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Reconstructing the sediment concentration of a giant submarine gravity flow

Author

Listed:
  • Christopher John Stevenson

    (University of Liverpool)

  • Peter Feldens

    (Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research)

  • Aggeliki Georgiopoulou

    (Science Centre-West)

  • Mischa Schӧnke

    (Leibniz Institute for Baltic Sea Research)

  • Sebastian Krastel

    (Institute of Geosciences)

  • David J. W. Piper

    (Bedford Institute of Oceanography)

  • Katja Lindhorst

    (Institute of Geosciences)

  • David Mosher

    (Center for Coastal & Ocean Mapping)

Abstract

Submarine gravity flows are responsible for the largest sediment accumulations on the planet, but are notoriously difficult to measure in action. Giant flows transport 100s of km3 of sediment with run-out distances over 2000 km. Sediment concentration is a first order control on flow dynamics and deposit character. It has never been measured directly nor convincingly estimated in large submarine flows. Here we reconstruct the sediment concentration of a historic giant submarine flow, the 1929 “Grand Banks” event, using two independent approaches, each validated by estimates of flow speed from cable breaks. The calculated average bulk sediment concentration of the flow was 2.7–5.4% by volume. This is orders of magnitude higher than directly-measured smaller-volume flows in river deltas and submarine canyons. The new concentration estimate provides a test case for scaled experiments and numerical simulations, and a major step towards a quantitative understanding of these prodigious flows.

Suggested Citation

  • Christopher John Stevenson & Peter Feldens & Aggeliki Georgiopoulou & Mischa Schӧnke & Sebastian Krastel & David J. W. Piper & Katja Lindhorst & David Mosher, 2018. "Reconstructing the sediment concentration of a giant submarine gravity flow," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-7, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-05042-6
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-05042-6
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    Cited by:

    1. Sarah Seabrook & Kevin Mackay & Sally J. Watson & Michael A. Clare & James E. Hunt & Isobel A. Yeo & Emily M. Lane & Malcolm R. Clark & Richard Wysoczanski & Ashley A. Rowden & Taaniela Kula & Linn J., 2023. "Volcaniclastic density currents explain widespread and diverse seafloor impacts of the 2022 Hunga Volcano eruption," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-11, December.
    2. Abdul Wahab & David C. Hoyal & Mrugesh Shringarpure & Kyle M. Straub, 2022. "A dimensionless framework for predicting submarine fan morphology," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-13, December.

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