Sand waves and other bedforms in lower Cook Inlet,Alaska |
| |
| Authors: | Arnold H Bouma Monty A Hampton Robert C Orlando |
| |
| Institution: | U.S. Geological Survey , Menlo Park, California, 94025 |
| |
| Abstract: | Abstract Lower Cook Inlet in Alaska has high‐ tidal currents that average 3–4 knots and normally reach a peak of 6–8 knots. The bottom has an average depth of about 60–70 m in the central part of the inlet that deepens toward the south. Several types of bedforms, such as sand waves, dunes, ripples, sand ribbons, and lag deposits form a microtopography on the otherwise smooth seafloor. Each bedform type covers a small field, normally a few hundred to a few thousand meters wide, and usually several kilometers long parallel to the tidal flow. High‐resolution seismic systems, side‐scan sonar and bottom television were used to study these bedforms. Large sand waves with wavelengths over 300 m and wave heights up to 10 m were observed. Fields of ebb‐oriented or flood‐oriented asymmetric bedforms commonly grade into more symmetric shapes. Several orders of smaller sand waves and dunes cover the flanks of the very large bedforms. The crest directions of both size groups are normally parallel, but deviations of up to 90° have been observed; local deviations may occur where smaller forms approach the crests of the larger sand waves. Bottom television observations demonstrated active bedload transport in a northerly direction on crests and midflanks of southward asymmetric large sand waves, but not in their troughs. Movement of bedload occurs in the form of small ripples. Although the asymmetry of the large bedforms suggests that migration has taken place in the ebb or flood directions, the very low surface angles (2.5°‐8°) of these bedforms do not indicate regular movements. The large bedforms are probably relict features, or they migrate only under severe conditions, whereas active sand transport by ripples and smaller sand waves and dunes moves bedload back and forth with the tides. An understanding of such movements is essential for determining design criteria for offshore installations and in benthic‐faunal studies. |
| |
| Keywords: | |
|
|
