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Hillslope Diffusion Rates Measured on Arid Badlands

Source: onlinelibrary.wiley.com

Scientists measured how quickly soil moves downhill on dry, eroded badlands in California.
They found soil creeps at rates of 0.3 to 5.4 mm per year using markers placed in the ground.
These slow movements shape the landscape over thousands of years without rain or streams.

The article examines soil movement on arid hillslopes in Death Valley, California, where water-driven erosion is rare. It reveals how gradual soil creep dominates landscape formation in dry environments. Understanding this helps explain why badlands have smooth, rounded shapes despite little rainfall.