Direct measurements by submersible of surge-type turbidity currents in a fjord channel, southeast Alaska
- Appalachian State Univ., Boone, NC (United States). Dept. of Geology
- Illinois Univ., DeKalb, IL (United States). Geology Dept.
- USA Cold Regions Research and Engineering Lab., Hanover, NH (United States)
- Geological Survey, Menlo Park, CA (United States)
High density, high-speed turbidity currents were observed and their properties measured in submarine channels in Queen Inlet, southeast Alaska during June, 1990 and 1991. A ROV submersible fitted with two video cameras, a CTD, an optical backscatter turbidity monitor (OBS), and electromagnetic current meter, and sidescan sonar was used to collect data from within and above the flows. Multiple flows were recorded during a ROV dive at 2.3 km from the delta front in a channel at 104 m depth. Flows were marked by sudden increases in turbidity and current velocity. In one flow, turbidity increased from 300 to 1,600 OBS units (instrument maximum) in 10 sec, and within 9.4 min, salinity (S) steadily decreased by 12.1 ppt, with only a 0.2 C temperature (T) increase. Density differences between the flow and ambient water require a minimum sediment concentration of 97 g/l. Maximum flow velocity exceeded 3.3 m/s. A vertical ROV profile indicated a flow thickness of 10 m. The upper surface was visually identified by billowing suspended sediment and by fluctuating OBS and T as ambient and flow water mixed in turbulent eddies. A faster S decrease and slower T increase with distance into and away from the flow indicate that thermal diffusive processes were less efficient than convective mass transfer. The S change indicates that flow water and ambient water mixed well beyond the flow defined by high turbidity. Warm water temperatures within the flow and low meltwater stream discharge suggest that these flows originated from the delta front and are not continuous underflows.
- OSTI ID:
- 5997718
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-921058-; CODEN: GAAPBC
- Journal Information:
- Geological Society of America, Abstracts with Programs; (United States), Vol. 24:7; Conference: 1992 annual meeting of the Geological Society of America (GSA), Cincinnati, OH (United States), 26-29 Oct 1992; ISSN 0016-7592
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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