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!
I am originally from eastern Pennsylvania, but I have travelled across the US to study a variety of landscapes, and types of tacos.
I have recently moved to the geochronology laboratory at University of Tübingen in Germany and work in a collaborative project where we are collecting a large erosion rate dataset which will help guide safe burial of a radioactive waste repository.
Generally, I am interested in how landforms evolve in response to the geologic and climatic processes that shape them.
I usually combine geochronology approaches that measure rates of landscape change, analysis of landscape morphology with digital topographic datasets, 3D maps of more detailed information of sediment and soil cover acquired with structure-from-motion photogrammetry,
and a study site where geologic or climatic conditions permit testing a clear hypothesis that considers predictions from theoretical models.
Some main questions include:
1) How steep can mountain slope get?
2) Is the steepness of mountains limited by the strength of underlying bedrock? or limited by rates of tectonic processes that uplift rock?
3) How does the emergence of bare bedrock cliffs in steep settings affect landscape function?
4) What are the connections between topography and the mobility of sediment produced from erosion in steep landscapes?
5) How much sediment is stored on steep channels and hillslopes? when does this sediment move in response to storms and wildfires?
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!
I am originally from eastern Pennsylvania, but I have travelled across the US to study a variety of landscapes, and types of tacos.
I have recently moved to the geochronology laboratory at University of Tübingen in Germany and work in a collaborative project where we are collecting a large erosion rate dataset which will help guide safe burial of a radioactive waste repository.
Generally, I am interested in how landforms evolve in response to the geologic and climatic processes that shape them.
I usually combine geochronology approaches that measure rates of landscape change, analysis of landscape morphology with digital topographic datasets, 3D maps of more detailed information of sediment and soil cover acquired with structure-from-motion photogrammetry,
and a study site where geologic or climatic conditions permit testing a clear hypothesis that considers predictions from theoretical models.
Some main questions include:
1) How steep can mountain slope get?
2) Is the steepness of mountains limited by the strength of underlying bedrock? or limited by rates of tectonic processes that uplift rock?
3) How does the emergence of bare bedrock cliffs in steep settings affect landscape function?
4) What are the connections between topography and the mobility of sediment produced from erosion in steep landscapes?
5) How much sediment is stored on steep channels and hillslopes? when does this sediment move in response to storms and wildfires?
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:
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
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!