HR: 1340h
AN: OS23B-1316    [Abstracts]
TI: Simulations of Resuspending Gravity Currents Traveling Over Slopes of Varying Angles: Conditions for Self-Sustainment
AU: * Meiburg, E
EM: meiburg@engineering.ucsb.edu
AF: University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 United States
AU: Blanchette, F
AF: University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 United States
AU: Strauss, M
AF: Nuclear Research Center, Negev, Beer Sheva, 00000 Israel
AU: Kneller, B
AF: University of California, Santa Barbara, Santa Barbara, CA 93106 United States
AU: Glinsky, M
AF: BHP Billiton Petroleum, 1360 Post Oak Blvd, Houston, TX 77056 United States
AB: We present highly resolved two-dimensional simulations of particle-laden gravity currents and focus on the influence of particle entrainment from the bed. As turbulent motions detach particles from the bottom surface, the mass of suspended particles may increase and cause the current to accelerate. The conditions under which gravity currents may become self-accelerating through particle reentrainment are investigated as a function of slope angle, current size and particle size and concentration. The effect of container size and initial aspect ratio of the current on the evolution of the current are also considered. Applications to flows traveling over slopes of varying angle, such as turbidites spreading down the continental slope, are presented and particular attention is given to the resulting particle deposits and erosion patterns.
DE: 4558 Sediment transport
DE: 3022 Marine sediments--processes and transport
DE: 3045 Seafloor morphology and bottom photography
SC: Ocean Sciences [OS]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting