Bedform Development Research Articles

Relating the Flow Processes and Bedforms of Steady-State and Waning Density Currents

© Copyright© 2020 de Cala, Ohata, Dorrell, Naruse, Patacci, Amy, Simmons, McLelland and McCaffrey. The interaction between turbidity currents and mobile substrates can lead to the development of different types of bedforms. Although much research has been conducted on bedform development beneath open channel flows, research into bedform development beneath waning gravity currents is relatively rare. Analysis of density current-related bedform development has therefore relied upon open channel flow phase diagrams. We report on an experimental study designed to assess the development of bedforms under steady and waning saline density currents. The experimental density currents developed stepped density profiles in which a higher-density basal zone was separated from the ambient fluid by a zone of intermediate density; any bedforms that developed were contained within the bottom layer of the current. Under different conditions ripples, dunes, downstream migrating antidunes and long wavelength antidunes were observed to form and could be distinguished based on their interactions and phase relationships with the upper surface of the lower denser layer of the current. Due to limited mixing between the upper and lower layer of the current and maintenance of current momentum, currents set with slowing discharge flow rates maintained a steady flow velocity in the lower layer of the flow. As a result, sustained bedform formative conditions were achieved within this lower layer, while waning current conditions effected the rest of the flow. Under waning currents, it was seen how pre-existing bed states can determine the subsequent evolution of bedforms. This illustrates the limitations of existing phase diagrams as they do not account for trajectory or rate of passage of flows through different bedform phase spaces. In order to establish a reliable quantitative association between the flow regime and the type of bedform development, it is critical to adopt an appropriate Froude number calculation method for stratified flow. The updated density current phase diagram indicates supercritical flow can be achieved at lower flow velocities than for open channel flows due to the effects of reduced gravity. Bedform depositional structures found in outcrop and on the modern sea floor provide data that helps to interpret the hydrodynamic and sedimentological character of the current that formed them. Therefore, understanding the processes involved in bedform development beneath density currents will enable more accurate estimation of the properties of flows.

Neural Network Prediction of Alluvial Stream Bedforms

Substantial laboratory, field, and theoretical studies have been carried out by many to understand alluvial stream bedform origin, their shapes, equilibrium with the flow, and their depositional structure. The findings of these analyses are often presented as phase or stability diagrams in which the dependence of the various bed states on two or three variable quantities is depicted graphically. However, the several hydrodynamic and sediment-related parameters that control bedform development in alluvial channels makes the construction of stability diagrams that display the complex interactions clearly and consistently problematic. In this study, alluvial stream bedforms are studied using a theory-guided data science approach that assures logical reasoning when analyzing physical phenomena with large amounts of data. First, a theoretical evaluation of parameters that influence bedform development is carried out, followed by a classification of the bedform type with an artificial neural network (ANN) trained using a sizeable collection of 2,412 samples (2,144 from laboratory flumes and 268 from natural streams). The neural network provides reliable predictions of bedform states and distinguishes between laboratory flumes and natural stream channels.

Evolution of deepwater turbidite bedforms in the Huaguang channel–lobe transition zone revealed by 3D seismic data in the Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

The theoretical model of turbidite bedform evolution has been verified based on laboratory tests and outcrop surveys. However, the evolution of the bedforms associated with flow regime variation within the channel–lobe transition zone (CLTZ) is poorly documented and generally extremely poorly understood. In this study, a combination of seismic sedimentological and topographic analyses, based on high-resolution 3D seismic data within the Qiongdongnan Basin of the South China Sea, was used. Continuous bedforms varied with the depositional elements within the CLTZ of the Huaguang leveed channel system along the flow direction. The depositional elements within the CLTZ change from the main channel to the distributary channels as well as to the sub-distributary channels. Numerous bifurcation and confluence points of gravity flows illustrated the complexity of the drainage network within the CLTZ. The average asymmetry index of the bedforms increased from 0.8 to 1.6, with the average wavelength increasing from 803 m to 1545 m along the thalweg of the channels. Crevasse splays at the starting reach of the CLTZ are likely to form the initial state of the new CLTZ in the future, because the slope gradient starting from the avulsion point was higher than that inside the channel. The deep scours at the bifurcation points and high steps at the confluence points demonstrate the critical roles of supercritical flows and hydraulic jumps in reworking the bedforms of the CLTZ. The high steps at confluence points were simultaneously formed along the margin and thalweg of the main channel. The acceleration mechanisms of flow velocity forming the high steps were the increase of the elevation difference along the internal slope of the main channel margin and promotion of discharge along the main channel thalweg. This paper presents newly completed deepwater observations of the present seafloor bedforms based on the turbidity currents within the CLTZ. These observations update the evolution model of local supercritical flows and hydraulic jumps under the global decreasing trend of the Froude numbers within CLTZs.

TB or not TB: banding in turbidite sandstones

ABSTRACT Recognition and interpretation of sedimentary structures is fundamental to understanding sedimentary processes. Banded sandstones are an enigmatic sedimentary facies comprising alternating mud-rich (as matrix and/or mud clasts) and cleaner sand layers. The juxtaposition of hydrodynamically different grain sizes contradicts established models of cleaner-sand bedform development. Here, outcrop, subsurface core, and petrographic data from three deep-water systems, with well-constrained paleogeographic contexts, are used to describe the range of sedimentary textures, bedform morphologies, and facies associations, and to quantify the mud content of banding. Banding can occur in any part of a bed (base, middle, or top), but it typically overlies a structureless basal sandstone or mud-clast conglomerate lag, and is overlain by clean parallel-laminated sandstone and/or ripple cross-lamination. Banding morphology ranges from sub-parallel to bedforms that comprise low-angle laminae with discontinuous lenses of mudstone, or asymmetric bedforms comprising steeply dipping foresets that transition downstream into low-amplitude bedwaves, or steeply dipping ripple-like bedforms with heterolithic foresets. This style of banding is interpreted as a range of bedforms that form progressively in the upper-stage plane-bed flow regime via tractional reworking beneath mud-laden transitional plug flows. The balance of cohesive and turbulent forces, and the rate of flow deceleration (aggradation rate), govern the style of deposit. Banded sandstones and linked debrites are rarely found juxtaposed together in the same bed because they are distributed preferentially in proximal and distal settings, respectively. Understanding the origins of banding in turbidite sandstones, the conditions under which it forms, and its distribution across deep-water systems and relationship to linked debrites, is important for it to be used effectively as a tool to interpret the geological record.

Statistical characterization of unworked and water-worked gravel-bed roughness structures

Gravel-bed roughness structures for an unworked bed and a water-worked bed are analysed at different topographic scales measuring the bed surfaces by a 3D terrestrial laser scanner in a laboratory flume. The study represents a novel contribution in assessing the role of water-work on a uniform gravel-bed, demonstrating the development of small-scale bedforms (i.e. clusters). To support these observations, an in-depth statistical analysis of the bed topographies before and after water-working was applied at the grain scale and the mesoscale (i.e. a scale larger than the biggest individual particles), revealing that this is an essential prerequisite to properly interpret the roughness structures thus formed. In addition, the results show that the unworked bed is characterized by a multiscaling behavioural feature that represents multifractality of the bed roughness structure. For the water-worked bed, a simple scaling is prevalent, which implies that at small spatial lags, a statistically self-similar characteristic is preserved.

Bedforms and sedimentary structures related to supercritical flows in glacigenic settings

AbstractUpper‐flow‐regime bedforms, including upper‐stage‐plane beds, antidunes, chutes‐and‐pools and cyclic steps, are ubiquitous in glacigenic depositional environments characterized by abundant meltwater discharge and sediment supply. In this study, the depositional record of Froude near‐critical and supercritical flows in glacigenic settings is reviewed, and similarities and differences between different depositional environments are discussed. Upper‐flow‐regime bedforms may occur in subglacial, subaerial and subaqueous environments, recording deposition by free‐surface flows and submerged density flows. Although individual bedform types are generally not indicative of any specific depositional environment, some observed trends are similar to those documented in non‐glacigenic settings. Important parameters for bedform evolution that differ between depositional environments include flow confinement, bed slope, aggradation rate and grain size. Cyclic‐step deposits are more common in confined settings, like channels or incised valleys, or steep slopes of coarse‐grained deltas. Antidune deposits prevail in unconfined settings and on more gentle slopes, like glacifluvial fans, sand‐rich delta slopes or subaqueous (ice‐contact) fans. At low aggradation rates, only the basal portions of bedforms are preserved, such as scour fills related to the hydraulic‐jump zone of cyclic steps or antidune‐wave breaking, which are common in glacifluvial systems and during glacial lake‐outburst floods and (related) lake‐level falls. Higher aggradation rates result in increased preservation potential, possibly leading to the preservation of complete bedforms. Such conditions are met in sediment‐laden jökulhlaups and subaqueous proglacial environments characterized by expanding density flows. Coarser‐grained sediment leads to steeper bedform profiles and highly scoured facies architectures, while finer‐grained deposits display less steep bedform architectures. Such differences are in part related to stronger flows, faster settling of coarse clasts, and more rapid breaking of antidune waves or hydraulic‐jump formation over hydraulically rough beds.

Aeolian Creep Transport: Theory and Experiment

AbstractAeolian sand transport drives geophysical phenomena, such as bedform evolution and desertification. Creep plays a crucial, yet poorly understood, role in this process. We present a model for aeolian creep, making quantitative predictions for creep fluxes, which we verify experimentally. We discover that the creep transport rate scales like the Shields number to the power 5/2, clearly different from the laws known for saltation. We derive this 5/2 power scaling law from our theory and confirm it with meticulous wind tunnel experiments. We calculate the creep flux and layer thickness in steady state exactly and for the first time study the relaxation of the flux toward saturation, obtaining an analytic expression for the relaxation time.

Morphological evolution of a barchan dune migrating past an offshore wind farm foundation

AbstractAs the number of manmade structures installed on the seafloor is increasing rapidly, we seek to understand the impact of these immobile obstacles on marine geomorphological processes, such as the evolution of bedforms. A 5.8 m diameter monopile foundation was installed at the case study offshore windfarm approximately 30 m ahead of an approaching barchan (crescent‐shaped) dune. The impact of the monopile on the dune's evolution was analysed using six multibeam bathymetry surveys spanning 20 years. To substantiate this analysis, coupled three‐dimensional numerical modelling of flows and sediment was conducted in which the scour inducing bed shear stresses were calculated from the modelled turbulent kinetic energy. Following the installation of the monopile, the mid‐section of the dune accelerated and stretched in the direction of the wake of the monopile. Four years after the monopile's installation the rest of the dune had caught up, flattening out the slip face within half the dune's length downstream of the monopile. Due to the modified flow field, the dune was scoured deeply at the base of the monopile to a depth of 6.8 m (supported by the model results that predicted a scour depth exceeding 2 m over a period of just a few days). The surveyed volume of material scoured amounted to 8% of the total dune volume. Whilst the process of scouring occurs at a timescale of days to weeks, the dune migrated on average by 25 m/yr. The difference in the timescale of the two processes allowed the scouring to occur through the full thickness of the dune. The scoured dune profile recovered rapidly once the dune migrated downstream of the monopile. This article demonstrates how large geomorphological features can intercept and migrate past a monopile foundation without long‐lasting impacts on the integrity of the feature or the foundation. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

An experimental study on the spatiotemporal evolution of sand waves/ripples in turbulent boundary layer airflow

An experimental study was conducted to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of sand waves/ripples submerged in a turbulent boundary layer airflow. While a digital image projection technique was applied to achieve temporally resolved measurements of the dynamically evolving sand surface morphology, a combined particle tracking/imaging velocimetry technique was also used to reveal the two-phase (i.e., air–sediment) flow field during the dynamic sand wave/ripple evolution process. It was found that the sand bed surface would evolve from initial random three-dimensional (3D) sand wavelets to two-dimensional (2D) sand waves and further into well-organized sequences of 3D chevron-shaped sand ripples that are separated by longitudinal streaks, when exposed to the turbulent boundary layer airflow. A discrepancy of the local sand wave propagation at different transverse locations was revealed based on the wavelet analysis of the time-series of the sand bed height variation, which was suggested to contribute to the formation of the 3D chevron-shaped sand ripples. It was also found that the evolving sand waves/ripples could dramatically affect the near-bed two-phase (i.e., air–sediment) flow structures as indicated by the dramatically disturbed air–sediment flow structures. By correlating the sand surface profiles and the near-surface sand particle velocity patterns, a complete description of the dynamic sand bedform evolution was revealed with five dominant phases being defined: (I) initial strengthening phase, (II) transition phase, (III) ripple-modulated re-strengthening phase, (IV) stabilizing phase, and (V) longitudinal phase.

Dynamics of ripples superimposed on a sand ridge on a tideless shoreface

The presence of ripples superimposed on an active sand ridge is the most usual situation under low-to moderate-energy conditions in the wave-dominated, tideless Ebro Delta coast. Four types of small-scale bedforms were identified, from the critical threshold of sediment motion to wash-out conditions: (i) small undulations with η < 0.5 cm and λ ~8 cm, formed as a precursor of wave ripples when the Shields parameter was just below the theoretical critical; (ii) 2D wave ripples with η = 1.2 cm and λ = 7–10 cm; (iii) mixed 2D/3D current-dominated ripples with a maximum of η ~1.5 cm and λ = 10–15 cm; and (iv) 3D wave-current ripples with a maximum of η ~2.2 cm and λ = 7–20 cm. Ripple degradation was observed to occur when the energy of the hydrodynamic regime increased (wash-out conditions) and under low-energy hydrodynamic conditions, when ripples progressively decayed mainly as a consequence of biological activity. The wave ripples were static, while the current-dominated ripples migrated towards the SE at a rate of ~10 cm/h.The potential role of ripple migration as an additional long-term mechanism of sediment transport is addressed. On the Ebro Delta shoreface, 3D ripple migration follows the direction of sand ridge migration towards the SE. The respective migration rates and their differences in size support the hypothesis that a subordinate part of sand ridge migration can result from the contribution of ripple migration under low to moderate regimes, suggesting that in specific environments the dynamics of small-scale bedforms can play a subordinate but not negligible role in the evolution of larger bedforms.

Bedforms on the submarine flanks of insular volcanoes: New insights gained from high resolution seafloor surveys

AbstractA comparative analysis of bedform fields along the submarine flanks of insular volcanoes, characterized by different morpho‐structural settings, volcanic and meteo‐marine regimes (Vanuatu, Kermadec, Bismark, Madeira and Aeolian archipelagos), is presented here to provide insights on the size distribution, morpho‐dynamic and genesis of such bedforms. Two main types of bedforms are recognized according to their size, location and preconditioning/triggering processes. Small‐scale bedforms have wavelengths of tens to hundreds of metres and wave heights of metres. Because of their small‐size, they are typically not recognizable at water depths greater than 400 m from vessel‐mounted bathymetric surveys. Few examples of small‐scale bedforms are reported from upper volcanic flanks, where steep gradients commonly hinder their formation. Their recognition is mostly limited to the thalweg of shallow and flat‐bottomed channels that carve the insular shelf on slope gradients &lt;15°. Small‐scale bedforms are mostly related to erosional–depositional processes due to sedimentary gravity flows that are often the result of a cascading effect between volcanic and non‐volcanic processes (for example, flood discharges and retrogressive landslides). Large‐scale bedforms occur at all water depths, having wavelengths of hundreds/thousands of metres and wave heights up to few hundreds of metres. The origin of large bedforms is more difficult to ascertain, especially if only bathymetric data are available. Some diagnostic criteria are presented to distinguish between bedforms associated with landslide deposits and those associated with density currents. In this latter case, relevant sediment sources and slope gradients (&lt;8°) are key factors for bedform development. Erosional–depositional bedforms are typically related to eruption‐fed density flows formed during large caldera collapses or to large turbidity flows. Bedforms generated by turbidity flows are often observed in the lower volcanic flanks, where an abrupt decrease of gradients is present, often matching a change from confined to unconfined settings. In summary, this study provides insights to interpret bedforms in modern and ancient marine volcaniclastic settings elsewhere.

Monitoring underwater nourishments using multibeam bathymetric and backscatter time series

Natural and man-induced coastal erosion endanger life and environment in coastal areas worldwide. For sedimentary barrier coasts, beach and underwater nourishments are an efficient coastal protection strategy. To optimize nourishments and to understand their impact on the marine environment, monitoring strategies are required. In this study, we investigate the potential of multibeam echosounder (MBES) data, providing both bathymetry and backscatter (BS), for monitoring the evolution of the nourished sediment and morphodynamics over time. A time series of seven MBES measurements, as well as two sets of box cores, vibrocores and seismic data were acquired of a channel-side nourishment near the Wadden Sea island Ameland (The Netherlands), between April 2017 and May 2019. In general, a high confidence of the acoustic reliability of the BS time series measurements is demonstrated. The unsupervised Bayesian classification method, supported by ground-truthing, is employed to produce a time series of sediment maps, revealing sediments ranging from sandy mud to sand with varying amounts of shell fragments. Based on the sediment maps, the nourished sediment could be distinguished from the natural sediment. Within one year, the shell-rich pre-nourishment seabed is recreated by washing out finer sediments, which are deposited towards the main tidal channel. Using the seismic data and vibrocores, the shell-rich pre-nourishment seabed could be identified in the subsurface after being buried by the nourishments, supporting the general findings. Furthermore, a rapid development of steep bedforms with increasing sediment sorting is observed in parts of the nourished areas. This study shows that high-resolution sediment maps obtained from a time series of MBES BS together with bathymetry reveal morphodynamic and sedimentary processes of nourishment evolution and can advance underwater nourishment strategies.

Linking postglacial landscapes to glacier dynamics using swath radar at Thwaites Glacier, Antarctica

AbstractIce sheets reshape Earth’s surface. Maps of the landscape formed by past ice sheets are our best tool for reconstructing historic ice sheet behavior. But models of glacier erosion and deposition that explain mapped features are relatively untested, and without observations of landforms developing in situ, postglacial landscapes can provide only qualitative insight into past ice sheet conditions. Here we present the first swath radar data collected in Antarctica, demonstrating the ability of swath radar technology to map the subglacial environment of Thwaites Glacier (West Antarctica) at comparable resolutions to digital elevation models of deglaciated terrain. Incompatibility between measured bedform orientation and predicted subglacial water pathways indicates that ice, not water, is the primary actor in initiating bedform development at Thwaites Glacier. These data show no clear relationship between morphology and glacier speed, a weak relationship between morphology and basal shear stress, and highlight a likely role for preexisting geology in glacial bedform shape.

Bedload transport: a walk between randomness and determinism. Part 1. The state of the art

This paper outlines the various approaches used to calculate bedload transport. As bedload transport exhibits considerable spatial and temporal variations, computing the bedload transport rates and morphological changes experienced by streambeds is difficult. A large body of experimental work has revealed scaling laws relating the mean transport rate to hydraulic conditions (that is, water discharge , bottom shear stress or stream power ω): , or . The most common approach used to calculate bedload transport has thus long involved determining the one-to-one function (or any other dependence of on or ω) from experiments or theoretical considerations. However, the predictive power of such relationships is limited: scientists are unable to predict to within better than one order of magnitude, and morphodynamic models based on fail to explain the development of bedforms without the use of additional assumptions. Progressively, other calculation approaches have appeared, with many relying on the idea that bedload transport is a macroscopic transport process that primarily reflects random particle motion at the grain scale. The present paper reviews the main ideas being explored today.

Episodes of tidally-forced swale erosion on the inner shelf interspersed with millennial fluviodeltaic progradational interludes: Insights from northern Bohai Bay, China

Erosional swales are common features on the seafloor with vigorous bottom flow(s). On continental shelves with energetical tidal currents and limited river discharge, the initiation and evolution of tidally-induced erosional depressions and bedforms have been extensively discussed, but little is known about the evolution of such features when interspersed with active deltaic progradation over millennial timescales. A recent boomer seismic investigation revealed a swale erosional complex within and proximal to the subaqueous delta in northern Bohai Bay (NBHB), China, providing us with an opportunity to investigate such features. Here, using the same seismic dataset, we analyze the morphology, reflective characteristics and evolution of the erosional and depositional structures. The erosional swale complex consists of two episodes of tidally-induced incised channels within a northern progradational system (NPS; located in the northernmost Bohai Bay and prograde to the southeast), followed by an episode of extensive trough-and-bump formation (negative-and-positive relief) within the middle and northern NBHB, which are also erosional features. These features are all highly lineated, oriented WNW-ESE; we attribute their formation to the similarly-oriented tidal flows in this region. The multi-episode evolution of the swale erosional complex is predominately associated with progradation of the NPS, whose lobes cap the pre-existing erosional features and provide substrate for new erosion. The trough-and-bump complex was subject to long-term erosion, and may represent an evolution from the previous linear, tidally-forced marine incisions. The complex was subsequently buried in part by the step-wise progradation of a southern progradational system (SPS; developed within the southern 2/3 Bohai Bay and prograde to the north/northeast). In addition, we also observed clusters of longitudinal bedforms with convex internal reflectors superimposed on the erosional remnant (bumps) coeval with the erosion-dominated environment. They are observable on both sandy and muddy substrates.

Scaling of Turbulent Spectra Measured in Mobile Bed Flows and Estimation of Turbulent Kinetic Energy Budgets

This study aims at quantifying experimentally the influence of bed load transport on velocity power spectrum of acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) and turbulent kinetic energy budget. Hydraulic flume was used for experimental investigations for bed load transport. Uniform size of gravels (d50 = 4 mm) were injected into the flows without bed-forms development and compared with those in clear water flows. A 5 cm down looking Vectrino+ of 10 MHz acoustic frequency was used to measure the velocity of flows. The velocity signals produced spikes in the Vectrino+ data on account of instrument noise and high-frequency fluctuations. Therefore, de-spiking and removal of contaminated data were very much essential to obtain clear velocity power spectra for the ADV data sets. The velocity power spectra of filtered dataset followed the Kolmogorov “–5/3 scaling-law” in the inertial frequency range. At low frequencies, another scaling regime with spectral slope of about −1.0 is found resulting a shifting of turbulent power production subrange towards the high frequency regime and it is interpreted as the signature of sediment mobility without bed form development. Interestingly, the bed lad transport reduced the TKE dissipation rate and sharply changed the pressure energy diffusion rate which corroborated a gain in turbulence production.

Supercritical flows overspilling from bypass‐dominated submarine channels and the development of overbank bedforms

AbstractOverbank deposits of submarine channels are typically thin‐bedded, fine‐grained and predominantly characterized by a series of sedimentary structures interpreted to record a relatively simple history of waning flow. Here, a new type of bedform indicative of Froude‐supercritical flow is reported from successions of thin‐bedded turbidites interpreted as channel overbank deposits in the Upper Cretaceous Rosario Formation, Baja California, Mexico. A link is demonstrated between the development of overbank deposits in the form of depositional terraces or internal levees and contemporaneously active sediment transport, bypass and deposition of coarser‐grained material in a channel. The overbank bedforms overlie an erosion surface and contain a suite of sedimentary structures indicative of initially Froude‐supercritical flow conditions and a progressive waning of flow strength. In some cases, a stacked repetition of facies is interpreted to record a rejuvenation of flow energy. The characteristic sedimentary sequence observed is as follows: (a) long wavelength, low amplitude erosional surface with superimposed scours; (b) antidune backsets; (c) upper stage plane‐parallel lamination; (d) subcritical climbing ripples; (e) supercritical climbing ripples; (f) lower stage planar laminated tops; (g) a sharp upper surface. The exact vertical sequence of sedimentary structures encountered varies depending on the point of observation with respect to the bedform crest and distance from the parent channel. The recognition of these distinctive bedforms allows for interpretation of sediment bypass and proximity to a channel thalweg. These bedforms have not hitherto been described and provide a further example of the range of flow processes operating in submarine channel–levee systems, which aids depositional environment interpretation in both subsurface and outcrop studies.

Sedimentary architecture of an ancient linear megadune (Barremian, Neuquén Basin): Insights into the long‐term development and evolution of aeolian linear bedforms

AbstractLinear aeolian bedforms are the most abundant bedform type in Earth's dune fields, and are very common in the Solar System. Despite their abundance, the long‐term development of these bedforms and its impact upon the resulting sedimentary architecture in the geological record is still poorly understood. The aim of this paper is to study the exposed record of an ancient linear megadune in order to discuss its development and the factors that impact the sedimentary architecture of aeolian linear bedforms. The outcrops of the ancient Troncoso Sand Sea (Barremian, Neuquén Basin, Argentina) provide a unique opportunity to study a preserved megadune record with an external body geometry that confirms its linear morphology. Architectural analysis reveals significant differences in cross‐stratified set bodies and bounding surfaces’ features and allows for the identification of three architectural complexes within the bedform's record. Analysis of deterministic models, sedimentary body relative chronology and distribution suggest that these architectural complexes result from distinctive phases in bedform development. It also clearly shows that construction of the megadune was achieved by expansion from a core, and that its development was characterized by sustained growth and strong longitudinal dynamics, without net accumulation. This study indicates how sustained bedform growth, rather than accretion, can be a critical factor conditioning linear bedform architecture towards a more ‘classic’ (bimodal bounding surface and cross‐bedding dip directions) concentric sedimentary architecture style. Furthermore, this research reveals how this style of architecture could only be relatively common in the geological record when related to bedform topography preservation.

Observations of Bedform Migration and Bedload Sediment Transport in Combined Wave‐Current Flows

AbstractBedload transport is an important mechanism for sediment flux in the nearshore. Yet few studies examine the relationship between bedform evolution and net sediment transport. Our work contributes concurrent observations of bedform mobility and bedload transport in response to wave dominant, current dominant, and combined wave‐current flows in the nearshore. Bedload sediment flux from migrating bedforms during combined wave‐current conditions accounted for at least 20% more bedload transport when compared with wave dominant flows and at least 80% more than current‐dominant flows. Bedforms were observed to transport the most sediment during periods with strong currents, with high‐energy skewed waves, and while bedform orientation and transport direction were aligned. Regardless of flow type, bedform migration rates were directly proportional to the total kinetic energy contained in the flow field. Eleven bedload transport models formulated to be used in combined flows (both shear and energetics based) were compared with sediment flux estimated from measured bedform migration. An energetics based sediment transport model was most representative for our data.

Integrating field and laboratory approaches for ripple development in mixed sand-clay-EPS.

The shape and size of sedimentary bedforms play a key role in the reconstruction of sedimentary processes in modern and ancient environments. Recent laboratory experiments have shown that bedforms in mixed sand–clay develop at a slower rate and often have smaller heights and wavelengths than equivalent bedforms in pure sand. This effect is generally attributed to cohesive forces that can be of physical origin, caused by electrostatic forces of attraction between clay minerals, and of biological origin, caused by ‘sticky’ extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by micro‐organisms, such as microalgae (microphytobenthos) and bacteria. The present study demonstrates, for the first time, that these laboratory experiments are a suitable analogue for current ripples formed by tidal currents on a natural mixed sand–mud–EPS intertidal flat in a macrotidal estuary. Integrated hydrodynamic and bed morphological measurements, collected during a spring tide under weak wave conditions near Hilbre Island (Dee Estuary, north‐west England, UK), reveal a statistically significant decrease in current ripple wavelength for progressively higher bed mud and EPS contents, and a concurrent change from three‐dimensional linguoid to two‐dimensional straight‐crested ripple planform morphology. These results agree well with observations in laboratory flumes, but the rate of decrease of ripple wavelength as mud content increased was found to be substantially greater for the field than the laboratory. Since the formation of ripples under natural conditions is inherently more complex than in the laboratory, four additional factors that might affect current ripple development in estuaries, but which were not accounted for in laboratory experiments, were explored. These were current forcing, clay type, pore water salinity and bed EPS content. These data illustrate that clay type alone cannot explain the difference in the rate of decrease in ripple wavelength, because the bed clay contents were too low for clay type to have had a measurable effect on bedform development. Accounting for the difference in current forcing between the field and experiments, and therefore the relative stage of development with respect to equilibrium ripples, increases the difference between the ripple wavelengths. The presence of strongly cohesive EPS in the current ripples on the natural intertidal flat might explain the majority of the difference in the rate of decrease in ripple wavelength between the field and the laboratory. The effect of pore water salinity on the rate of bedform development cannot be quantified at present, but salinity is postulated herein to have had a smaller influence on the ripple wavelength than bed EPS content. The common presence of clay and EPS in many aqueous sedimentary environments implies that a re‐assessment of the role of current ripples and their primary current lamination in predicting and reconstructing flow regimes is necessary, and that models that are valid for pure sand are an inappropriate descriptor for more complex mixed sediment. This study proposes that this re‐assessment is necessary at all bed clay contents above 3%.