Which triggers produce the most erosive, frequent and longest runout turbidity currents on deltas?
Which triggers produce the most erosive, frequent and longest runout turbidity currents on deltas?
Subaerial rivers and turbidity currents are the two most voluminous sediment transport processes on our planet, and it is important to understand how they are linked offshore from river mouths. Previously it was thought that slope failures or direct plunging of river flood water (hyperpycnal flow) dominated the triggering of turbidity currents on delta-fronts. Here we re-analyse the most detailed time-lapse monitoring yet of a submerged delta; comprising 93 surveys of the Squamish Delta in British Columbia, Canada. We show that most turbidity currents are triggered by settling of sediment from dilute surface river plumes, rather than landslides or hyperpycnal flows. Turbidity currents triggered by settling plumes occur frequently, run out as far as landslide-triggered events, and cause the greatest changes to delta and lobe morphology. For the first time, we show that settling from surface plumes can dominate the triggering of hazardous submarine flows and offshore sediment fluxes.
855-863
Hizzett, J.L.
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Hughes Clarke, J.E.
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Sumner, E.J.
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Cartigny, M.J.B.
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Talling, P.J.
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Clare, M.A.
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28 January 2018
Hizzett, J.L.
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Hughes Clarke, J.E.
080b4741-6ebe-4702-9cb0-34bfba4f7b9f
Sumner, E.J.
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Cartigny, M.J.B.
d252d7b1-16c6-47b1-bf86-8087070934ce
Talling, P.J.
1cbac5ec-a9f8-4868-94fe-6203f30b47cf
Clare, M.A.
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Hizzett, J.L., Hughes Clarke, J.E., Sumner, E.J., Cartigny, M.J.B., Talling, P.J. and Clare, M.A.
(2018)
Which triggers produce the most erosive, frequent and longest runout turbidity currents on deltas?
Geophysical Research Letters, 45 (2), .
(doi:10.1002/2017GL075751).
Abstract
Subaerial rivers and turbidity currents are the two most voluminous sediment transport processes on our planet, and it is important to understand how they are linked offshore from river mouths. Previously it was thought that slope failures or direct plunging of river flood water (hyperpycnal flow) dominated the triggering of turbidity currents on delta-fronts. Here we re-analyse the most detailed time-lapse monitoring yet of a submerged delta; comprising 93 surveys of the Squamish Delta in British Columbia, Canada. We show that most turbidity currents are triggered by settling of sediment from dilute surface river plumes, rather than landslides or hyperpycnal flows. Turbidity currents triggered by settling plumes occur frequently, run out as far as landslide-triggered events, and cause the greatest changes to delta and lobe morphology. For the first time, we show that settling from surface plumes can dominate the triggering of hazardous submarine flows and offshore sediment fluxes.
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Hizzett_et_al-2018-Geophysical_Research_Letters
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Accepted/In Press date: 10 December 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 19 December 2017
Published date: 28 January 2018
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Local EPrints ID: 416912
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/416912
ISSN: 0094-8276
PURE UUID: e9d1cf0e-79b8-4583-a2ab-6fac95fe3912
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Date deposited: 15 Jan 2018 17:30
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 17:57
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Author:
J.L. Hizzett
Author:
J.E. Hughes Clarke
Author:
M.J.B. Cartigny
Author:
P.J. Talling
Author:
M.A. Clare
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