Variability in river steepness at eastern Yoro Mountains and Suzuka Mountains, central Japan

Abstract

Topography of mountainous rivers may record signals of tectonics, climate history or bedrock lithology. Steepness of rivers should be controlled by uplift rate and bedrock resistance, and can be quantified by means of slope-area analysis and/or chi-plot analysis, both of these methods are built in the basis of stream-power incision model. Chi-plot analysis of rivers at Yoro Mountains and Suzuka Mountains revealed spatial variability of river steepness. At Yoro Mountains, trend of river steepness variability is concordant with ridge-line altitude, roughly represents long-term uplift rate.