TY  - JOUR
A1  - Smith, Adam G. G.
A1  - Fox, Matthew
A1  - Schwanghart, Wolfgang
A1  - Carter, Andrew
T1  - Comparing methods for calculating channel steepness index
JF  - Earth science reviews : the international geological journal bridging the gap between research articles and textbooks
N2  - Channel steepness index, k(s), is a metric derived from the stream power model that, under certain conditions, scales with relative rock uplift rate. Channel steepness index is a property of rivers, which can be relatively easily extracted from digital elevation models (DEMs). As DEM data sets are widely available for Earth and are becoming more readily available for other planetary bodies, channel steepness index represents a powerful tool for interpreting tectonic processes. However, multiple approaches to calculate channel steepness index exist. From this several important questions arise; does choice of approach change the values of channel steepness index, can values be so different that choice of approach can influence the findings of a study, and are certain approaches better than others? With the aid of a synthetic river profile and a case study from the Sierra Nevada, California, we show that values of channel steepness index vary over orders of magnitude according to the methodology used in the calculation. We explore the limitations, advantages and disadvantages of the key approaches to calculating channel steepness index, and find that choosing an appropriate approach relies on the context of a study. Given these observations, it is important that authors acknowledge the methodology used to calculate channel steepness index, to ensure that results can be contextualised and reproduced.
KW  - Channel steepness index
KW  - Fluvial geomorphology
KW  - Rivers
KW  - Tectonics
KW  - Geomorphology
KW  - Digital elevation models
KW  - Sierra nevada
Y1  - 2022
U6  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.earscirev.2022.103970
SN  - 0012-8252
SN  - 1872-6828
VL  - 227
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Amsterdam
ER  -