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Coriolis forces influence the secondary circulation of gravity currents flowing in large-scale sinuous submarine channel systems
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 03:33 authored by Remo Cossu, Wells, MGA combination of centrifugal and Coriolis forces drive the secondary circulation of turbidity currents in sinuous channels, and hence determine where erosion and deposition of sediment occur. Using laboratory experiments we show that when centrifugal forces dominate, the density interface shows a superelevation at the outside of a channel bend. However when Coriolis forces dominate, the interface is always deflected to the right (in the Northern Hemisphere) for both left and right turning bends. The relative importance of either centrifugal or Coriolis forces can be described in terms of a Rossby number defined as Ro = U/fR, where U is the mean downstream velocity, f the Coriolis parameter and R the radius of curvature of the channel bend. Channels with larger bends at high latitudes have Ro < 1 and are dominated by Coriolis forces, whereas smaller, tighter bends at low latitudes have |Ro| ≫ 1 and are dominated by centrifugal forces.
History
Publication title
Geophysical Research LettersVolume
37Issue
17Article number
L17603Number
L17603Pagination
1-6ISSN
0094-8276Department/School
Australian Maritime CollegePublisher
Amer Geophysical UnionPlace of publication
2000 Florida Ave Nw, Washington, USA, Dc, 20009Rights statement
Copyright 2010 by the American Geophysical UnionRepository Status
- Open