Soil avalanches on Oahu, Hawaii

Research Article| January 01, 1943 Soil avalanches on Oahu, Hawaii CHESTER K. WENTWORTH CHESTER K. WENTWORTH Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar GSA Bulletin (1943) 54 (1): 53–64. https://doi.org/10.1130/GSAB-54-53 Article history received: 03 Mar 1942 first online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation CHESTER K. WENTWORTH; Soil avalanches on Oahu, Hawaii. GSA Bulletin 1943;; 54 (1): 53–64. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/GSAB-54-53 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract A large part of Oahu above 1000 feet in elevation is very rugged, with steep slopes from 35 to 60 degrees. In the rainier parts, though widely distributed, bare rock cliffs are usually not of great lateral extent and occupy but a small part of the map area. Nearly the whole area is covered with soil or rock so weathered as to support a dense cover of vegetation. By incessant creep and colluvial wash, this mantle rock assumes slopes at the limit of stability for normal conditions. In exceptionally wet weather, owing to weight of soil water and the lubrication it affords, patches of soil together with vegetation become loosened and pass downslope as soil avalanches. The angles of slope are chiefly from 40 to 50 degrees, and the thickness of material involved is rarely more than 2 or 3 feet.The avalanches play an important part in the succession of plants, but the details of this phase have not been studied. They are also thought to be important in undercutting the crests of ridges so as to develop the striking knife-edge ridges so characteristic. No close measurement of the rate of erosion by these slides is practicable, but they apparently are responsible for a relatively rapid denudation and they are probably the controlling factor in determining the general form of land sculpture in the mountainous parts of this region. This content is PDF only. Please click on the PDF icon to access. First Page Preview Close Modal You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.