Rivers can suddenly change course – scientists used 50 years of satellite images to learn where and how it happens
- Written by Vamsi Ganti, Assistant Professor of Geography, University of California Santa Barbara
Satellite image of the Irrawaddy River delta in Myanmar, a major rice growing area.European Space Agency, CC BY-SAThroughout history, important cities around the world have flourished along river banks. But rivers can also be destructive forces. They routinely flood, and on rare occasions, they can abruptly shift pathways.
These...