The research group led by Dr. Luke McGuire at the University of Arizona in Tucson, Arizona, is focused on geomorphology and landslide hazards. The landscapes that we live in are continually shaped by water. On geologic timescales, water-driven processes redistribute mass and energy across the surface of the Earth. On shorter timescales, they create hazards that threaten life and infrastructure. Our research seeks to develop a better mechanistic understanding of these surface processes, their connection to landscape form, and the threats that they pose. We utilize a variety of quantitative techniques to accomplish these goals, but out approach generally focuses on integrating numerical modeling with field and remote sensing data. We embrace interdisciplinary work and actively collaborate with hydrologists, soil scientists, and atmospheric scientists in academia and government agencies. Below, you will find a few examples of the types of problems that we have been focusing on recently.
Pyrogeomorphology
Fire provides a natural experiment for studying the effects of vegetation and soil properties on sediment transport. Severe fires reduce canopy cover and affect a range of soil physical and hydraulic properties, which influence soil erodibility and runoff. Our research focuses on understanding how fire impacts the style and rate of sediment transport. We strive to use this knowledge to improve our ability to predict and mitigate negative impacts of fire, which include reductions in water quality, sedimentation in downstream reservoirs, and increased flood and landslide hazards.
Debris Flow Hazards Debris flows, or fast-moving mixtures of water, mud, and boulders, pose hazards to people and infrastructure around the world. We use a combination of field-based monitoring and numerical modeling to improve our understanding of how debris flows initiate, grow, and move across the landscape. We strive to communicate results of our research to a broad audience, including the scientific community, decision-makers, and the public. A fundamental goal of our research is to help safeguard lives and property by improving our ability to predict when and where debris flows will occur as well as what they will impact.
Landscape evolution Landscape evolution models help us make quantitative connections between observed patterns in landscapes and the processes responsible for their formation. For instance, drainage networks often become organized into a parallel structure with a periodic spacing between channels. Why does this happen? Channels eroded by debris flows have distinct features that can be used to differentiate them from channels formed predominately by flood flows. What other information can we extract from topographic data?