landlab

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Landscape evolution and surface process modelling in Python. Build 2D numerical models for erosion, hydrology, soil transport, and geomorphology. Use when Claude needs to: (1) Model landscape evolution over time, (2) Simulate river/stream erosion, (3) Route water flow across terrain, (4) Model hillslope diffusion processes, (5) Simulate weathering and soil production, (6) Analyze drainage networks, (7) Combine multiple geomorphic processes, (8) Load/save DEM data for modeling.

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Added on2026-05-16

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Landlab - Surface Process Modelling

Quick Reference

python

from landlab import RasterModelGrid
from landlab.components import FlowAccumulator, StreamPowerEroder
import numpy as np

# Create grid
grid = RasterModelGrid((100, 100), xy_spacing=10.0)
z = grid.add_zeros('topographic__elevation', at='node')
z += np.random.rand(grid.number_of_nodes) * 0.1

# Set boundaries (open bottom edge)
grid.set_closed_boundaries_at_grid_edges(True, True, True, False)

# Create and run components
fa = FlowAccumulator(grid, flow_director='D8')
sp = StreamPowerEroder(grid, K_sp=1e-5)

for _ in range(100):
    fa.run_one_step()
    sp.run_one_step(dt=1000)
    z[grid.core_nodes] += 0.001 * 1000  # Uplift

grid.imshow('topographic__elevation', cmap='terrain')

Grid Types

Grid	Use Case
`RasterModelGrid`	Regular rectangular grids (most common)
`HexModelGrid`	Hexagonal grids (isotropic flow)
`VoronoiDelaunayGrid`	Irregular point distributions
`NetworkModelGrid`	Channel networks only

Key Concepts

Fields and Boundaries

python

# Fields: data stored at grid elements (nodes, links, cells)
z = grid.add_zeros('topographic__elevation', at='node')
grid.at_node['drainage_area']  # Access existing field

# Boundaries: close all edges except outlet
grid.set_closed_boundaries_at_grid_edges(True, True, True, False)
z[grid.core_nodes] += uplift * dt  # Core nodes exclude boundaries

Essential Operations

Flow Routing

python

from landlab.components import FlowAccumulator

fa = FlowAccumulator(grid, flow_director='D8')  # or 'Steepest', 'MFD'
fa.run_one_step()
drainage_area = grid.at_node['drainage_area']

Stream Power Erosion

python

from landlab.components import StreamPowerEroder

sp = StreamPowerEroder(grid, K_sp=1e-5, m_sp=0.5, n_sp=1.0)
sp.run_one_step(dt=1000)  # dt in years

Hillslope Diffusion

python

from landlab.components import LinearDiffuser

ld = LinearDiffuser(grid, linear_diffusivity=0.01)  # m^2/yr
ld.run_one_step(dt=100)

Load/Save DEM Data

python

from landlab.io import read_esri_ascii, write_esri_ascii
from landlab.io.netcdf import read_netcdf, write_netcdf

grid, z = read_esri_ascii('dem.asc', name='topographic__elevation')
write_esri_ascii('output.asc', grid, names='topographic__elevation')
write_netcdf('output.nc', grid)  # Save all fields

Multi-Component Model

python

from landlab import RasterModelGrid
from landlab.components import FlowAccumulator, StreamPowerEroder, LinearDiffuser

grid = RasterModelGrid((100, 100), xy_spacing=100.0)
z = grid.add_zeros('topographic__elevation', at='node')
z += grid.node_y / 1000 + np.random.rand(grid.number_of_nodes) * 0.1
grid.set_closed_boundaries_at_grid_edges(True, True, True, False)

fa = FlowAccumulator(grid, flow_director='D8')
sp = StreamPowerEroder(grid, K_sp=1e-5)
ld = LinearDiffuser(grid, linear_diffusivity=0.01)

dt, uplift_rate = 1000, 0.001
for _ in range(500):
    fa.run_one_step()
    sp.run_one_step(dt)
    ld.run_one_step(dt)
    z[grid.core_nodes] += uplift_rate * dt

When to Use vs Alternatives

Use Case	Tool	Why
Landscape evolution modelling	Landlab	Modular components, Python-native
Basin-scale stratigraphy	Badlands	Focus on sediment deposition and basin fill
Topographic analysis (MATLAB)	TopoToolbox	Mature MATLAB toolkit for DEM analysis
Simple diffusion/erosion	Custom numpy	Fewer dependencies for basic models
Coupled surface-subsurface	Landlab	Components for hydrology + geomorphology
Channel network extraction	Landlab or pysheds	Both handle flow routing well
Soil production and transport	Landlab	Dedicated weathering and soil components
Teaching geomorphology	Landlab	Clear component API, good tutorials

Choose Landlab when: You need a modular, component-based framework for landscape evolution modelling that combines multiple surface processes (erosion, diffusion, flow routing, weathering) in a single simulation.

Choose Badlands when: Your focus is on basin-scale landscape evolution with emphasis on sediment transport and stratigraphic architecture.

Choose custom numpy when: You only need a simple 2D diffusion or stream power model without the overhead of a full component framework.

Common Workflows

Landscape Evolution Model with Erosion and Uplift

Create
```
RasterModelGrid
```
with appropriate dimensions and spacing
Initialize
```
topographic__elevation
```
field (flat + noise, or load DEM)
Set boundary conditions (open one edge as outlet, close others)
Create
```
FlowAccumulator
```
with chosen flow director (D8 or MFD)
Create
```
StreamPowerEroder
```
with erosion coefficient K_sp
Create
```
LinearDiffuser
```
for hillslope processes
Define time step
```
dt
```
and total runtime; choose uplift rate
Run time loop: flow routing, erosion, diffusion, then uplift
Save snapshots at intervals with
```
write_netcdf()
```
or
```
write_esri_ascii()
```
Visualize final topography with
```
grid.imshow()
```
Analyze drainage area and channel profiles
Extract river long profiles for steepness analysis

Common Issues

Issue	Solution
Flat areas block flow	Add small random noise to initial topography
Boundary effects	Ensure at least one open boundary edge for drainage
Unstable erosion	Reduce `dt` or `K_sp` ; check Courant condition
Wrong field name	Use exact Landlab names: `'topographic__elevation'` , `'drainage_area'`
Memory with large grids	Reduce grid resolution or use `NetworkModelGrid` for channels only

Tips

Set boundaries first - before adding components
Use core_nodes - excludes boundary nodes for operations
Check field names - components expect specific names (e.g., 'topographic__elevation')
Start simple - add components incrementally and verify each

References

Components Reference - Available components by category
Grids Reference - Grid types and configuration

Scripts

scripts/erosion_model.py - Basic erosion model template

landlab

NPX Install

Tags

SKILL.md Content

Landlab - Surface Process Modelling

Quick Reference

Grid Types

Key Concepts

Fields and Boundaries

Essential Operations

Flow Routing

Stream Power Erosion

Hillslope Diffusion

Load/Save DEM Data

Multi-Component Model

When to Use vs Alternatives

Common Workflows

Landscape Evolution Model with Erosion and Uplift

Common Issues

Tips

References

Scripts