Interactions between turbidity currents and topography in aggrading sinuous submarine channels: A laboratory study

Abstract

Research Article| March 01, 2008 Interactions between turbidity currents and topography in aggrading sinuous submarine channels: A laboratory study Kyle M. Straub; Kyle M. Straub 1Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building 54-824, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar David Mohrig; David Mohrig 1Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building 54-824, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Brandon McElroy; Brandon McElroy 1Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building 54-824, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar James Buttles; James Buttles 1Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building 54-824, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Carlos Pirmez Carlos Pirmez 2Shell International Exploration and Production, Inc., P.O. Box 481, Houston, Texas 77001, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Kyle M. Straub 1Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building 54-824, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA David Mohrig 1Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building 54-824, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Brandon McElroy 1Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building 54-824, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA James Buttles 1Department of Earth, Atmosphere, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Building 54-824, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Carlos Pirmez 2Shell International Exploration and Production, Inc., P.O. Box 481, Houston, Texas 77001, USA Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 02 Feb 2006 Revision Received: 11 Aug 2007 Accepted: 15 Aug 2007 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2674 Print ISSN: 0016-7606 The Geological Society of America, Inc. GSA Bulletin (2008) 120 (3-4): 368–385. https://doi.org/10.1130/B25983.1 Article history Received: 02 Feb 2006 Revision Received: 11 Aug 2007 Accepted: 15 Aug 2007 First Online: 02 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn MailTo Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation Kyle M. Straub, David Mohrig, Brandon McElroy, James Buttles, Carlos Pirmez; Interactions between turbidity currents and topography in aggrading sinuous submarine channels: A laboratory study. GSA Bulletin 2008;; 120 (3-4): 368–385. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/B25983.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGSA Bulletin Search Advanced Search Abstract We present results from a laboratory experiment documenting the evolution of a sinuous channel form via sedimentation from 24 turbidity currents having constant initial conditions. The initial channel had a sinuosity of 1.32, a wavelength of 1.95, an amplitude of 0.39 m, and three bends. All currents had a densimetric Froude number of 0.53 and an initial height equal to the channel relief at the start of the experiment. Large superelevation of currents was observed at bend apexes. This superelevation was 85%–142% greater than the value predicted by a balance of centrifugal and pressure-gradient forces. An additional contribution to the superelevation was the runup of the current onto the outer banks of bends. This runup height is described by a balance between kinetic and potential energy. Runup resulted in deposition of coarse particles on levee crests that were indistinguishable from those deposited on the channel bottom. Deposit thickness and composition showed a strong cross-channel asymmetry. Thicker, coarser, steeper levees grew on the outer banks relative to the inner banks of bends. Zones of flow separation were observed downstream from bend apexes along inner banks and affected sedimentation patterns. Sedimentation from currents caused the channel to aggrade with almost no change in planform. However, channel relief decreased throughout the experiment because deposition on the channel bottom always exceeded deposition at levee crests. The first bend served as a filter for the properties of the channelized current, bringing discharge at the channel entrance into agreement with the channel cross-sectional area. Excess discharge exited the channel at this filtering bend and was lost to the overbank surface. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.