title: Width of laminar laboratory rivers.
abstract: A viscous fluid flowing over plastic grains spontaneously generates single-thread channels. With time, these laminar analogues of alluvial rivers reach a reproducible steady state, showing a well-defined width and cross section. In the absence of sediment transport, their shape conforms with the threshold hypothesis which states that, at equilibrium, the combined effects of gravity and flow-induced stress maintain the bed surface at the threshold of motion. This theory explains how the channel selects its size and slope for a given discharge. In this light, laboratory rivers illustrate the similarity between the avalanche angle of granular materials and Shields's criterion for sediment transport.
authors.affiliation: Institut de Physique du Globe de Paris, 1 rue Jussieu, 75238 Paris cedex 05, France.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seizilles
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Devauchelle
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lajeunesse
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Métivier
mesh_terms: D003198:Computer Simulation; D019015:Geologic Sediments / Q000737:chemistry*; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D012212:Rheology / Q000379:methods*; D045483:Rivers / Q000737:chemistry*; D014783:Viscosity; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*; D014872:Water Movements
chemical_list: D014867:Water