<p>I guess you are talking about subaerial (as opposed to submarine) canyons, and are mostly thinking of numerical (as opposed to physical) models.</p>
<p>I expect there are numerical models suitable for submarine application, but I haven't looked for them. There are physical models of rivers too, but I think they are better suited to modeling 'soft' sedimentary systems like deltas, floodplains, etc.</p>
<p>Here are some examples of numerical models in Python, starting with the research-grade ones (but if it was me I'd probably start with the ones I've thrown at the end):</p>
<h4>PyBadlands</h4>
<p><img src="https://raw.githubusercontent.com/badlands-model/badlands/master/badlands/docs/img/view.jpg" alt="Sketch of Badlands models" /></p>
<blockquote>
<p>an open-source python-based framework that allows for evaluation of sediment transport, landscape dynamics and sedimentary basins evolution under the influence of climate, sea waves and tectonics</p>
</blockquote>
<p><a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5896951/" rel="noreferrer">Read the paper.</a> <a href="https://github.com/badlands-model/badlands" rel="noreferrer">Get the code.</a></p>
<h4>Landlab</h4>
<p>This is a high-level toolkit for building models, but their docs point to all sorts of examples, several of which have to do with landscape evolution. For example, see Terrainbento and SPACE, below.</p>
<p><a href="http://landlab.github.io/#/" rel="noreferrer">Check out the website.</a> <a href="https://landlab.readthedocs.io/en/latest/_downloads/a4993af91f623377252d7bdb27fae60f/EGU_poster_2016.pdf" rel="noreferrer">Read a nice poster.</a><a href="https://github.com/landlab/landlab" rel="noreferrer">Get the code.</a></p>
<h4>Terrainbento</h4>
<p>This package builds on Landlab (above) to compare a large number of different Earth surface modelling strategies.</p>
<p><a href="https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/12/1267/2019/" rel="noreferrer">Read the paper.</a> <a href="https://github.com/TerrainBento/terrainbento" rel="noreferrer">Get the code.</a></p>
<h4>SPACE</h4>
<p>Another package that builds on Landlab, this time to study the simultaneous modeling of alluvial and bedrock erosion and transport.</p>
<p><a href="https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/10/4577/2017/" rel="noreferrer">Read the paper.</a> <a href="https://github.com/cmshobe/pub_shobe_etal_GMD" rel="noreferrer">Get the code.</a></p>
<h4>Some others I've come across:</h4>
<ul>
<li>An interactive model: <a href="https://github.com/fastscape-lem/ipyfastscape" rel="noreferrer">https://github.com/fastscape-lem/ipyfastscape</a></li>
<li>A simple model: <a href="https://github.com/johnjarmitage/flem" rel="noreferrer">https://github.com/johnjarmitage/flem</a></li>
<li>A simple model, from scratch: <a href="https://github.com/mtb-za/landscape_evolution_short_course/blob/master/notebooks/FastScape.ipynb" rel="noreferrer">https://github.com/mtb-za/landscape_evolution_short_course/blob/master/notebooks/FastScape.ipynb</a></li>
<li>A global model (!): <a href="https://github.com/Geodels/gospl" rel="noreferrer">https://github.com/Geodels/gospl</a></li>
</ul>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-30T17:48:48.720Z
2021-11-30T17:48:48.720Z
Matt Hall
<p>Not sure about a model you can play with, but there are some very interesting videos of models here:</p>
<p><a href="https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=landscape+erosion+model" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=landscape+erosion+model</a></p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-27T10:45:09.733Z
2021-11-27T10:45:09.733Z
Gimelist
<p>I read that canyons are the result of long-time erosion from a plateau but is there any simulation I could play with to understand the phenomenon better?</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2021-11-22T10:06:21.353Z
Get some sand, spread it as a 5 cm thick layer for about a square meter. It doesn't have to be totally flat, but rather even, and there should be a gentle slope. Now get some water and gently pour it on the elevated side of your square. The water will run downhill, and in the process wash away/erode the sand, carving tiny canyons. Tada, your own simulation.
Erik
<erosion><simulation><landscape>
How do canyons form?
Julien Reszka
# How do canyons form?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2021-11-21)

I read that canyons are the result of long-time erosion from a plateau but is there any simulation I could play with to understand the phenomenon better?

**Tags:** erosion, simulation, landscape

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: Get some sand, spread it as a 5 cm thick layer for about a square meter. It doesn't have to be totally flat, but rather even, and there should be a gentle slope. Now get some water and gently pour it on the elevated side of your square. The water will run downhill, and in the process wash away/erode the sand, carving tiny canyons. Tada, your own simulation.  

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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2021-11-30. Score: 6 | Accepted answer

I guess you are talking about subaerial (as opposed to submarine) canyons, and are mostly thinking of numerical (as opposed to physical) models.

I expect there are numerical models suitable for submarine application, but I haven't looked for them. There are physical models of rivers too, but I think they are better suited to modeling 'soft' sedimentary systems like deltas, floodplains, etc.

Here are some examples of numerical models in Python, starting with the research-grade ones (but if it was me I'd probably start with the ones I've thrown at the end):

#### PyBadlands

![Sketch of Badlands models](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/badlands-model/badlands/master/badlands/docs/img/view.jpg)

> an open-source python-based framework that allows for evaluation of sediment transport, landscape dynamics and sedimentary basins evolution under the influence of climate, sea waves and tectonics

[Read the paper.](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5896951/) [Get the code.](https://github.com/badlands-model/badlands)

#### Landlab

This is a high-level toolkit for building models, but their docs point to all sorts of examples, several of which have to do with landscape evolution. For example, see Terrainbento and SPACE, below.

[Check out the website.](http://landlab.github.io/#/) [Read a nice poster.](https://landlab.readthedocs.io/en/latest/_downloads/a4993af91f623377252d7bdb27fae60f/EGU_poster_2016.pdf)[Get the code.](https://github.com/landlab/landlab)

#### Terrainbento

This package builds on Landlab (above) to compare a large number of different Earth surface modelling strategies.

[Read the paper.](https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/12/1267/2019/) [Get the code.](https://github.com/TerrainBento/terrainbento)

#### SPACE

Another package that builds on Landlab, this time to study the simultaneous modeling of alluvial and bedrock erosion and transport.

[Read the paper.](https://gmd.copernicus.org/articles/10/4577/2017/) [Get the code.](https://github.com/cmshobe/pub_shobe_etal_GMD)

#### Some others I've come across:

* An interactive model: <https://github.com/fastscape-lem/ipyfastscape>
* A simple model: <https://github.com/johnjarmitage/flem>
* A simple model, from scratch: <https://github.com/mtb-za/landscape_evolution_short_course/blob/master/notebooks/FastScape.ipynb>
* A global model (!): <https://github.com/Geodels/gospl>


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### Answer by username_3 on 2021-11-27. Score: 1

Not sure about a model you can play with, but there are some very interesting videos of models here:

<https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=landscape+erosion+model>


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