About me:
Hi everybody! My name is Al, and I am a geomorphologist, researcher, and educator. I love learning about the earth, and celebrate all of its surprises, changes through time, and cool rocks. If you're in my classroom, collaboration, or really any circle, we're in this together!
If I had to pick, I am most interested in how landforms evolve in response to the geologic and climatic processes that shape them.
Over long timescales, geomorphology shapes mountains and landscapes. These same processes also move rocks and sediment over human timescales... sometimes into our backyards...
My work studies (1) the breakdown of rock into sediment and (2) natural hazards such as floods and debris flows that transport sediment and sculpt topography.
Generally, my work combines detailed analysis of the shape of topography, field work that quantifies the size and amount of sediment that is moving through landscapes, physical models that simulate erosion across these topographic surfaces, and analytical measurements of how fast rocks move across the earth's surface over different timescales.
Most of this work focuses on steep landscapes that sit on the urban-wildland interface of southern California. Here, the production and movement of sediment is a key unknown when managing debris flow and flood hazards over human timescales and understanding the evolution of mountain ranges over geologic timescales.
If you would like a copy of any of the publications below, please feel free to email me!
If I had to pick, I am most interested in how landforms evolve in response to the geologic and climatic processes that shape them.
Over long timescales, geomorphology shapes mountains and landscapes. These same processes also move rocks and sediment over human timescales... sometimes into our backyards...
My work studies (1) the breakdown of rock into sediment and (2) natural hazards such as floods and debris flows that transport sediment and sculpt topography.
Generally, my work combines detailed analysis of the shape of topography, field work that quantifies the size and amount of sediment that is moving through landscapes, physical models that simulate erosion across these topographic surfaces, and analytical measurements of how fast rocks move across the earth's surface over different timescales.
Most of this work focuses on steep landscapes that sit on the urban-wildland interface of southern California. Here, the production and movement of sediment is a key unknown when managing debris flow and flood hazards over human timescales and understanding the evolution of mountain ranges over geologic timescales.
If you would like a copy of any of the publications below, please feel free to email me!
Research Publications in Peer Reviewed Journals:
Neely, A.B., Moon, S., DiBiase, R.A., Sklar, L.S. and Argueta, M.O., 2024. The grain size of sediments delivered to steep debris‐flow prone channels prior to and following wildfire. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5819
DiBiase, R. A., Neely, A. B., Whipple, K. X., Heimsath, A. M., & Niemi, N. A. (2023). Hillslope morphology drives variability of detrital 10Be erosion rates in steep landscapes. Geophysical Research Letters, 50, e2023GL104392. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104392
Neely, A.B. and DiBiase, R.A., 2023. Sediment controls on the transition from debris flow to fluvial channels in steep mountain ranges. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5553
Neely, A.B. and DiBiase, R.A., 2020. Drainage area, bedrock fracture spacing, and weathering controls on landscape‐scale patterns in surface sediment grain size. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, p.e2020JF005560. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JF005560
Neely, A.B., DiBiase, R.A., Corbett, L.B., Bierman, P.R., Caffee, M.W., (2019). Bedrock fracture density controls on hillslope erodibility in steep, rocky landscapes with patchy soil cover, southern California, USA
Earth and Planetary Science Letters https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.06.011
DiBiase, R.A., Rossi, M.W. and Neely, A.B., 2018. Fracture density and grain size controls on the relief structure of bedrock landscapes. Geology, 46(5), pp.399-402. https://doi.org/10.1130/G40006.1
Neely, A.B., Bookhagen, B. and Burbank, D.W., 2017. An automated knickzone selection algorithm (KZ‐Picker) to analyze transient landscapes: Calibration and validation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 122(6), pp.1236-1261. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JF004250
Publications in Peer Review:
Neely, A.B., Moon, S., DiBiase, R.A., Sklar, L.S., Argueta, M.O., (In Review). The grain size of sediments delivered to steep debris-flow prone channels prior to and following wildfire. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
Community Datasets:
Neely, A.B., DiBiase, R., Moon, S., Carr, J., Argueta, M., Erikson, C. (2023). UAV surveys of Yucaipa Ridge, CA catchments after the 2020 El Dorado Fire. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G9V9869B
Neely, A.B., DiBiase, R., Moon, S., Carr, J., Erikson, C. (2023). UAV surveys of Yucaipa Ridge, CA, watersheds (2018) prior to El Dorado Fire. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G9028PRS
Neely, A.B., DiBiase, R.A., Loucks, E.A. (2021). McKittrick Canyon Reef Trail strat section, Guadalupe Mtns Nat. Park, TX . Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G99C6VM6.
Carr, J.C., Neely, A.B., Del Vecchio, J., Greenberg, E., DiBiase, R.A. (2021). Steep Headwater-Colluvial Channels, Day Creek, San Gabriel Mountains CA, US. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G9F47MBX.
Neely, A.B., Loucks, E., Carr, J., Del Vecchio, J., Greenberg, E., and DiBiase, R.A. (2020). Bedrock cliffs in the San Gabriel and San Jacinto Mountains, California. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G96H4FKG
Neely, A.B., Moon, S., DiBiase, R.A., Sklar, L.S. and Argueta, M.O., 2024. The grain size of sediments delivered to steep debris‐flow prone channels prior to and following wildfire. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5819
DiBiase, R. A., Neely, A. B., Whipple, K. X., Heimsath, A. M., & Niemi, N. A. (2023). Hillslope morphology drives variability of detrital 10Be erosion rates in steep landscapes. Geophysical Research Letters, 50, e2023GL104392. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023GL104392
Neely, A.B. and DiBiase, R.A., 2023. Sediment controls on the transition from debris flow to fluvial channels in steep mountain ranges. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.5553
Neely, A.B. and DiBiase, R.A., 2020. Drainage area, bedrock fracture spacing, and weathering controls on landscape‐scale patterns in surface sediment grain size. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, p.e2020JF005560. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020JF005560
Neely, A.B., DiBiase, R.A., Corbett, L.B., Bierman, P.R., Caffee, M.W., (2019). Bedrock fracture density controls on hillslope erodibility in steep, rocky landscapes with patchy soil cover, southern California, USA
Earth and Planetary Science Letters https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.06.011
DiBiase, R.A., Rossi, M.W. and Neely, A.B., 2018. Fracture density and grain size controls on the relief structure of bedrock landscapes. Geology, 46(5), pp.399-402. https://doi.org/10.1130/G40006.1
Neely, A.B., Bookhagen, B. and Burbank, D.W., 2017. An automated knickzone selection algorithm (KZ‐Picker) to analyze transient landscapes: Calibration and validation. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 122(6), pp.1236-1261. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017JF004250
Publications in Peer Review:
Neely, A.B., Moon, S., DiBiase, R.A., Sklar, L.S., Argueta, M.O., (In Review). The grain size of sediments delivered to steep debris-flow prone channels prior to and following wildfire. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms.
Community Datasets:
Neely, A.B., DiBiase, R., Moon, S., Carr, J., Argueta, M., Erikson, C. (2023). UAV surveys of Yucaipa Ridge, CA catchments after the 2020 El Dorado Fire. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G9V9869B
Neely, A.B., DiBiase, R., Moon, S., Carr, J., Erikson, C. (2023). UAV surveys of Yucaipa Ridge, CA, watersheds (2018) prior to El Dorado Fire. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G9028PRS
Neely, A.B., DiBiase, R.A., Loucks, E.A. (2021). McKittrick Canyon Reef Trail strat section, Guadalupe Mtns Nat. Park, TX . Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G99C6VM6.
Carr, J.C., Neely, A.B., Del Vecchio, J., Greenberg, E., DiBiase, R.A. (2021). Steep Headwater-Colluvial Channels, Day Creek, San Gabriel Mountains CA, US. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G9F47MBX.
Neely, A.B., Loucks, E., Carr, J., Del Vecchio, J., Greenberg, E., and DiBiase, R.A. (2020). Bedrock cliffs in the San Gabriel and San Jacinto Mountains, California. Distributed by OpenTopography. https://doi.org/10.5069/G96H4FKG
Feel free to reach out if you have any interest in these field sites. Most locations I've visited for classwork. I'm not sure how much I can help, but I can share my perspective working at these sites or try to direct you to other contacts who have worked in these regions. Be safe out there and enjoy the rocks!