Model:Hilltop flow routing

Hilltop flow routing

Also known as	Hillslope length measurement tool
Model type	Tool
Model part of larger framework
Note on status model
Date note status model

Incorporated models or components:

Spatial dimensions	2D
Spatial extent	Landscape-Scale
Model domain	Terrestrial
One-line model description	Algorithm for directly measuring hillslope length from high resolution topographic data
Extended model description	This tool produces a flow path for each hilltop pixel on a landscape, generating hillslope length and relief data at a hillslope scale. These data can be used to discriminate between linear and nonlinear sediment flux laws at a landscape scale. The model requires an input DEM in float format and produces a series raster and plain text output files which can be visualized and analysed using code provided at: https://github.com/sgrieve/LH_Paper_Plotting For detailed information about how to use this tool please refer to the documentation (http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/~smudd/LSDTT_docs/html/basin_metrics.html).

Keywords:	geomorphology, Hillslope Model, Sediment flux, flow path,

Supported platforms	Unix, Linux
Other platform
Programming language	C++
Other program language
Code optimized	Single Processor
Multiple processors implemented
Nr of distributed processors
Nr of shared processors
Start year development	2013
Does model development still take place?	Yes
If above answer is no, provide end year model development
Code development status	Active
When did you indicate the 'code development status'?	2020
Model availability	As code
Source code availability (Or provide future intension)	Through CSDMS repository
Source web address
Source csdms web address	https://github.com/csdms-contrib/Hilltop_flow_routing
Program license type	GPL v2
Program license type other
Memory requirements	Varies depending on the input DEM size
Typical run time	3 hours to 3 days

Describe input parameters	The input files are a DEM in .flt format, a channel heads file generated using the DrEICH algorithm (https://csdms.colorado.edu/wiki/Model:DrEICH_algorithm) and an optional floodplain mask in .flt format. Input parameters are also supplied at the command line. Information on the parameters is available in the documentation (http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/~smudd/LSDTT_docs/html/channel_heads.html).
Input format	Binary
Other input format
Describe output parameters	The output data is both plain text data files and .flt raster files containing the spatial location of the computed results.
Output format	ASCII, Binary
Other output format
Pre-processing software needed?	Yes
Describe pre-processing software	A channel network must be extracted for the landscape, this is performed using the DrEICH algorithm (https://csdms.colorado.edu/wiki/Model:DrEICH_algorithm).
Post-processing software needed?	No
Describe post-processing software
Visualization software needed?	Yes
If above answer is yes	ESRI
Other visualization software	All output files can be visualized using the python tools provided at https://github.com/sgrieve/LH_Paper_Plotting and .flt files can be loaded into many GIS packages (ArcGIS, Whitebox, QGIS).

Describe processes represented by the model	The module generates hillslope profiles by routing flow from every point on a drainage divide into a channel.
Describe key physical parameters and equations	[[Describe key physical parameters::The user must select a drainage basin strahler order to use as the basis for generating drainage divides. The larger the value, the fewer profiles will be generated. A value of 2 is recommended in order to generate a large density of data, while ensuring that only true drainage divides are sampled. The window size for the surface fitting routine must be defined. The selection of this parameter is performed using an algorithm included in this package which implements a technique for window size selection described by Roering et al. (2010) [1] and Hurst et al. (2012) [2]]]
Describe length scale and resolution constraints	This algorithm attempts to measure individual hillslopes, which are can be resolved at a range of spatial scales. It is recommended to use high resolution topographic data (<4 meter resolution) to ensure that a broad range of hillslopes can be sampled.
Describe time scale and resolution constraints	No time resolution constraints as this software performs topographic analysis.
Describe any numerical limitations and issues	As the size of the DEM increases, processing time will increase. An 8000*8000 DEM will take several days to process. Documentation is available to help users select appropriate input parameters.

Describe available calibration data sets	Topographic analysis; no calibration required.
Upload calibration data sets if available:
Describe available test data sets	Input data used in the preparation of the associated manuscript is all available from www.opentopography.org along with all processing and visualization code at https://github.com/sgrieve/LH_Paper_Plotting so users can compare their results with those contained within the manuscript.
Upload test data sets if available:
Describe ideal data for testing	Any 1m resolution digital elevation model.

Do you have current or future plans for collaborating with other researchers?	Yes

Is there a manual available?	No
Upload manual if available:
Model website if any	http://www.geos.ed.ac.uk/~smudd/LSDTT_docs/html/basin_metrics.html
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Model info

Authors

Mudd, Hurst

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Other models by author

Featured publication(s)	Year	Model described	Type of Reference	Citations
Grieve, Stuart W.D.; Mudd, Simon M.; Hurst, Martin D.; 2016. How long is a hillslope?: How long is a hillslope?. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 41, 1039–1054. 10.1002/esp.3884 (View/edit entry)	2016	Hilltop flow routing	Model overview	68
See more publications of Hilltop flow routing