Scarp diffusion exercise from the International Quality Network Workshop

ScarpLab2003.zip
Simple Instructions

Simple Matlab diffusion modeling code and examples

by Ramon Arrowsmith

This is a simple matlab function that does diffusion modeling of profile development under transport limited and no tectonic displacement conditions. It provides plots of the profiel development at user-defined intervals and also shows the flux distribution at thos intervals. Remember that the erosion/deposition rate = the spatial derivative of the flux distribution.

A possibly useful reference is Appendix A from my dissertation.
Also note these web pages on Excel modling that are very similar:
Geomorphology GLG362/598: Simulation of hillslope processes using Microsoft Excel

Matlab scripts and examples

Make sure that the function and the script to run it (given below--modify to see how things work) are in the same directory. Here is the main diffuse function:
diffuse.m

Example 1: scarp development

script: rundiffusescarp.m
Sample output:

Example 2: Continuous motion along a vertical fault

Compare with above example
script: rundiffusecont.m
Sample output:

Example 3: Steadily uplifting hill

script: rundiffusehill.m
Sample output:


Page maintained by Ramon Arrowsmith. Last update September 14, 2001