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Local relief and the height limits of mountain ranges

1984; Yale University; Volume: 284; Issue: 9 Linguagem: Inglês

10.2475/ajs.284.9.1035

1945-452X

Frank Ahnert,

Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies

Data obtained from twenty-five topographic maps of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Scotland, and Kenya show that the local relief H increases with increasing diameter L of the reference area in a non-linear manner which is well described by log H = f (log L). In fluvially dissected regions, the shape of this curve is mainly controlled by the shape of the longitudinal profiles of interfluves and major valleys. A standardization of the relief curves leads to the identification of the characteristic logarithmic relief/length ratio, here called characteristic logarithmic slope, for each map. The numerical value of this parameter seems to have an upper limit of about 0.8.\--Modified journal abstract.