Inadequacy of fluvial energetics for describing gravity current autosuspension

Sojiro Fukuda (), Marijke G. W. Vet, Edward W. G. Skevington, Elena Bastianon, Roberto Fernández, Xuxu Wu, William D. McCaffrey, Hajime Naruse, Daniel R. Parsons and Robert M. Dorrell
Additional contact information
Sojiro Fukuda: University of Hull
Marijke G. W. Vet: University of Hull
Edward W. G. Skevington: University of Hull
Elena Bastianon: University of Hull
Roberto Fernández: University of Hull
Xuxu Wu: University of Hull
William D. McCaffrey: University of Leeds
Hajime Naruse: Kyoto University
Daniel R. Parsons: University of Hull
Robert M. Dorrell: University of Hull

Nature Communications, 2023, vol. 14, issue 1, 1-10

Abstract: Abstract Gravity currents, such as sediment-laden turbidity currents, are ubiquitous natural flows that are driven by a density difference. Turbidity currents have provided vital motivation to advance understanding of this class of flows because their enigmatic long run-out and driving mechanisms are not properly understood. Extant models assume that material transport by gravity currents is dynamically similar to fluvial flows. Here, empirical research from different types of particle-driven gravity currents is integrated with our experimental data, to show that material transport is fundamentally different from fluvial systems. Contrary to current theory, buoyancy production is shown to have a non-linear dependence on available flow power, indicating an underestimation of the total kinetic energy lost from the mean flow. A revised energy budget directly implies that the mixing efficiency of gravity currents is enhanced.

Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-37724-1

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