Rapidly-migrating and internally-generated knickpoints can control submarine channel evolution

Maarten S. Heijnen; Michael A. Clare; Matthieu J. B. Cartigny; Peter J. Talling; Sophie Hage; D. Gwyn Lintern; Cooper Stacey; Daniel R. Parsons; Stephen M. Simmons; Ye Chen; Esther J. Sumner; Justin K. Dix; John E. Hughes Clarke

doi:10.1038/s41467-020-16861-x

Nature Communications (Jun 2020)

Rapidly-migrating and internally-generated knickpoints can control submarine channel evolution

Maarten S. Heijnen,
Michael A. Clare,
Matthieu J. B. Cartigny,
Peter J. Talling,
Sophie Hage,
D. Gwyn Lintern,
Cooper Stacey,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Stephen M. Simmons,
Ye Chen,
Esther J. Sumner,
Justin K. Dix,
John E. Hughes Clarke

Affiliations

Maarten S. Heijnen: National Oceanography Centre
Michael A. Clare: National Oceanography Centre
Matthieu J. B. Cartigny: Departments of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Durham
Peter J. Talling: Departments of Geography and Earth Sciences, University of Durham
Sophie Hage: Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton
D. Gwyn Lintern: Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada
Cooper Stacey: Natural Resources Canada, Geological Survey of Canada
Daniel R. Parsons: Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull
Stephen M. Simmons: Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull
Ye Chen: Energy and Environment Institute, University of Hull
Esther J. Sumner: Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton
Justin K. Dix: Ocean and Earth Sciences, National Oceanography Centre, University of Southampton
John E. Hughes Clarke: Earth Sciences, Center for Coastal & Ocean Mapping, University of New Hampshire

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16861-x
Journal volume & issue: Vol. 11, no. 1
pp. 1 – 15

Abstract

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The authors analyse 9 years of time-lapse surveys in Bute Inlet, British Columbia (CA), to show how an active submarine channel evolves. They show how channel evolution is controlled by fast upstream-migration of steep knickpoints, which are similar to waterfalls in rivers.

Published in Nature Communications

ISSN: 2041-1723 (Online)
Publisher: Nature Portfolio
Country of publisher: United Kingdom
LCC subjects: Science
Website: https://www.nature.com/ncomms/

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