A meander is a winding curve in a river or stream channel. This lesson introduces how meanders form through erosion and deposition, how they migrate, and how scientists describe their overall winding.
A meander is one of a series of regular, sinuous curves in a watercourse. At the outer, concave bank, flowing water erodes sediment. This steepened, eroding bank is called a cut bank or river cliff. At the inner, convex bank, the water commonly deposits sediment, building a feature called a point bar.
All flashcards
What is a meander?
A meander is one of a series of sinuous curves in a stream or river channel, produced as erosion and deposition reshape the banks.
What are the cut bank and point bar?
The cut bank is the eroding outer, concave bank of a bend. The point bar is a sediment deposit commonly built along the inner, convex bank.
What is a meander belt?
It is the zone within which a meandering stream periodically shifts its channel. Its width is typically about 15 to 18 times the channel width.
How is sinuosity defined?
Sinuosity is the channel length divided by the straight-line down-valley distance. Greater values indicate a more winding channel.
Where does the word meander come from?
It derives from the winding Menderes River in Asia Minor, called Maiandros by the ancient Greeks and Maeander by the Romans.
Quiz questions
What landform may remain after a stream abandons a loop following a neck cutoff?Answer: A crescent-shaped oxbow lake.
What does the thalweg trace in a river channel?Answer: The line of maximum water depth.
In meander geometry, what characterizes an inflection point?Answer: The channel is locally straight as curvature changes direction.
What does the stochastic theory propose about how meanders begin?Answer: Random deflections can create an initial irregular channel path.
How important is the Coriolis force in explaining river meanders?Answer: It is generally considered small compared with other shaping processes.
Based on the Wikipedia article Meander, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Adapted into a summary, flashcards and quizzes.