STOCHASTIC SEDIMENT TRANSPORT IN SOIL-EROSION

A stochastic model governing the downslope transport of a sediment par ticle during an erosion event is described. Particles alternate betwee n resting on the soil bed and being transported by the overland flow. Probability densities and moments are constructed for the distribution of a particle's position at a given time, and also for time of passag e to a given location. We show that a suitable averaging of the stocha stic particle motions in our model gives rise to the deterministic ero sion differential of Hairsine and Rose (Hairsine, P., Rose, C., 1991. Soil Sci. Sec. Am. J. 55 (2), 320-324). The model generalized H. Einst ein's stochastic model (Der Geschiebebetrieb als Wahrscheinlichkeitspr oblem, Verlag Rascher, Zurich, 1937) for bedload transport in streams. (C) 1998 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.