Continental Slope Morphodynamics



Sediment deposition and erosion on the continental slope is dominated by the mechanics of turbidity current systems. Turbidity currents are defined as sediment gravity flows in which the gravitational driving force is supplied by an excess density associated with the suspension of particles. Turbidity currents can construct submarine canyons and channels that are similar in form to their terrestrial cousins. Sediment deposition from these flows construct expanded sections of sedimentary strata that preserve important records of past environmental conditions. Our group works on advancing our understanding of the interactions between turbidity currents and topography and therefore improve our ability to decipher the geological record preserved in their deposits. To accomplish this we utilized laboratory experiments, remote sensing of subsurface sedimentary deposits, and numerical analyses of targeted transport processes and sedimentary deposits. Quantitative measurements collected with these tools are used to study a range of conditions, spanning a flow spectrum from channelized currents to fully unconfined sheet-flows.

Projects:
Quantifying the morphology and composition of thin-bed levee deposits in deep-water settings

Morphodynamics and stratigraphic architecture of linked shelf-edge deltas and submarine fans

Stratigraphic statistics for deep-water prediction and numerical model validation

Influence of mini-basin shape on the morphodynamics of turbidity currents