{"id":{"repo_id":"colostate","oai_identifier":"oai:mountainscholar.org:10217/234627"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/colostate/oai:mountainscholar.org:10217/234627","repository":{"repo_id":"colostate","name":"Colorado State University","base_url":"https://api.mountainscholar.org/server/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Under what conditions do parallel channel networks occur?","abstract":"Geologists have long recognized that channel networks can deviate from a typical dendritic form when they develop under certain geologic or topographic constraints. One such deviation is the so-called parallel form, which is thought to develop when the pre-existing surface is sloping. The objectives of this research are to determine the specific conditions under which parallel networks occur and the nature of the transition between dendritic and parallel networks. Both real and simulated channel networks are analyzed in this study. The real networks were obtained from the digital elevation models of basins that include large areas of the pre-existing topographic surface. Such areas were identified as locations with small drainage areas and topographic curvatures that are close to zero. For each basin, the average slope of the pre-existing surface was calculated by averaging the local slopes for all points that are part of the pre-existing surface. Each channel network was then classified using a recently published method that can distinguish five different network types (including dendritic and parallel) based on three measures that are derived from scaling-invariance. These measures focus on the increments of drainage area along a channel, the irregularity of channel courses, and 111 the angles formed by merging tributaries. Based on these classifications, it is observed that natural networks become abruptly parallel when the average slope of the pre-existing surface exceeds about 3%. Simulated channel networks were also generated using a detachment-limited model for fluvial erosion and a slope-dependent model for hillslope processes. The parameters of the model were determined to imitate the real basins, and the average slope of the pre-existing surface was used for the slope of the initial surface. Based on these simulations, the model can also produce a transition between dendritic and parallel networks for an initial slope around 3%, but this threshold depends on the roughness of the initial surface and the boundary conditions.","abstract_html":"Geologists have long recognized that channel networks can deviate from a typical dendritic form when they develop under certain geologic or topographic constraints. One such deviation is the so-called parallel form, which is thought to develop when the pre-existing surface is sloping. The objectives of this research are to determine the specific conditions under which parallel networks occur and the nature of the transition between dendritic and parallel networks. Both real and simulated channel networks are analyzed in this study. The real networks were obtained from the digital elevation models of basins that include large areas of the pre-existing topographic surface. Such areas were identified as locations with small drainage areas and topographic curvatures that are close to zero. For each basin, the average slope of the pre-existing surface was calculated by averaging the local slopes for all points that are part of the pre-existing surface. Each channel network was then classified using a recently published method that can distinguish five different network types (including dendritic and parallel) based on three measures that are derived from scaling-invariance. These measures focus on the increments of drainage area along a channel, the irregularity of channel courses, and 111 the angles formed by merging tributaries. Based on these classifications, it is observed that natural networks become abruptly parallel when the average slope of the pre-existing surface exceeds about 3%. Simulated channel networks were also generated using a detachment-limited model for fluvial erosion and a slope-dependent model for hillslope processes. The parameters of the model were determined to imitate the real basins, and the average slope of the pre-existing surface was used for the slope of the initial surface. Based on these simulations, the model can also produce a transition between dendritic and parallel networks for an initial slope around 3%, but this threshold depends on the roughness of the initial surface and the boundary conditions.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Jung, Kichul, author","Niemann, Jeffrey D., advisor","Huang, Xiangjiang, committee member","Wohl, Ellen E., committee member"],"institution":"Colorado State University. Libraries","degree_name":"Master of Science (M.S.)","degree_level":"Masters","degree_discipline":"Civil and Environmental Engineering","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2010,"date_issued":"2010","date_published":"2010","updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:13:23Z","subjects":["Fluvial geomorphology","River channels","River engineering"],"languages":["eng","English"],"rights":["Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright."],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://doi.org/10.25675/3.018977"],"render_values":[{"text":"https://doi.org/10.25675/3.018977","href":"https://doi.org/10.25675/3.018977","code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://hdl.handle.net/10217/234627","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Jung, Kichul, author","Niemann, Jeffrey D., advisor","Huang, Xiangjiang, committee member","Wohl, Ellen E., committee member"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2022-04-07T17:37:17Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-04-07T17:37:17Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2010"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Colorado State University. Libraries"]},{"key":"dc:relation","label":"Dc Relation","values":["Catalog record number (MMS ID): 991014940719703361","GB562 .J86 2010"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Text"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Civil and Environmental Engineering"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Masters"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Master of Science (M.S.)"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Colorado State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["Fluvial geomorphology","River channels","River engineering"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["English"]},{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["eng"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://hdl.handle.net/10217/234627","https://doi.org/10.25675/3.018977"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description","label":"Description","values":["Covers not scanned."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Geologists have long recognized that channel networks can deviate from a typical dendritic form when they develop under certain geologic or topographic constraints. One such deviation is the so-called parallel form, which is thought to develop when the pre-existing surface is sloping. The objectives of this research are to determine the specific conditions under which parallel networks occur and the nature of the transition between dendritic and parallel networks. Both real and simulated channel networks are analyzed in this study. The real networks were obtained from the digital elevation models of basins that include large areas of the pre-existing topographic surface. Such areas were identified as locations with small drainage areas and topographic curvatures that are close to zero. For each basin, the average slope of the pre-existing surface was calculated by averaging the local slopes for all points that are part of the pre-existing surface. Each channel network was then classified using a recently published method that can distinguish five different network types (including dendritic and parallel) based on three measures that are derived from scaling-invariance. These measures focus on the increments of drainage area along a channel, the irregularity of channel courses, and 111 the angles formed by merging tributaries. Based on these classifications, it is observed that natural networks become abruptly parallel when the average slope of the pre-existing surface exceeds about 3%. Simulated channel networks were also generated using a detachment-limited model for fluvial erosion and a slope-dependent model for hillslope processes. The parameters of the model were determined to imitate the real basins, and the average slope of the pre-existing surface was used for the slope of the initial surface. Based on these simulations, the model can also produce a transition between dendritic and parallel networks for an initial slope around 3%, but this threshold depends on the roughness of the initial surface and the boundary conditions."]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["masters theses"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Under what conditions do parallel channel networks occur?"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Jung, Kichul, author","Niemann, Jeffrey D., advisor","Huang, Xiangjiang, committee member","Wohl, Ellen E., committee member"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2022-04-07T17:37:17Z"],"dc:date.available":["2022-04-07T17:37:17Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2010"],"dc:description":["Covers not scanned."],"dc:description.abstract":["Geologists have long recognized that channel networks can deviate from a typical dendritic form when they develop under certain geologic or topographic constraints. One such deviation is the so-called parallel form, which is thought to develop when the pre-existing surface is sloping. The objectives of this research are to determine the specific conditions under which parallel networks occur and the nature of the transition between dendritic and parallel networks. Both real and simulated channel networks are analyzed in this study. The real networks were obtained from the digital elevation models of basins that include large areas of the pre-existing topographic surface. Such areas were identified as locations with small drainage areas and topographic curvatures that are close to zero. For each basin, the average slope of the pre-existing surface was calculated by averaging the local slopes for all points that are part of the pre-existing surface. Each channel network was then classified using a recently published method that can distinguish five different network types (including dendritic and parallel) based on three measures that are derived from scaling-invariance. These measures focus on the increments of drainage area along a channel, the irregularity of channel courses, and 111 the angles formed by merging tributaries. Based on these classifications, it is observed that natural networks become abruptly parallel when the average slope of the pre-existing surface exceeds about 3%. Simulated channel networks were also generated using a detachment-limited model for fluvial erosion and a slope-dependent model for hillslope processes. The parameters of the model were determined to imitate the real basins, and the average slope of the pre-existing surface was used for the slope of the initial surface. Based on these simulations, the model can also produce a transition between dendritic and parallel networks for an initial slope around 3%, but this threshold depends on the roughness of the initial surface and the boundary conditions."],"dc:format.medium":["masters theses"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://hdl.handle.net/10217/234627","https://doi.org/10.25675/3.018977"],"dc:language":["English"],"dc:language.iso":["eng"],"dc:publisher":["Colorado State University. Libraries"],"dc:relation":["Catalog record number (MMS ID): 991014940719703361","GB562 .J86 2010"],"dc:rights":["Copyright and other restrictions may apply. User is responsible for compliance with all applicable laws. For information about copyright law, please see https://libguides.colostate.edu/copyright."],"dc:subject":["Fluvial geomorphology","River channels","River engineering"],"dc:title":["Under what conditions do parallel channel networks occur?"],"dc:type":["Text"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Civil and Environmental Engineering"],"thesis:degree_level":["Masters"],"thesis:degree_name":["Master of Science (M.S.)"],"thesis:institution_name":["Colorado State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-27T19:13:23Z"}