Sediment Transport by Mud Flows and Turbidity Currents in Continental Margins

Abstract

Our long-term scientific goal is to develop sound theoretical models for submarine sediment movement that can be used to predict the initiation, spatial development, and time duration of mud flows and turbidity currents. Of particular interest are the characteristics of the sedimentary deposits that these flows generate as well as their capability to develop submarine channels and gullies via bed scour in continental margins. The main objectives are: (1) to study the effect of sediment discharge, sediment size and density, and bottom slope on the evolution of three-dimensional mud flows and turbidity currents "representative" of those expected to occur on continental shelves and slopes, (2) to study the nature of the sediment deposits generated by three-dimensional turbidity currents and mud flows and 3) to develop a sediment erosion function for the submarine environment.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Sep 30, 1998
Accession Number
ADA537159

Entities

People

  • Marcelo H. García

Organizations

  • University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Ground and Sea Platforms

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Channel Flow
  • Civil Engineering
  • Engineering
  • Entrainment
  • Flow
  • Observation
  • Particle Size
  • Predictive Modeling
  • Sedimentation
  • Sediments
  • Slope
  • Submarines
  • Three Dimensional
  • Transport Ships
  • Turbidity
  • Turbidity Currents
  • Unsteady Flow

Readers

  • Coastal Oceanography