Fractal characteristics of dense stream networks

In the past, a great deal of research has been conducted to determine the f ractal properties which quantify the sinuosity of individual streams and th e branching configuration of stream channel networks in watersheds. Much of this work has been conducted with sparse rather than dense stream networks . It seems appropriate that characteristics should be determined for dense networks to decide if the ranges of values of the fractal characteristics c omputed by previous researchers hold for the dense networks. The first obje ctive of the present study is to compute the fractal measures for several w atersheds, which have dense network data, and to compare them to the values in the literature estimated by using sparse network data. The second objec tive is to compare the different fractal measures for different watersheds and examine their variability. If there is considerable variability in thes e measures, then the question of which measures to use arises. The third ob jective is to examine whether these watersheds are self-similar or self-aff ine. The results indicate that the fractal dimensions vary widely, dependin g on the definitions used. The watersheds have self-affine rather than self -similar characteristics. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science B.V.