Research progress and prospect of gravity erosion in loess region

¹ State Key Laboratory of Simulation and Regulation of Water Cycle in River Basin, China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research, Beijing 100038, China
² School of Water Conservancy and Hydroelectric Power, Hebei University of Engineering, Handan 056038 China
³ College of Energy and Power Engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China

^* Corresponding author: gongjg185@163.com

Abstract

Gravity erosion is one of the most important types of soil erosion in the loess region, and it is the focus and difficulty of the current erosion research in the loess region. This paper systematically reviews the research progress of gravity erosion experimental observation methods, gravity erosion occurrence critical conditions, the relationship between gravity erosion and watershed water sediment, and gravity erosion process simulation and so on, It points out that the lack of monitoring capacity of gravity erosion process caused by the random, sudden and rapid characteristics of gravity erosion is the bottleneck of gravity erosion mechanism research, It is proposed that new techniques such as photogrammetry with strong anti-interference ability and high spatial-temporal resolution should be introduced to strengthen experimental observation; Integrating the long-term and short-term influencing factors of gravity erosion process, revealing the control mechanism of infiltration on the occurrence of gravity erosion, and clarifying the critical law of gravity erosion; Strengthen the study of critical conditions and redistribution mechanism based on process, and reveal the mechanism of gravity erosion material stabilization and sediment yield differentiation; The combination law of influencing factors in the process of gravity erosion and sediment yield is explored, the uncertainty mechanism of the process of erosion and sediment yield is analyzed, and the zoning method of gravity erosion prone areas is explored; A watershed water sediment coupling simulation model with the physical mechanism of gravity erosion is developed to deeply reveal the coupling relationship between gravity erosion and watershed water sediment process, and to provide reference for related research.