Outburst floods
December 30, 2020
Outbursts from impounded water bodies produce large, hazardous, and geomorphically significant floods affecting the Earth as well as other planetary surfaces. Two broad classes of impoundments are: (1) valleys blocked by ice, landslides, constructed dams, and volcanic materials; and (2) closed basins such as tectonic depressions, calderas, meteor craters, and those rimmed by glaciers and moraines. In some environments, floods emanate from subglacial and subterranean sources. Outburst floods are geomorphically important over geologic time because large flows achieve exceptional shear stress and stream power values, thus forming some of the most spectacular landscapes in the solar system.
Citation Information
| Publication Year | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Title | Outburst floods |
| DOI | 10.1016/B978-0-12-818234-5.00007-9 |
| Authors | Jim E. O'Connor, John J. Clague, Joseph S. Walder, Vernon Manville, Robin A. Beebee |
| Publication Type | Book Chapter |
| Publication Subtype | Book Chapter |
| Index ID | 70217224 |
| Record Source | USGS Publications Warehouse |
| USGS Organization | Geology, Minerals, Energy, and Geophysics Science Center |
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