Flow substrate interactions in aggrading and degrading submarine channels

• DOI: 10.2110/jsr.2020.31
• Publication Date: 2020-06-27T05:35:18Z
• Authors: Anjali M. Fernandes; James Buttles; David Mohrig
• Keywords: Bedform; Sinuosity; Turbidity current; Deposition; Aggradation; Channelized

ABSTRACT Connecting real-time measurements of current–bed interactions to the temporal evolution submarine channels can be extremely challenging in natural settings. We present a suite physical experiments that offer insight into spectrum between turbidity currents and their channels, from i) detachment-limited erosion ii) transport-limited iii) pure deposition. In all three cases channel sinuosity influenced patterns deposition; outsides bends displayed highest rates first two but showed deposition third. connect these turbulence near-bed boundary layer. erosional beds both roughened through time, developing bedforms or trains ripples. Reynolds estimates boundary-layer roughness indicate that, cases, layer smooth transitionally rough rough, whereas depositional appears have remained consistently smooth. Our results suggest absence any changes upstream, is self-reinforcing mechanism whereby bed increases at layer, thereby inhibiting deposition, promoting sediment entrainment, enhancing relief; occurs when remains smooth, aggradation loss relief.