River sinuosity describes a continuum between randomness and ordered growth

Abstract River channels are among the most common landscape features on Earth. An essential characteristic of is sinuosity: their tendency to take a circuitous path, which quantified as along-stream length divided by straight-line length. sinuosity interpreted that either forms randomly at channel inception or develops over time meander bends migrate. Studies tend assume latter and thus have used river proxy for both modern ancient environmental factors including climate, tectonics, vegetation, geologic structure. But no quantitative criterion planform expression has distinguished between random, initial developed ordered growth through migration. This ambiguity calls into question utility understanding Earth's history. We propose framework reconcile these competing explanations sinuosity. Using coupled analysis modeled natural channels, we show while majority observed consistent with randomness limited migration, rivers ≥1.5 likely formed geometry sustained, due frames null hypothesis can be applied evaluate significance interpretations in landscapes shaped rivers. The link migration further informs strategies preservation restoration riparian habitat guides predictions fluvial deposits rock record remotely sensed environments from seafloor planetary surfaces.