Surface Processes
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The
areas of surface processes studies at Duke includes coastal geomorphology, marine
and terrestrial sediment transport, basin sedimentation processes, fluvial
and hillslope geomorphology and the role of human activities as a geologic
process (neogeomorphology). The surface process group currently consists of
Peter Haff, Brad Murray, Lincoln Pratson and Stuart Rojstaczer (currently on
leave). The surface processes group emphasizes a quantitative approach to
problems of geomorphology and earth surface change. |
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Haff
is interested in the role of human beings as geologic agents. Human activity
now represents one of the world’s dominant geologic forces in terms of its
impact on water, soil, vegetation and topography and surface structure, cover
and composition. He argues that the effects of human activity ought not to be
viewed as lying outside the “pristine” geologic world, but as a central and
evermore important element whose effects need to be included in our overall
description and theory of the earth’s surface, and on the same footing as
natural causes and processes. Haff
is also interested in the philosophy and practice of modeling and prediction.
The ability of science to predict lies at the base of social support for science
(including earth science), and in a rapidly changing world prediction of the future
behavior and form of the surface of the earth is increasingly required. Haff
is interested in the extent to which limitations on our predictive abilities
lie in the models we make of earth systems, versus the extent to which such
limitations lie in the nature of earth surface processes themselves. ______________________________________ |
Murray
is interested in many surface processes and patterns, including rivers and a
range of desert, arctic, and alpine phenomena. His recent efforts have
focused on coastal and nearshore processes. The nearshore environment is a
spatially extended system that exhibits complex, dynamic spatial patterns,
including the arrangement of bars and channels, waves, and often an array of
alongshore and cross-shore currents. Murray approaches such systems with the
perspective and techniques developed in the study of nonlinear dynamics and
complex systems, looking for possibly simple, large-scale interactions that
could explain complex behaviors. He uses relatively simple,
cellular-automata-like models to test such hypotheses. ______________________________________ |
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Pratson is interested in
the sedimentary processes that shape the Earth's surface and create its stratigraphic
cover, particularly along continental margins. His areas of research include
the dynamics of both current- and gravity-driven sediment transport,
submarine canyon formation and seafloor evolution, the causes and
consequences of submarine slope failure, and the interplay between climate,
sedimentation, tectonics and eustacy in creating stratigraphic sequences. ______________________________________ |
Stuart Rojstaczer’s Research
(currently on leave) Rojstaczer’s
research in hydrology is broad based, covering topics ranging from the
influence of human activity on the hydrologic cycle to water contamination to
how geysers work. ______________________________________ |
