Sediment Erosion and Redistribution in Fine-Grained Shelf Environments

Abstract

My long-term goal within the EuroSTRATAFORM program is to increase our ability to predict sediment transport in fine-grained regions of the continental shelf. Field work and the development and application of models during STRATAFORM increased our understanding of these processes and improved our ability to predict them. The Adriatic and Gulf of Lions EuroSTRATAFORM sites have characteristics (forcing, margin configuration) that contrast with the Eel shelf STRATAFORM study area. Testing and extending our conceptual and numerical sediment transport models at these sites is an important goal of the EuroSTRATAFORM shelf process studies. The objectives of this project are to (1) measure across-shelf and temporal variations in critical shear stress and entrainment rates; (2) compare suspended sediment concentrations measured by bottom tripod with values calculated using measured entrainment rates; and (3) explore the implications of spatial variations in critical shear stress on cross-shelf sediment transport and deposition. The specific objectives during FY06 were to analyze erosion rates data collected during 3 cruises in the Gulf of Lions along a cross-shelf transect near the Tet River in fall, winter and spring, incorporate them into shelf sediment transport model calculations, and compare results with available data.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2006
Accession Number
ADA522865

Entities

People

  • Patricia Wiberg

Organizations

  • University of Virginia

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Boundaries
  • Boundary Layer
  • Continental Shelves
  • Ecology
  • Entrainment
  • Environment
  • Grain Size
  • Materials
  • Measurement
  • Organic Materials
  • Sampling
  • Sedimentation
  • Sediments
  • Shear Stresses
  • Stresses
  • Suspended Sediments
  • Transport Ships

Readers

  • Geotechnical Engineering.
  • Ocean-Atmosphere Mesoscale Modeling, Data Assimilation, and Flux Boundary Layers