Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities in the Colorado River Delta, Gulf of California

Abstract

In the Colorado River Delta, the interaction of tidal currents and sea-bottom sediment formed, in geological times, large-scale seabed patterns known as sandbanks. These patterns are oriented along the delta, almost parallel to the dominant tidal flow, with the bathymetry having an undulating character across the delta. Calculations and analysis showed that the interaction of tidal currents with the bathymetry causes velocity shears, faster flowing over the ridges than in the troughs. Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities emerge from the velocity shear, and a large amount of suspended sediment makes the instabilities visible in satellite images. The physical and dynamic conditions allowed us to find an explanation for the existence of these Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. Since sandbanks have been observed in different seas such as the North Sea, The Gulf of Korea, the Gulf of Khambhat in India, the Jiangsu coast in China, the Persian Gulf, and Moreton Bay in Australia, the results suggest the existence of instabilities in these areas. Satellite images, intense tidal currents, undulating topography, and suspended sediment made it possible to explain the generation and identification of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities.