Megaflooding on Earth and Mars

by Devon M. Burr, Paul A. Carling, Victor R. Baker

Overview

Megaflooding is the sudden discharge of exceptional volumes of water. Megafloods have significantly altered the terrain of Earth and Mars, and may have acted as triggers for climate change on these planets. Recently, research into megaflooding has made important advances: on Earth, real-time measurements of contemporary floods in Iceland complement research into older and larger terrestrial floods, while on Mars terabytes of data from several spacecraft orbiting that planet are dramatically revising our view of flooding there. Beginning with a historical overview of flood science, the book presents sections on morphology and mechanisms, flood sedimentology, and modeling, each illustrated with examples from Earth and Mars. By juxtaposing terrestrial and Martian research, this volume creates a unique synthesis to further our understanding of these enormous paleoflood events. It is an invaluable reference for researchers and students of hydrology, geomorphology, sedimentology and planetary science, as well as environmental and hydraulic engineers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780521868525
Publisher:	Cambridge University Press
Publication date:	09/24/2009
Pages:	330
Product dimensions:	8.80(w) x 10.90(h) x 0.80(d)

About the Author

Devon M. Burr received her education at the United States Naval Academy, St John's College, Santa Fe, and the University of Arizona, where she was a Fulbright Fellow. After her Ph.D. in 2003, she worked as the Eugene M. Shoemaker Fellow at the United States Geological Survey Astrogeology Branch before moving to the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe. She is currently a Professor in the Earth and Planetary Sciences Department at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, where she specializes in planetary geomorphology and fluid sediment transport.

Paul A. Carling obtained his first degree in Geography from the University of Leicester and a Ph.D. from the University of Wales (Swansea) for research into intertidal sedimentation. He worked for what is now known as the UK Centre for Hydrology and Ecology from 1977 to 1994, before taking up a Professorship in Geography at the University of Lancaster. He took up the post of Professor of Physical Geography at the University of Southampton in 2000, and is currently chief editor of the journal Sedimentology.

Victor R. Baker holds degrees from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and the University of Colorado. He was a faculty member at the University of Texas before joining the University of Arizona where he is presently Regents Professor of Hydrology and Water Resources, Geosciences, and Planetary Sciences. He is author/editor of fourteen other books on flooding and geomorphology, and currently serves on editorial boards for the journals Geomorphology and Zeitschrift für Geomorphologie.

Table of Contents

1. Overview of megaflooding: Earth and Mars Victor R. Baker; 2. Channel-scale erosional bedforms in loose granular material and in bedrock Paul A. Carling, Juergen Herget, J. K. Lanz, K. Richardson and Andrea Pacifici; 3. A review of open-channel megaflood depositional landforms on Earth and Mars Paul A. Carling, Timothy Johnsen and Tracy A. Brennand; 4. Jökulhlaups in Iceland: sources, release and drainage Helgi Björnsson; 5. Channelled scabland morphology Victor R. Baker; 6. The morphology and sedimentology of landforms created by subglacial megafloods Mandy J. Munro-Stasiuk, John Shaw, Darren B. Sjogren, Tracy A. Brennand, Timothy G. Fisher, David Sharpe, Philip S. G. Kor, Claire Beaney and Bruce B. Rains; 7. Proglacial megaflooding along the margins of the Laurentide ice sheet Alan E. Kehew, Mark L. Lord, Andrew L. Kozlowski and Timothy G. Fisher; 8. Floods for natural rock-material dams Jim E. O'Connor and Robin A. Beebee; 9. Surface morphology and origin of outflow channels in the Valles Marineris region Neil M. Coleman and Victor R. Baker; 10. Floods from fossae: a review of Amazonian-aged extensional-tectonic megaflood channels on Mars Devon M. Burr, Lionel Wilson and Alistair Bargery; 11. Large basin overflow floods on Mars Rossman P. Irwin III and John A. Grant; 12. Criteria for identifying Jökulhlaups deposits in the sedimentary record Philip M. Marren and Matthias Schuh; 13. Megaflood sedimentary valley fill: Altai mountains, Siberia Paul A. Carling, I. Peter Martini, Juergen Herget, Pavel Borodavko and Sergei Parnachov; 14. Modelling of subaerial Jökulhlaups in Iceland Snorri Páll Kjaran, Sigurður Lárus Hólm, Eric M. Myer and Tómas Jóhannesson; 15. Jökulhlaups from Kverkfjöll volcano, Iceland: modelling transient hydraulic phenomena Jonathan L. Carrivick; 16. Dynamics of fluid flow in Martian outflow channels Lionel Wilson, Alistair S. Bargery and Devon M. Burr; Index.

Editorial Reviews

"...papers compliment one another nicely with minor overlap, and together they constitute a good overview of what has been learned since Bretz's theory gained wide acceptance. They also convey the nature of these flood events and their geological importance ...Recommended." CHOICE

"...an important book for understanding the recent catacyclismic glacial outburst floods on Earth, and similar events in the past on Mars. This book is beautifully illustrated in color and line-drawing, including the shaded photo and SAR images from low-look angles, and will delight the readers." The Leading Edge

From the Publisher