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Influence of sediment cohesion on deltaic shoreline dynamics and bulk sediment retention: A laboratory study
Author(s) -
Straub Kyle M.,
Li Qi,
Benson W. Matthew
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1002/2015gl066131
Subject(s) - beach morphodynamics , cohesion (chemistry) , geology , sediment , shore , geomorphology , sediment transport , sedimentary budget , hydrology (agriculture) , oceanography , geotechnical engineering , chemistry , organic chemistry
While boundary and forcing conditions influence the average location of a shoreline in deltaic systems, internal morphodynamics can drive high‐magnitude deviations from the long‐term trend. Here we explore the role of sediment cohesion on these morphodynamics using physical experiments. Specifically, we explore the role of sediment cohesion on the scales of autogenic shoreline transgressions and regressions. Results indicate that sediment cohesion enhances the time and space scales associated with autogenic cycles of channel formation, elongation, and abandonment. In systems with high sediment cohesion, this cycle can drive shoreline transgressions that produce flooding surfaces in the resulting stratigraphy which could be confused with surfaces produced by increases in sea level rise or subsidence rates. Enhanced channelization resulting from sediment cohesion also increases the pumping of fine‐grained sediment into the marine realm, where it can bypass the delta foreset, thus decreasing total delta sediment retention rate.