Channel evolution of the Himalayan tributaries in northern Brahmaputra plain in recent centuries

• Autorzy: Sah Rajesh Kumar , Kumar Dasika Nagesh , Das Apurba Kumar

Identyfikatory

DOI

10.1007/s11600-022-00780-0

• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Himalayan tributaries of the northern Brahmaputra plain are vulnerable to rapid channel shift and planform adjustment. Yet, the information and knowledge of their morphological changes are sparse. This paper uses multiple geo-informational data such as archival maps, aerial and satellite imaginaries, field mapping and interviews with the locals, and previous literature to document the channel evolution of the tributaries in recent centuries, which can be an essential input to understand the contemporary adjustments of the Himalayan rivers. We infer that several tributaries along the northern plain of Brahmaputra have gone through major avulsions. Fingerprints of those avulsions, identified from archival maps and satellite imageries, suggest that the tributaries had a hop of an average distance of~5.5 km. However, those migrations did not follow any geometric scale and select their path randomly. Paleochannel fingerprints indicate that the rivers once meandering have transformed into straight, braided and anastomosing channels. Intriguingly, the majority of the tributaries have widened by~2.5–5 times compared to their parent courses. Evidence suggests that several river migrations are driven by surface warps, most likely, induced by seismic activities. Large rupture in the hilly catchments of Jiadhal (and its eastern tributaries) and associated sedimentation due to 1950 Assam earthquake have affected their channel morphologies. It suggests the potential role of the high sedimentation in the channel evolution of the tributaries. Consistency in the planform changes of the tributaries affirms that the northern plain of Brahmaputra is going through a spell of intensified sedimentation in recent times. The Brahmaputra is a young basin where ample surface signatures are available to link up the process–response mechanism of its tributaries. An extensive study should be a future priority to examine the nature of the tributaries more closely.

Słowa kluczowe

EN

Himalayan tributaries; Northern Brahmaputra plain; river avulsion; river planform changes; co-seismic surface warp; intensified sedimentation

PL

dopływy Himalajów; północna równina Brahmaputry

• Wydawca: Instytut Geofizyki PAN ; Springer
• Czasopismo: Acta Geophysica
• Rocznik: 2022
• Tom: Vol. 70, no 3
• Strony: 1317--1330
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 39 poz.

Twórcy

autor

Sah Rajesh Kumar

• Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India

• https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2849-3268

autor

Kumar Dasika Nagesh

• Department of Civil Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India
• Interdisciplinary Centre for Water Research, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru 560012, India

autor

Das Apurba Kumar

• Department of Environmental Science, School of Sciences, Tezpur University, Tezpur 784028, India

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Uwagi

PL

Opracowanie rekordu ze środków MEiN, umowa nr SONP/SP/546092/2022 w ramach programu "Społeczna odpowiedzialność nauki" - moduł: Popularyzacja nauki i promocja sportu (2022-2023).