DrainageDensity: Calculate drainage density from topography#

class DrainageDensity(*args, **kwds)[source]#

Bases: Component

Calculate drainage density over a DEM.

Landlab component that implements the distance to channel algorithm of Tucker et al., 2001.

This component requires EITHER a channel__mask array with 1’s where channels exist and 0’s elsewhere, OR a set of coefficients and exponents for a slope-area relationship and a channelization threshold to compare against that relationship.

If an array is provided it MUST be of type np.uint8. See the example below for how to make such an array.

The channel__mask array will be assigned to an at-node field with the name channel__mask. If the channel__mask was originaly created from a passed array, a user can update this array to change the mask.

If the channel__mask is created using an area coefficent, slope coefficient, area exponent, slope exponent, and channelization threshold, the location of the mask will be re-update when calculate_drainage_density is called.

If an area coefficient, \(C_A\), a slope coefficent, \(C_S\), an area exponent, \(m_r\), a slope exponent, \(n_r\), and channelization threshold \(T_C\) are provided, nodes that meet the criteria

\[C_A A^{m_r} C_s S^{n_r} > T_c\]

where \(A\) is the drainage density and \(S\) is the local slope, will be marked as channel nodes.

The calculate_drainage_density function returns drainage density for the model domain. This function calculates the distance from every node to the nearest channel node \(L\) along the flow line of steepest descent (assuming D8 routing).

This component stores this distance a field, called: surface_to_channel__minimum_distance. The drainage density is then calculated (after Tucker et al., 2001):

\[D_d = \frac{1}{2\overline{L}}\]

where \(\overline{L}\) is the mean L for the model domain.

Examples

>>> import numpy as np
>>> from landlab import RasterModelGrid
>>> from landlab.components import FlowAccumulator, FastscapeEroder
>>> mg = RasterModelGrid((10, 10))
>>> _ = mg.add_zeros('node', 'topographic__elevation')
>>> np.random.seed(50)
>>> noise = np.random.rand(100)
>>> mg.at_node['topographic__elevation'] += noise
>>> mg.at_node['topographic__elevation'] 
array([ 0.49460165,  0.2280831 ,  0.25547392,  0.39632991,  0.3773151 ,
    0.99657423,  0.4081972 ,  0.77189399,  0.76053669,  0.31000935,
    0.3465412 ,  0.35176482,  0.14546686,  0.97266468,  0.90917844,
    0.5599571 ,  0.31359075,  0.88820004,  0.67457307,  0.39108745,
    0.50718412,  0.5241035 ,  0.92800093,  0.57137307,  0.66833757,
    0.05225869,  0.3270573 ,  0.05640164,  0.17982769,  0.92593317,
    0.93801522,  0.71409271,  0.73268761,  0.46174768,  0.93132927,
    0.40642024,  0.68320577,  0.64991587,  0.59876518,  0.22203939,
    0.68235717,  0.8780563 ,  0.79671726,  0.43200225,  0.91787822,
    0.78183368,  0.72575028,  0.12485469,  0.91630845,  0.38771099,
    0.29492955,  0.61673141,  0.46784623,  0.25533891,  0.83899589,
    0.1786192 ,  0.22711417,  0.65987645,  0.47911625,  0.07344734,
    0.13896007,  0.11230718,  0.47778497,  0.54029623,  0.95807105,
    0.58379231,  0.52666409,  0.92226269,  0.91925702,  0.25200886,
    0.68263261,  0.96427612,  0.22696165,  0.7160172 ,  0.79776011,
    0.9367512 ,  0.8537225 ,  0.42154581,  0.00543987,  0.03486533,
    0.01390537,  0.58890993,  0.3829931 ,  0.11481895,  0.86445401,
    0.82165703,  0.73749168,  0.84034417,  0.4015291 ,  0.74862   ,
    0.55962945,  0.61323757,  0.29810165,  0.60237917,  0.42567684,
    0.53854438,  0.48672986,  0.49989164,  0.91745948,  0.26287702])
>>> fr = FlowAccumulator(mg, flow_director='D8')
>>> fsc = FastscapeEroder(mg, K_sp=.01, m_sp=.5, n_sp=1)
>>> for x in range(100):
...     fr.run_one_step()
...     fsc.run_one_step(dt = 10.0)
...     mg.at_node['topographic__elevation'][mg.core_nodes] += .01
>>> channels = np.array(mg.at_node['drainage_area'] > 5, dtype=np.uint8)
>>> dd = DrainageDensity(mg, channel__mask=channels)
>>> mean_drainage_density = dd.calculate_drainage_density()
>>> np.isclose(mean_drainage_density, 0.3831100571)
True

Alternatively you can pass a set of coefficients to identify the channel mask. Next shows the same example as above, but with these coefficients provided.

>>> mg = RasterModelGrid((10, 10))
>>> _ = mg.add_zeros('node', 'topographic__elevation')
>>> np.random.seed(50)
>>> noise = np.random.rand(100)
>>> mg.at_node['topographic__elevation'] += noise
>>> fr = FlowAccumulator(mg, flow_director='D8')
>>> fsc = FastscapeEroder(mg, K_sp=.01, m_sp=.5, n_sp=1)
>>> for x in range(100):
...     fr.run_one_step()
...     fsc.run_one_step(dt = 10.0)
...     mg.at_node['topographic__elevation'][mg.core_nodes] += .01
>>> channels = np.array(mg.at_node['drainage_area'] > 5, dtype=np.uint8)
>>> dd = DrainageDensity(mg,
...                      area_coefficient=1.0,
...                      slope_coefficient=1.0,
...                      area_exponent=1.0,
...                      slope_exponent=0.0,
...                      channelization_threshold=5)
>>> mean_drainage_density = dd.calculate_drainage_density()
>>> np.isclose(mean_drainage_density, 0.3831100571)
True

References

Required Software Citation(s) Specific to this Component

None Listed

Additional References

Tucker, G., Catani, F., Rinaldo, A., Bras, R. (2001). Statistical analysis of drainage density from digital terrain data. Geomorphology 36(3-4), 187-202. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/s0169-555x(00)00056-8

Initialize the DrainageDensity component.

Parameters:

  • grid (ModelGrid) –

  • channel__mask (Array that holds 1's where) – channels exist and 0’s elsewhere

  • area_coefficient (coefficient to multiply drainage area by,) – for calculating channelization threshold

  • slope_coefficient (coefficient to multiply slope by,) – for calculating channelization threshold

  • area_exponent (exponent to raise drainage area to,) – for calculating channelization threshold

  • slope_exponent (exponent to raise slope to,) – for calculating channelization threshold

  • channelization_threshold (threshold value above) – which channels exist

__init__(grid, channel__mask=None, area_coefficient=None, slope_coefficient=None, area_exponent=None, slope_exponent=None, channelization_threshold=None)[source]#

Initialize the DrainageDensity component.

Parameters:

  • grid (ModelGrid) –

  • channel__mask (Array that holds 1's where) – channels exist and 0’s elsewhere

  • area_coefficient (coefficient to multiply drainage area by,) – for calculating channelization threshold

  • slope_coefficient (coefficient to multiply slope by,) – for calculating channelization threshold

  • area_exponent (exponent to raise drainage area to,) – for calculating channelization threshold

  • slope_exponent (exponent to raise slope to,) – for calculating channelization threshold

  • channelization_threshold (threshold value above) – which channels exist

calculate_drainage_density()[source]#

Calculate drainage density.

If the channel mask is defined based on slope and area coefficients, it will be update based on the current drainage area and slope fields.

Returns:

landscape_drainage_density – Drainage density over the model domain.

Return type:

float (1/m)