Sinuosity

Sinuosity
Calculation of sinuosity for an oscillating curve.

Sinuosity or sinuosity index is a measure of deviation of a path between two points from the shortest possible path (the geodesic, in planar geometries a straight line between the two points). It is given by the ratio of:

\frac{{\text{actual path length}}}{{\text{shortest path length}}}

This sinuosity index is 1 in the case in which the actual path length is equal to the shortest path length, and can increase to infinity for a closed loop (where the shortest path length is zero) or for an infinitely-long actual path.[1]

Rivers

The meandering Rio Cauto at Guamo Embarcadero, Cuba, is not taking the shortest path downslope. Therefore, its sinuosity, or sinuosity index, is > 1.

In studies of rivers, the sinuosity index is similar but not identical to the general form given above, being given by:

\text{SI} = \frac{{\text{channel length}}}{{\text{downvalley length}}}

The difference from the general form happens because the downvalley path is not perfectly straight. The sinuosity index can be explained, then, as the deviations from a path defined by the direction of maximum downslope. For this reason, bedrock streams that flow directly downslope have a sinuosity index of 1, and meandering streams have a sinuosity index that is greater than 1.[2]

References

  1. ^ Leopold, Luna B., Wolman, M.G., and Miller, J.P., 1964, Fluvial Processes in Geomorphology, San Francisco, W.H. Freeman and Co., 522p.
  2. ^ Mueller, Jerry (1968). "An Introduction to the Hydraulic and Topographic Sinuosity Indexes1". Annals of the Association of American Geographers 58 (2): 371. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8306.1968.tb00650.x. 

Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать курсовую
Synonyms:

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Sinuosity — Sin u*os i*ty, n.; pl. {Sinuosities}. [Cf. F. sinuosit[ e].] 1. Quality or state of being sinuous. [1913 Webster] 2. A bend, or a series of bends and turns; a winding, or a series of windings; a wave line; a curve. [1913 Webster] A line of coast… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • sinuosity — index complication, involution Burton s Legal Thesaurus. William C. Burton. 2006 …   Law dictionary

  • sinuosity — [sin΄yo͞o äs′ə tē] n. [Fr sinuosité] 1. the state or quality of being sinuous 2. pl. sinuosities a sinuous turn or movement; undulation …   English World dictionary

  • sinuosity — upės vingiuotumas statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Upės vingių visuma. atitikmenys: angl. sinuosity; sinuosity of a river; tortuosity; tortuosity of a river vok. Buchtigkeit des Flusses, f rus. извилистость реки, f …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • sinuosity — /sin yooh os i tee/, n., pl. sinuosities. 1. Often, sinuosities. a curve, bend, or turn: a sinuosity of the road. 2. a sinuous form or character. [1590 1600; < ML sinuositas. See SINUOUS, ITY] * * * …   Universalium

  • sinuosity — vingis statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Vingiuota linija, lanko pavidalo posūkis, lankstas (pvz., kelio vingis, upės vingis). atitikmenys: angl. bend; curve; sinuosity; zigzag vok. Krümmung, f; Kurve, f rus. зигзаг, m; изгиб …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • sinuosity — sinuous ► ADJECTIVE 1) having many curves and turns. 2) lithe and supple. DERIVATIVES sinuosity noun sinuously adverb. ORIGIN Latin sinuosus, from sinus a bend …   English terms dictionary

  • sinuosity of a river — upės vingiuotumas statusas T sritis ekologija ir aplinkotyra apibrėžtis Upės vingių visuma. atitikmenys: angl. sinuosity; sinuosity of a river; tortuosity; tortuosity of a river vok. Buchtigkeit des Flusses, f rus. извилистость реки, f …   Ekologijos terminų aiškinamasis žodynas

  • sinuosity — noun (plural ties) Date: 1598 1. the quality or state of being sinuous 2. something that is sinuous …   New Collegiate Dictionary

  • sinuosity — degree of meandering of a river channel …   Dictionary of ichthyology

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”