Deep turbidity currents in shallow channels

Research Article| February 01, 2007 Deep turbidity currents in shallow channels David Mohrig; David Mohrig 1Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar James Buttles James Buttles 1Department of Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 77 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Geology (2007) 35 (2): 155–158. https://doi.org/10.1130/G22716A.1 Article history received: 13 Feb 2006 rev-recd: 26 Sep 2006 accepted: 27 Sep 2006 first online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share MailTo Twitter LinkedIn Tools Icon Tools Get Permissions Search Site Citation David Mohrig, James Buttles; Deep turbidity currents in shallow channels. Geology 2007;; 35 (2): 155–158. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G22716A.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 SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract Experimental results presented here quantify how the thickness of turbidity currents affects the evolution of an aggrading subaqueous channel. Ten sediment-laden currents with identical initial conditions were released into a tank to determine how depositional flows interact with and modify a pre-existing channel form. Deposition was always greatest on the channel floor, systematically reducing channel depth and causing the ratio of initial current thickness to channel depth to increase with each flow. The ratio of longitudinal to lateral current velocity decreased exponentially with increasing relative current thickness. This change in lateral spreading demarcated regimes of channelized, quasi-channelized, and unconfined flow. Channelized currents have thicknesses that are less than 1.3 times local channel depth; unconfined currents are greater than five times channel depth; and quasi-channelized currents occur in between. The unconfined cases were consistent with prior experiments and theory defining the flow field for nonchannelized turbidity currents. Sedimentation patterns for even the thickest currents were influenced by subdued channel topography. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.