Douglas J Jerolmack

Department of Earth and Environmental Science

Douglas J Jerolmack

Research themes and interests

My research is generally related to the mechanics of sediment transport, and its implications for pattern formation in modern and ancient sedimentary systems. Our group employs theoretical and numerical modeling, laboratory experiments and field work to address problems at a variety of scales, on Earth and other planets. Current research interests fall into, but are not limited to, these three broad themes:

River Patterns

Thresholds, nonlinear dynamics and prediction in sediment transport

Sedimentology on Mars

Project field sites have included Nebraska, Florida, Utah, California, New Mexico, Arctic Alaska, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas.

Arctic Alaska research: Collaboration with Benjamin Crosby (Idaho State University). Our work is assessing the impact of climate change on permafrost degradation and landscape change in rivers and the coast. Left: Knapp Creek near Kotzebue, Alaska. Middle: Alaskan transport. Right: Implanting radio tags for rock tracer experiments to measure bedload transport.

Puerto Rico research: Luquillo Critical Zone Observatory. Interdisciplinary research to understand physical, chemical and biological controls on landscape dynamics, and in particular how lithology influences all of these processes. My group is looking at mechanics of sediment transport resulting from extreme precipitation events, and controls of lithology on sediment mobility over short and long timescales. Left: Boulder-bedded tributary to the Rio Icacos. Middle: A view of the Icacos watershed from near its headwaters. Right: Various lithologies of gravel and sand.

White Sands, New Mexico research: Collaboration with Ryan Ewing (Caltech) and my Geology 305 class. Left: The White Sands dune field. We are researching how grain abrasion, sediment sorting, ground water and wind conditions influence dune shape and migration. Right: Alluvial fan seen from above Dog Canyon. We relate grain size sorting and channel network patterns to laboratory experiments. In the distance is White Sands.

Further Information

Research

Publications

Courses

Penn Sediment Dynamics Laboratory

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Department of Earth and Environmental Science
University of Pennsylvania, 254-b Hayden Hall, 240 South 33rd Street
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6316