Some Papers on Sediment Gravity Flows


Here is a working list of References


Reading For Week 2 (Tues. April 8):

Fisher (1983) - Short, sweet, and to the point

Postma et al. (1988) - Becky's version: lots of underlining and comments, better graphics

Postma et al. (1988) - Journal version: clean copy, poor graphic quality


Reading For Week 3 (Thurs. April 17):

I suggest we emphasize the 1982 paper, but both are useful.

Lowe, D.R. (1979) - Sediment gravity flows: their classifications and some problems of application to natural flows and deposits. In: Doyle, L.J., Pilkey, O.H. (Eds.), Geology of Continental Slopes. Spec. Publ. - Soc. Econ. Paleontol. Mineral., vol. 27, pp. 75-82.

Lowe, D.R. (1982) - Sediment gravity flows: II. Depositional models with special reference to the deposits of high density turbidity currents. J. Sediment. Petrol. 52, 279-297.


Reading For Week 4 (Tues. April 22):

Falk, P., and Dorsey, R.J. (1998) - Rapid development of gravelly high-density turbidity currents in marine Gilbert-type fan deltas, Loreto basin, Baja California Sur, Mexico. Sedimentology, v. 45, p. 331-349.

... to be accompanied by a slide show.


Reading For Week 5 (Tues. April 29):

Focus on this: White, J.D.L. (2000) - Subaqueous eruption-fed density currents and their deposits. Precambrian Research, vol. 101, p. 87–109.

Skim this for background: Fisher, R.V. (1984) - Submarine volcaniclastic rocks. In: Kokelaar, B.P.and Howells, M. F. (eds.), Marginal basin geology: volcanic and associated sedimentary and tectonic processes in modern and ancient marginal basins. Geological Society of London Special Publication 16, p. 5-27.

We will start with short presentations by Tom and Nick ...


Reading For Week 5 (Tues. May 6):

Today we continued discussing the papers from last week.


Reading For Week 6 (Tues. May 13):

Cashman, K.V., and Fiske, R.S., 1991, Fallout of pyroclastic debris from submarine volcanic eruptions. Science, vol 253, p. 241-352..

Fiske, R.S., Cashman, K.V., Shibata, A., and Watanabe, K., 1998, Tephra dispersal from Myojinsho, Japan, during its shallow submarine eruption of 1952–1953. Bull Volcanology, 59 :262–275.


Reading For Week 7 (Tues. May 20) - Experimental Studies:

I suggest we focus on the paper by Amy et al. (2005), and use the other one (Gladstone et al., 2004) for comparison if we want. Both papers do a nice job of stating the motivation and relevance for understanding the behavior of natural flows (both pyroclastic flows and turbidity currents). I think it looks like Amy et al. got farther down the path toward understanding the controls on transformations and "stratification" in subaqueous sediment gravity flows. I put "stratification" in quotes here because these papers define the term to mean vertical segregation of material properties in the flow - this is a common definition - whereas I often use the same term to describe a class of sedimentary structure (which is common in turbidites). Happy Reading!

Amy,L.A., Peakall, J., and Talling, P.J., 2005, Density- and viscosity-stratified gravity currents: Insight from
laboratory experiments and implications for submarine flow deposits.Sedimentary Geology 179: 5 –29.

Gladstone, C., Ritchie, L.J., Sparks, R.S., and Woods, A.W., 2004, An experimental investigation of density-stratified inertial gravity currents. Sedimentology, 51: 767–789.


Other Papers (optional or future reading):

Tribute to R.V. Fisher

Nemec and Steel (1984) - a classic review paper, beautiful drafting, long

Sohn, Y.K., et al. (1997) - Characteristics and depositional processes of large-scale gravelly Gilbert-type foresets in the Miocene Doumsan fan delta, Pohang basin, SE Korea. Journal of Sedimentary Research, vol. 67. p. 130-141. (stay tuned for pdf)

Sohn, Y.K. (2000) Depositional processes of submarine debris flows in the Miocene fan deltas, Pohang basin, SE Korea with special reference to flow transformations. Journal of Sedimentary Research, vol. 70. p. 491-503. (stay tuned for pdf)

Sohn, Y.K., Choe, M.Y.,and Jo, H.R. (2002) Transition from debris flow to hyperconcentrated flow in a submarine channel (the Cretaceous Cerro Toro Formation, southern Chile). Terra Nova, 14, 405–415.

Todd, S.P. (1989) - Stream-driven, high-density gravelly traction carpets: possible deposits in the Trabeg Conglomerate Formation, SW Ireland and some theoretical considerations of their origin. Sedimentology, vol. 36, p. 513-530.

White, J.D.L. (2001) Eruption and reshaping of Pahvant Butte volcano in Pleistocene Lake Bonneville. Spec. Publs int. Ass. Sediment. v.30, p. 61-80.

White, J.D.L. (1996) Pre-emergent construction of lacustrine basaltic volcano, Pahvant Butte, Utah (USA). Bull Volc. vol. 58, p. 249-262.


Back to: Sediment Gravity Flows