Tectonics and geomorphology

The field of tectonic geomorphology is in a state of tension. The widespread availability of high-quality, high-resolution digital topographic data encourages the development of simple morphological ‘tools’ which can be used to deduce recent tectonic evolution. Meanwhile, process geomorphologists recognize that current models have a significant empirical basis, and lack insight into the underlying physics of erosion processes. Most tectonic geomorphology research is concerned with rivers, but glaciers, debris flows and hillslope processes also play a key role in hypotheses linking climate to tectonics, via surface processes, while submarine geomorphology has barely been investigated in a tectonic context. Studies combining field data collection, exposure, burial and low-temperature thermochronologic dating, digital topographic analysis, laboratory experiments and numerical models are successfully incorporating physics into geomorphic process ‘laws’, and demonstrating key tectonic geomorphology hypotheses. The approaches required for further progress have been outlined, but many exciting challenges remain.