Document Type
Thesis
Abstract
Shear stress exerted on the channel of a bedrock river varies across the river’s cross-section. If erosion rates are proportional to shear stress, then erosion rate also varies across the channel. Nonuniform erosion rates would cause rivers to evolve toward narrow and deep geometries, however most channels exhibit high width to depth ratios. I hypothesize that subaerial weathering of the channel margins increases the erodibility of that rock, allowing channels to maintain a wide geometry. Field research indicates that weathering is important in lowering bedrock resistance to erosion in over half of the channels surveyed.
Date Awarded
2004
Department
Geology
Advisor 1
Gregory S. Hancock
Recommended Citation
McCool, Meredith, "The affects of weathering on erosion and channel geometry in bedrock rivers, James River Basin, Virginia" (2004). Geology Senior Theses. William & Mary. Paper 137.
https://scholarworks.wm.edu/geologyseniors/137
