Expanding the "Active Layer"

Authors

Peter AshmoreFollow
Sarah PeirceFollow
Pauline Leduc

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

2-16-2018

Volume

53

Issue

3

Journal

Water Resources Research

First Page

5

Last Page

10

URL with Digital Object Identifier

https://doi.org/10.1002/2017WR022438

Abstract

Church and Haschenburger (2017) make helpful distinctions around the issue of defining the active layer, with which we agree. We propose expanding discussion and definition of the ”active layer” in fluvial bedload transport to include the concept of the “morphological active layer”. This is particularly applicable to laterally unstable rivers (such as braided rivers) in which progressive morphological change over short time periods is the process by which much of the bedload transport occurs. The morphological active layer is also distinguished by variable lateral and longitudinal extent continuity over a range of flows and transport intensity. We suggest that the issue of forms of active layer raised by Church and Haschenburger opens up an important discussion on the nature of bedload transport in relation to river morpho-dynamics over the range of river types.

Notes

Peter Ashmore, Sarah Peirce, Pauline Leduc, (2018), Expanding the "Active Layer", Water Resources Research, Vol. 53. To view the published version, go to https://doi.org/10.1002/2017WR022438.

Citation of this paper:

Ashmore, P., Peirce, S., & Leduc, P. (2018). Expanding the “Active Layer”: Discussion of Church and Haschenburger (2017) What Is the “Active Layer”? Water Resources Research 53, 5–10, Doi:10.1002/2016WR019675. Water Resources Research, 54, 1425–1427. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017WR022438