MARINE SAND WAVES IN EL INFIERNILLO CHANNEL GULF OF CALIFORNIA.
Abstract
El Infiernillo Channel, averaging 5 km in width, separates Tiburon Island from the Sonoran mainland. Ebb currents flowing south from the channel form sand waves and tidal current ridges in Kunkaak Bay in water depths of less than 3 m. Surface ebb currents up to 1.7 knots, producing Froude Numbers of about 0.27, were measured. The sand waves have wavelengths ranging from 12 m to 75 m and amplitudes from 0.30 m to 0.75 m. The sediment consists of well-sorted, coarse-grained sand; size-frequency distributions of the sediment samples are positively skewed. No relationship was found between sand-wave morphology and grain size in Kunkaak Bay. In Agua Dulce Bay at the north end of the channel, sand waves are developed in fine-grained sand. Size-frequency distributions of the sediment samples are negatively skewed. The sand on the crests was found to be coarser in grain size and less negatively skewed than the sand in the troughs. The sand waves have wavelengths of 180 m to 250 m and amplitudes from 1.1 m to 1.5 m. The steep sides face with the flood tide, but the sand waves were not forming during the periods of observation. (Author)
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 1970
- Accession Number
- AD0700779
Entities
People
- Donald L. Lamar
- John E. Marzolf
- Paul M. Merifield