fault sites throughout the Atacama Desert.
This will be combined with surface and subsurface imaging of the fault structures allowing us to develop chronologies that help better understand the interactions between fault displacement and drainage reorganization and how fast the landscape is reacting to these changes. The central question is whether the apparent pulses of tectonic drainage reorganization are related to tectonic uplift alone, or whether climatic shifts are also responsible.
Publications
Project C5 - Publications
Articles
Walk, J., Bartz, M., Stauch, G., Binnie, A., Brückner, H., Lehmkuhl, F., 2021.
Weathering under coastal hyperaridity – Late Quaternary development of spectral, textural, and gravelometric alluvial fan surface characteristics.
Quaternary Science Reviews. 277 (2022) (107339), 1 - 27. DOI: 10.1016/j.quascirev.2021.107339.
Binnie, S., Reicherter, K., Victor, P., González, G., Binnie, A., Niemann, K., Stuart, F., Lenting, C., Heinze, S., Freeman, S., Dunai, T., 2019.
The origins and implications of paleochannels in hyperarid, tectonically active regions: The northern Atacama Desert, Chile.
Global and Planetary Change. . DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2019.103083.
Event Paper
Binnie, S., Reicherter, K., Victor, P., González, G., Binnie, A., Niemann, K., van der Wal, J., Mittelstaedt, J., 2019.
Are drainage adaptations in northern Chile driven by climate, tectonics, or geomorphic thresholds?.
Proc. of European Geophysical Union 2019, April 08 - 12, 2019, Vienna, Austria, 15480 - 15480.
Data
Project C5 - Research Data
Walk, J., Schulte, P., Bartz, M., Binnie, A., Kehl, M., Mörchen, R., Sun, X., Stauch, G., Tittmann, C., Bol, R., Brückner, H., Lehmkuhl, F., 2022.
Grain size distributions and parameters of soils along a chronosequence at the coastal alluvial fan Paposo, Atacama Desert.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB). DOI: 10.5880/CRC1211DB.55.
Walk, J., Bartz, M., Stauch, G., Binnie, A., Brückner, H., Lehmkuhl, F., 2021.
Supplementary Data for Walk et al. (2022) "Weathering under coastal hyperaridity – Late Quaternary development of spectral, textural, and gravelometric alluvial fan surface characteristics".
Elsevier Ltd..
Niemann, K., 2019.
GPR data for Salar Grande site.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
Niemann, K., 2019.
GPR data for Pampa Tana site.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
Niemann, K., 2019.
GPR data for Michilla site.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
Niemann, K., 2019.
GPR data for Chomache site.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
Binnie, S., 2019.
Cosmo sample sites C05.
CRC1211 Database (CRC1211DB).
