SEDIMENT
ROUTING
SYSTEM
• The sediment Routing System is an integrating
geomorphic system.
• It shows the journey of sediments from source to
sink.
• A typical sediment routing system consists of:
• A source region dominated by denudational
processes such as stream incision.
• A transportational zone dominated by sediment
transfer, typically a river network
• A depositional region, dominated by the eventual
deposition of the sediment supply.
Erosional engine of the sediment
routing
system
• Landscapes are created by a range of erosional and
depositional processes acting upon earth surfaces.
• The process involved in this system can be divided
into two groups:
• The hill slope system which provides erosional
material by soil creep, saturated through flow and
overland flow, gullying, debris flows, landslides and
rock falls,
• The fluvial system, which through its river channel
network transports the material away and incises
into the hill slopes.
WEATHERING
• Rocks exposed at the Earth's surface are subjected
to weathering.
• Either Physical weathering which involve only
mechanical processes causing physical change or
• Chemical weathering, involving chemical reactions
leading to the breakdown of minerals and the
formation of new ones.
Factors Affecting Weathering
• Climatic effects-temperature and availability of
water:
• For every 10°C increase in temperature, the
reaction rate doubles
• Hence, imparting a latitudnal gross pattern of
chemical weathering rates.
• Rainfall controls vegetation type, biologic activity in
the soil and the activity of water as solvent.
Kinetics Of Mineral
Reaction
• The weathering rate of relatively insoluble minerals
such as silicates and carbonates is determined by
the rate at which ions can be detached from crystal
surfaces rather than by the rate of removal of the
solute.
• The weathering of highly soluble minerals such as
Evaporites, where ions detach rapidly from crystal
surfaces, however, is determined by the rate of
flushing of the saturated solution that builds up
adjacent to the crystal surfaces
• Bedrock composition:
• It controls the stability of the mineral components
to weathering through their degree of
polymerization.(Goldrich series).
• Monomer silicates like olivine are most easily
weathered, and framework silicates such as quartz
are more resistant.
• Topography:
• Important in influencing the rate of loss of regolith
by denudation.
• Also control drainage and therefore rates of
flushing.
Transportation
• River transport particulate sediment in different
modes.
BEDLOAD:
• Transported along and very close to the bed.
• Contribution of the bed load – 1-2 * 109t/y.
• Movement can be estimated by using Tracers,
Painted or dyed material
SUSPENDED LOAD
• Particles lifted high are transported by the fluid turbulence
• i.e finest particles(silt, clay, colloids) are transported by
fluid turbulence.
• Total suspended load delivered by all world’s rivers to the
Ocean – 13.5*10^9t/y.
SOLUTE LOAD
• Mass which transferred through dissolved components.
• More than 80% of TDS of the world’s river is made of: HCO3
, So4, Ca2+ and SiO2.
• Carbonate contribute 45% of total solute load whereas
Evaporites contribute 18%
Relation between solute and
suspended load
• The global average of solute load is one-fifth of the
global average of suspended load.
• Relative proportions vary strongly with different
Continents and Drainage basins.
• Topographic setting is a key determinant I.e In
mountainous regions, the particulate sediment yield
is much higher than the solute yield, whereas in
lowland region the two are roughly in balance.