Skip to main content

Research Repository

Advanced Search

Morphodynamics of submarine channel inception revealed by new experimental approach

de Leeuw, Jan; Eggenhuisen, Joris T.; Cartigny, Matthieu J.B.

Morphodynamics of submarine channel inception revealed by new experimental approach Thumbnail


Authors

Jan de Leeuw

Joris T. Eggenhuisen



Abstract

Submarine channels are ubiquitous on the seafloor and their inception and evolution is a result of dynamic interaction between turbidity currents and the evolving seafloor. However, the morphodynamic links between channel inception and flow dynamics have not yet been monitored in experiments and only in one instance on the modern seafloor. Previous experimental flows did not show channel inception, because flow conditions were not appropriately scaled to sustain suspended sediment transport. Here we introduce and apply new scaling constraints for similarity between natural and experimental turbidity currents. The scaled currents initiate a leveed channel from an initially featureless slope. Channelization commences with deposition of levees in some slope segments and erosion of a conduit in other segments. Channel relief and flow confinement increase progressively during subsequent flows. This morphodynamic evolution determines the architecture of submarine channel deposits in the stratigraphic record and efficiency of sediment bypass to the basin floor.

Citation

de Leeuw, J., Eggenhuisen, J. T., & Cartigny, M. J. (2016). Morphodynamics of submarine channel inception revealed by new experimental approach. Nature Communications, 7, Article 10886. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10886

Journal Article Type Article
Acceptance Date Jan 29, 2016
Online Publication Date Mar 21, 2016
Publication Date Mar 21, 2016
Deposit Date Nov 8, 2016
Publicly Available Date Mar 29, 2024
Journal Nature Communications
Publisher Nature Research
Peer Reviewed Peer Reviewed
Volume 7
Article Number 10886
DOI https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10886

Files

Published Journal Article (1.1 Mb)
PDF

Publisher Licence URL
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Copyright Statement
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. The images or other third party material in this article are included in the article’s Creative Commons license, unless indicated otherwise in the credit line; if the material is not included under the Creative Commons license, users will need to obtain permission from the license holder to reproduce the material. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/





You might also like



Downloadable Citations