Imaging a Natural Experiment in Drainage Divide Migration

成像排水分水岭迁移的自然实验智力优势-本提案的目的是获取和分析科罗拉多高平原约18 km 2野外现场的高分辨率数字地形数据，该现场代表了悬崖退缩和排水分水岭迁移的自然实验。该现场提供了一个独特的机会，记录地貌发展和测试基于物理的景观演化理论在不同基准面控制下。更大的重要性是双重的。首先，分水岭迁移是景观对构造、地形和其他形式的基准面控制的响应的一个基本方面。其次，测试基于物理的景观演化模型需要自然实验，涉及对已知强迫因子（如基准面）的瞬态响应。高分辨率，研究级激光测高数据是必不可少的，以实现这些目标，因为标准的美国地质勘探局数字高程数据缺乏必要的分辨率和准确性，以文件的地形特征的governingprocesses，提取统计数据的模型数据比较，并映射切割表面。该项目是及时的，因为国家航空激光测绘中心（NCALM）将在今年夏天启动一项使命，从科罗拉多的其他地点获取数据。如果在NCALM 2006年科罗拉多使命期间收集研究区域的数据，则数据成本将显著降低。将对数据进行分析，以确定特征地形特征，包括坡度和曲率图和频率分布、坡度面积图、面积聚集指数和相关参数。它们还将用于重建一系列下切山谷填充物和高地表面的先前范围。这些数据，结合时间约束切割和填充事件时，将提供一个独特的方法来测试景观evolutionmodels和他们的预测divide迁移响应differentialbaselevolving。探索性迭代正演模拟使用的儿童模型将被用来确定过程的法律和参数集，可以和不能accountfor观测到的地形和土壤厚度。该项目的成功预计将带来更大的努力，将产生地质年代学数据，实时过程监测和沉积物产量估计，从而产生一个全面的数据集，供研究界用于测试其他地貌演变模型。请注意，除了本提案中要求的预算外，还要求为NCALM的数据采集提供资金。如果获得资助，佛罗里达大学将要求为这些费用追加预算。更广泛的影响-这项研究的更广泛的影响分为几个类别。高分辨率的测高数据将直接支持博士论文的研究。学生在科罗拉多大学，从而有助于教学，培训和学习。该项目为科学界提供了一个有价值的研究地点的测高数据和相关信息，从而加强了基础设施;该地区除了具有重要的地貌意义外，还包括一个世界著名的陆地湖泊-第三纪界线部分。广泛的传播将确保不仅通过出版物和会议的通常路线，而且还通过提供数据和图像给平原保护中心，一个拥有该网站的非营利性土地保护和公共教育组织，以及丹佛自然科学博物馆，该博物馆领导了对K-T边界部分的研究，并在与丹佛盆地地质有关的研究基础上的公共宣传方面有着良好的记录。对社会的好处包括我们对土壤侵蚀、迁移和沉积的理解的进步，这适用于土地管理。

Imaging a Natural Experiment in Drainage Divide MigrationIntellectual Merit - The objective of this proposal is to acquire and analyze highresolutiondigital topography data for an ~18km2 field site in the Colorado high plainsthat represents a natural experiment in scarp retreat and drainage divide migration.The site offers a unique opportunity to document landform development and testphysically based landscape evolution theory under differential baselevel control. Thelarger importance is two-fold. First, drainage divide migration is a fundamental aspectof landscape response to tectonics, eustasy, and other forms of baselevel control.Second, testing physically based landscape evolution models requires naturalexperiments that involve a transient response to a known forcing factor, such asbaselevel. High-resolution, research-grade laser altimetry data are essential toachieving these goals because standard USGS digital elevation data lack the necessaryresolution and accuracy to document the topographic signatures of the governingprocesses, extract statistics for model-data comparison, and map incised surfaces. Theproject is timely because the National Center for Airborne Laser Mapping (NCALM)will launch a mission to acquire data from other sites in Colorado this summer. Thecost of data will be significantly lower if the data for the study area are collectedduring NCALM's 2006 Colorado mission. The data will be analyzed to determinecharacteristic topographic signatures, including slope and curvature maps andfrequency distributions, slope-area diagrams, area aggregation indices, and relatedmetics. They will also be used to reconstruct the former extent of a series of incisedvalley fills and upland surfaces. These data, when combined with timing constraintson cut and fill events, will provide a unique method for testing landscape evolutionmodels and their predictions about divide migration in response to differentialbaselevel lowering. Exploratory iterative forward modeling using the CHILD modelwill be used to identify process laws and parameter sets that can and cannot accountfor the observed topography and soil thickness. Success in this project is expected toseed a larger effort that will generate geochronology data, real-time processmonitoring, and sediment-yield estimates, resulting in a comprehensive data set foruse by the research community in testing other landform evolution models. Note thatin addition to the budget requested in this proposal, funds are also requested for dataacquisition by NCALM. If funded, the University of Florida will request asupplemental budget for these expenses.Broader Impacts - The broader impacts of this research fall into several categories.The high-resolution altimetry data will directly support the dissertation research of aPh.D. student at the University of Colorado, thus contributing to teaching, training,and learning. The project enhances infrastructure by providing the scientificcommunity with altimetry data and associated information for a valuable researchsite; in addition to its geomorphic importance, the area encompasses a world-famousterrestrial Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary section. Broad dissemination will be ensurednot only through the usual routes of publications and conferences, but also byproviding data and images to the Plains Conservation Center, a non-profit landconservation and public education organization that owns the site, and to the DenverMuseum of Natural Science, which leads research on the K-T boundary section andhas a strong track record in research-based public outreach related to the geology ofthe Denver Basin. Benefits to society include advances in our understanding of soilerosion, transport, and deposition, which is applicable to land management.