Climatic and Geomorphic Interactions on Alluvial Fans in the Atacama Desert, Chile

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dc.contributor.authorHaug, Erik Williamen
dc.contributor.committeechairKraal, Erin R.en
dc.contributor.committeememberDiplas, Panayiotisen
dc.contributor.committeememberEriksson, Kenneth A.en
dc.contributor.committeememberSewall, Jacob O.en
dc.contributor.committeememberSpotila, James A.en
dc.contributor.departmentGeosciencesen
dc.date.accessioned2014-03-14T20:36:19Zen
dc.date.adate2009-06-02en
dc.date.available2014-03-14T20:36:19Zen
dc.date.issued2009-05-01en
dc.date.rdate2009-06-02en
dc.date.sdate2009-05-11en
dc.description.abstractAlluvial fan surfaces in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile preserve evidence of recent, precipitation-driven, surface flows. Determining the hydrologic characteristics of these flows is important for understanding the effects of rare yet significant storms in the region. Flow reconstruction, runoff analysis, and comparison with climatological data yield surface activation recurrence intervals of ~1-20 years for three small fans and associated catchments proximal to Iquique and Antofagasta. Relatively short-lived and intense precipitation events (1-3 hour, > 4 mm/hr) are required to mobilize and transport the largest surface grains. Modeled discharges provide minimum constraints on the rates of precipitation that yield surface-forming flows in the hyper-arid region. The results of this study aid in understanding the evolution of various surfaces in the region. In particular, results provide a clear indication of the ability of a particular storm event --i.e., precipitation rate to activate a surface.en
dc.description.degreeMaster of Scienceen
dc.identifier.otheretd-05112009-131038en
dc.identifier.sourceurlhttp://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-05112009-131038/en
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/10919/32589en
dc.publisherVirginia Techen
dc.relation.haspartThesisFINALETD_060109.pdfen
dc.rightsIn Copyrighten
dc.rights.urihttp://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/en
dc.subjectclimateen
dc.subjecttransporten
dc.subjectrunoffen
dc.subjectfloodingen
dc.subjecthyper-ariden
dc.subjectalluvial fanen
dc.titleClimatic and Geomorphic Interactions on Alluvial Fans in the Atacama Desert, Chileen
dc.typeThesisen
thesis.degree.disciplineGeosciencesen
thesis.degree.grantorVirginia Polytechnic Institute and State Universityen
thesis.degree.levelmastersen
thesis.degree.nameMaster of Scienceen

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