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Peter van der Beek
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Project: Synthesize and test results of “natural experiment” settings for their possible inclusion in numerical landscape evolution models of tectonic, climate, and erosion processesFor anyone who’s ever stood in awe before one of Colorado’s snowcapped Fourteeners, or felt the weight of a pack while hiking uphill and wondered how these mountains got to be so tall, new CIRES Visiting Fellow Peter van der Beek can offer some insight. And if he doesn’t know the answer yet, he’s game to figure it out. Van der Beek studies the evolution of topography, with emphasis on the top part, mountains. “I have always been fascinated by mountains - imagining the incredible tectonic forces necessary to create them slowly but surely through geological time,” says van der Beek. Tectonics, erosion, climate, and lots of time all play roles in the formation and degradation of mountains. Van der Beek wants to know when a mountain became a mountain, how high it used to be, or what carved a mountain valley. He does this by using models to reconstruct mountain formation through geologic time. But models that simulate erosion of a changing landscape struggle with the task. That’s why at CIRES, van der Beek will focus on testing the mathematical descriptions of these processes. Van der Beek hopes to look to what we know about the evolution of a landscape and put that landscape through the paces, testing different algorithms along the way to find out which ones are most accurate. Doing so would bring science another step closer to understanding the links between the evolution of the Earth’s surface and the forces that shape it, such as tectonics, climate, and as in this case, erosion. The Rocky Mountains in his backyard should be good inspiration. “Geomorphology, the study of landforms, is a great branch of science for me because it relates directly to the scenery you see - understanding what creates that often beautiful mountain scenery and what controls its evolution through time is a strong motivation,” he says. In that case, hiking, skiing and mountain biking should be good motivation too, as Van der Beek looks forward to exploring the mountains around Boulder, and “further astray places.” He might even have to do an unofficial comparison study on some weekend trips to the desert Southwest. Sponsor: Roger Bilham and Gregory Tucker Email: pvdbeek@ujf-grenoble.fr |
