Table Of ContentSEDIMENTS, MORPHOLOGY AND SEDIMENTARY PROCESSES
ON CONTINENTAL SHELVES
Other publications of the International Association of Sedimentologists
SPECIAL PUBLICATIONS 32 FloodandMegafloodProcessesandDeposits
RecentandAncientExamples
43 QuaternaryCarbonateandEvaporiteSedimentary EditedbyI.P.Martini,V.R.BakerandG.Garzo´n
FaciesandTheirAncientAnalogues 2002,320pages,281illustrations
ATributetoDouglasJamesShearman
31 ParticulateGravityCurrents
EditedbyChristopherG.St.C.Kendalland
EditedbyW.D.McCaffrey,B.C.KnellerandJ.
AbdulrahmanS.Alsharhan
Peakall
2010,494pages,263illustrations
2001,320pages,222illustrations
42 CarbonateSystemsDuringtheOlicocene-Miocene
30 VolcaniclasticSedimentationinLacustrine
ClimaticTransition
Settings
EditedbyMariaMutti,WernerE.Pillerand
EditedbyJ.D.L.WhiteandN.R.Riggs
ChristianBetzler
2001,312pages,155illustrations
2010,304pages,154illustrations
29 QuartzCementationinSandstones
41 PerspectivesinCarbonateGeology
EditedbyR.H.WordenandS.Morad
ATributetotheCareerofRobertNathanGinsburg
2000,352pages,231illustrations
EditedbyPeterK.Swart,GregorP.Eberliand
JudithA.McKenzie 28 FluvialSedimentologyVI
2009,387pages,230illustrations EditedbyN.D.SmithandJ.Rogers
1999,328pages,280illustrations
40 AnalogueandNumericalModellingof
SedimentarySystems 27 Palaeoweathering,PalaeosurfacesandRelated
FromUnderstandingtoPrediction ContinentalDeposits
EditedbyP.deBoer,G.Postma,K.vanderZwan, EditedbyM.ThiryandR.SimonCoinc¸on
P.BurgessandP.Kukla 1999,408pages,238illustrations
2008,336pages,172illustrations
26 CarbonateCementationinSandstones
39 GlacialSedimentaryProcessesandProducts EditedbyS.Morad
EditedbyM.J.Hambrey,P.Christoffersen, 1998,576pages,297illustrations
N.F.GlasserandB.Hubbard
25 ReefsandCarbonatePlatformsinthePacificand
2007,416pages,181illustrations
IndianOceans
38 SedimentaryProcesses,EnvironmentsandBasins EditedbyG.F.CamoinandP.J.Davies
ATributetoPeterFriend 1998,336pages,170illustrations
EditedbyG.Nichols,E.WilliamsandC.Paola
24 TidalSignaturesinModernandAncient
2007,648pages,329illustrations
Sediments
37 ContinentalMarginSedimentation EditedbyB.W.FlemmingandA.Bartholoma¨
FromSedimentTransporttoSequenceStratigraphy 1995,368pages,259illustrations
EditedbyC.A.Nittrouer,J.A.Austin,M.E.Field,
23 CarbonateMud-mounds
J.H.Kravitz,J.P.M.SyvitskiandP.L.Wiberg
TheirOriginandEvolution
2007,549pages,178illustrations
EditedbyC.L.V.Monty,D.W.J.Bosence,P.H.
36 BraidedRivers BridgesandB.R.Pratt
Process,Deposits,EcologyandManagement 1995,543pages,330illustrations
EditedbyG.H.SambrookSmith,J.L.Best,C.S.
BristowandG.E.Petts
REPRINTSERIES
2006,390pages,197illustrations
35 FluvialSedimentologyVII 4 SandstoneDiagenesis:RecentandAncient
EditedbyM.D.Blum,S.B.MarriottandS.F.Leclair EditedbyS.D.BurleyandR.H.Worden
2005,589pages,319illustrations 2003,648pages,223illustrations
34 ClayMineralCementsinSandstones 3 Deep-waterTurbiditeSystems
EditedbyR.H.WordenandS.Morad EditedbyD.A.V.Stow
2003,512pages,246illustrations 1992,479pages,278illustrations
33 PrecambrianSedimentaryEnvironments 2 Calcretes
AModernApproachtoAncientDepositional EditedbyV.P.WrightandM.E.Tucker
Systems 1991,360pages,190illustrations
EditedbyW.AltermannandP.L.Corcoran
2002,464pages,194illustrations
Special Publication Number 44 of the International
Association of Sedimentologists
Sediments, Morphology and Sedimentary
Processes on Continental Shelves
Advances in Technologies, Research, and Applications
Edited by
Michael Z. Li
GeologicalSurveyofCanada(Atlantic),NaturalResourcesCanada,
BedfordInstituteofOceanography,Dartmouth,NovaScotia,B2Y4A2Canada
Christopher R. Sherwood
U.S.GeologicalSurvey,WoodsHole,MA02543-1598USA
Philip R. Hill
NaturalResourcesCanada,Sidney,BC,CanadaV8L4B2
Thiseditionfirstpublished2012(cid:2)2012byInternationalAssociationofSedimentologists
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Sediments,morphology,andsedimentaryprocessesoncontinentalshelves:advancesintechnologies,research,and
applications/editedbyMichaelLi,ChristopherR.Sherwood,PhilipR.Hill.
p.cm.– (Specialpublication/InternationalAssociationofSedimentologists;no.44)
Includesbibliographicalreferencesandindex.
ISBN978-1-4443-5082-1(hardcover:alk.paper) 1.Sedimentationanddeposition. 2.Sedimentology. 3.Sediment
transport. 4.Continentalmargins. I.Li,Michael. II.Sherwood,ChristopherR. III.Hill,PhilipR. IV.International
AssociationofSedimentologists.
QE571.S4232012
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2011040562
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1 2012
Contents
Preface vii Sedimentary facies ofshoreface-connected
sand ridges off theEastFrisian barrier-island
Part1 Sedimentsandmorphologyinshelf coast, southern North Sea:climatic controls
and coastal systems and preservation potential 143
Chang Soo Son, Burghard W. Flemming
Optimaluseof multibeam technology in the and Tae Soo Chang
study of shelf morphodynamics 3
John E. Hughes Clarke Part 2 Sediment transportprocesses,
sedimentation and modelling
Palaeogeographic reconstruction ofHecate
Strait British Columbia: changing sealevels Recentadvancesin understanding
and sedimentary processesreshapea continental shelf sedimenttransport 161
glaciatedshelf 29 L.D.Wright
J. Vaughn Barrie and Kim W. Conway
Recentadvancesin instrumentation
Changesin submarine channelmorphology used to study sediment transport 173
and slope sedimentation patternsfrom repeat Jon J. Williams
multibeam surveys in theFraser River delta,
western Canada 47 Seabed disturbance and bedform distribution
Philip R.Hill and mobilityon the storm-dominated Sable
Island Bank, Scotian Shelf 197
Recentsedimentary processesin the Cap de MichaelZ. Li,Edward L.King and
Creus canyon head and adjacent continental RobertH. Prescott
shelf, NESpain: evidence from multibeam
bathymetry, sub-bottom profiles and Temporalvariability, migration rates and
coring 71 preservation potential ofsubaqueousdune
A. Garcı´a-Garcı´a,T. Schoolmeester, fields generated inthe AgulhasCurrent on
D. Orange,A. Calafat, J. Fabres, the southeastAfrican continental shelf 229
E. Grossman, M. Field, T.Lorenson, Burghard W. Flemming and
M. Levey and M. Sansoucy Alexander Bartholoma¨
Geology metrics for predictingshoreline Measurement of bedloadtransport ina
changeusing seabed and sub-bottom coastalsea using repeat swath bathymetry
observations from the surf zoneand surveys: assessing bedload formulaeusing
nearshore 99 sand dune migration 249
Jesse E.McNinch and JenniferL. Miselis GarretP.DuffyandJohnE.Hughes-Clarke
Re-examination ofsand ridges on the middle Analyzingbedforms mapped using multibeam
and outer New Jersey shelf based on combined sonar todetermine regionalbedload sediment
analysisof multibeam bathymetry and transportpatterns inthe San Francisco Bay
backscatter, seafloor grab samplesand coastalsystem 273
chirp seismic data 121 Patrick L. Barnard,Li Erikson,David
John A. Goffand Catherine S.Duncan M.Rubin,PeteDartnellandRikkG.Kvitek
v
vi Contents
Sediment transporton continental shelves: Factors controlling downward fluxesof
storm bed formation and preservation in particulatematterin glacier-contact and
heterogeneous sediments 295 non-glacier contact settings in a subpolar
T.R.Keen,R.L.Slingerland,S.J.Bentley, fjord (Billefjorden, Svalbard) 369
Y.Furukawa,W.J.TeagueandJ.D.Dykes Witold Szczucin´ski and Marek
Zaja˛czkowski
Tidalinfluenceon thetransport of
suspended matter in thesouthwestern Part3 Applicationand management
Yellow Sea at6 ka 311
Katsuto Ueharaand Yoshiki Saito On seabed disturbance, marine ecological
succession and applications forenvironmental
Origin,transportprocessesanddistribution management: aphysical sedimentological
patternofmodernsedimentsinthe perspective 389
YellowSea 321 Peter T. Harris
Xuefa Shi,Yanguang Liu,Zhihua Chen,
Jianwei Wei, Sulan Ge, Kunshan Wang, Benthichabitat mapping from seabed acoustic
Guoqing Wang, Shouye Yang, Shuqing surveys: do implicitassumptions hold? 405
Qiao, Deling Cai,Zhenbo Cheng, VladimirE. Kostylev
Wenrui Buand Hi-Ii Yi
List ofReviewers 417
Seasonal and spatial variation insuspended Index 419
sediment characteristicsoffthe Changjiang
estuary 351
GuoqingWang,XuefaShi,YanguangLiu,
XishengFang and Gang Yang
Preface
Sediments, morphology and sedimentary andsedimentaryprocessesreshapedtheglaciated
processes on continental shelves: advancesin shelf in Hecate Strait, British Columbia. Hill
technologies, research,and applications demonstrates how repeated multibeam surveys
can be used to interpret significant changes in
Theapplicationofmultibeamandsedimenttrans-
submarine channel morphology and slope sedi-
port measurement technologies and the adoption
mentationpatternsintheFraserRiverdelta,wes-
of integrated techniques in the approach to
ternCanada.Garcia-Garciaetal.interpretsedimen-
researchhavegreatlyadvancedourunderstanding
taryprocessesintheCapdeCreuscanyonheadand
of sediments, morphology and sedimentary pro-
adjacentcontinentalshelf,NESpain.
cesses on continental shelves in the last decade.
Twopapersapplytheseintegratedtechniquesto
This book focuses on the applications of new
thestudyofsandridgesoncontinentalshelves.Goff
multibeammappingandsedimenttransportmea-
and Duncan integrate multibeam bathymetry and
surementtechnologies,theintegrationofmorphol-
backscatter data in an analysis of sand ridge
ogy and processes and the utilization of shelf
response to the present-day hydrologic regime of
seabedpropertyandprocessknowledgeincoastal
the middle and outer New Jersey shelf. Son et al.
and ocean management.
investigatethesedimentaryfaciesandpreservation
The volume grew out of a technical session
potentialofshoreface-connectedsandridgesinthe
“SedimentsandSedimentaryProcessesonConti-
southernNorthSeathroughanalysesofmultibeam
nentalShelves”organizedbytheeditorsatthe17th
bathymetry,seabedsamplesandinternalsedimen-
International Sedimentological Congress held in
tary structures derived from box-cores. The last
Fukuoka, Japan, from 27 August to 1 September,
paper in this section, by McNinch and Miselis,
2006. Thirteen of the twenty contributions were
exploresthelinksbetweenshorelinechanges,mor-
originallypresentedinthattechnicalsession.The
phologyandsedimentdistributioninthesurfzone
othersevenpapersweresolicitedtocoverthelatest
off the coast of North Carolina based on almost a
advances in multibeam mapping technology,
decadeofrepeatedfieldobservationsthatincluded
advances and applications of sediment transport
interferometricswathbathymetry,chirpsub-bottom
measurement techniques, and the application of
profiles,sedimentvibracoresandradardata.
sedimentpropertyandprocessknowledgeinhabi-
ElevenpapersareincludedinSectionII,“Sedi-
tat mapping and ocean management. The articles
menttransportprocesses,sedimentationandmod-
inthisbookwerecontributedbyauthorsfromeight
elling”. The first two contributions review
countries and cover a range of topics. The aim of
advances in instrumentation and understanding
the book is to take stock of the impact that new
intheresearchofsedimenttransportprocesseson
advancesintechnology,spatialanalysisandmod-
continental shelves. Wright reviews highlights of
eling have brought to the understanding of shelf
shelf sediment transport research and identifies
sedimentology. With the mix of primary research
new directions, with an emphasis on gravity-
and review papers, the boo will serve as a mile-
driventransport,withinnegatively-buoyanthyper-
stone for the world’s shelf sedimentology and
pycnal layers, as an important mechanism of
ocean managementcommunities.
across-shelf sediment transport. Williams focuses
Thebookisdividedintothreesections.SectionI,
on recent technological innovations in sediment
“SedimentsandMorphologyinShelfandCoastal
transportinstrumentationandexamines,byexam-
Systems” opens with an article by Hughes-Clarke
ple, how these novel technologies contribute to
thatreviewstheapplicationofstate-of-the-artmul-
simultaneous measurements of fluid flow, bed
tibeamtechnologytoshelfsedimentologyresearch.
morphology and sediment transport at unprece-
Resolution and accuracy in both bathymetry and
dented spatial and temporal resolution in the
backscatter data are explored and examples illus-
laboratory and in the field. He also predicts how
trate the optimal use of multibeam technology.
developmentsininstrumentationoverthecoming
Thenextthreepapersdemonstratetheintegration
decade may enable more accurate forecasting of
of multibeam bathymetry mapping with seismic
sedimenttransportprocesses.
surveying and coring. Barrie & Conway use these
The following papers present recent findings
techniquestounderstandhowchangingsealevels
on seabed forcing, bedform distribution and
vii
viii Preface
migration, the implications of these to bedload measurements tounderstandseasonalchangesin
transportcalculationsandregionalsedimenttrans- suspended particle dynamics off the Changjiang
portpatternsandsedimentarystrataformationand estuary. Szczucin(cid:2)ski & Zaja˛czkowski integrate
preservation under a range of current and storm hydrology and sediment trap data to investigate
conditions. Regional bathymetric maps, sidescan particulatematterfluxesandcontrollingfactorsin
sonar and multibeam bathymetric surveys, sedi- a sub-polar fjord in theEuropean Arctic.
ment samples and model predictions of seabed Section III reviews the application of shelf
disturbanceareintegratedbyLietal.tocharacter- sedimentology research to habitat mapping and
ize the distribution, metrics and mobility of bed- ocean management. Harris explores the inter-
formson the storm-dominated Sable Island Bank, relationships between seabed disturbance, mar-
ScotianShelf.FlemmingandBartholom€aexamine ine ecological succession and ecosystem-based
a serial sidescan sonar data set spanning nearly management, demonstrating the need for an
16 years to shed light on the temporal variability, understanding of sedimentology in the design
migration rates and preservation potential of sub- of marine protected areas (MPAs). The volume
aqueous dune fields beneath the Agulhas Current concludes with a conceptual article by Kostylev
onthesoutheastAfricancontinentalshelf.Duffy& that examines the validity of the basic assump-
Hughes-Clarke use repeat multibeam bathymetry tionsinusingacousticseabedsurveystoproduce
surveys and velocity profile measurements to benthichabitatmaps.Hecallsforabetterunder-
quantify long-term sediment transport and eval- standing of the processes linking benthic com-
uate the performance of several formulations for munities to seabed geology so that remotely-
predictingbedloadtransportrateoversanddunes sensedgeologicalinformationfrom,forexample,
in the Bay of Fundy. Barnard et al. present a multibeamsurveyscanbeusedmoreconfidently
comprehensive analysis of more than 3000 bed- in benthic habitat mapping.
forms measured from high-resolution multibeam ThisSpecialPublicationvolumewouldnothave
survey data and demonstrate how this highly been possible without the contribution and sup-
detailed, quantitative information can be used portofalargegroupofpeople.Firstandforemost,
to both determine regional sediment transport the guest editors would like to acknowledge the
patterns and assist management of the sediment support and cooperation from all the authors of
resourceintheSanFranciscoBaycoastalsystem. the papers included in this book. We are grateful
Keenetal.useobservationsandnumericalmodel to the Special Publication editors Drs Ian Jarvis,
predictions to examine the source,transportpro- Stella Bignold and Thomas Stevens for their
cesses and deposition of modern storm beds. By support and advice during the editing process of
comparisonwithhistoricaldata,theyevaluatethe thisbook.Weacknowledgeourrespectiveinstitu-
recurrence frequency of modern storm beds and tions forallowingus to takeon this endeavourin
the preservation potential of such beds within a additiontoournormalorganizationalresponsibili-
storm-dominated shelf sequence. ties. Special thanks go to Nina Parry for her very
The last four articles in Section II discuss the able co-ordination of all correspondence during
origin, characteristics, seasonal and spatial varia- themanuscriptreviewprocess.Finally,eachpaper
tions, transport and sedimentation of suspended inthisbookwasevaluatedbyatleasttworeviewers
particulatematter.Theunderstandingofcohesive and their comments and critiques have greatly
sediment dynamics and deposition presents its improvedallthepapersinthisvolume.Wedeeply
own set of challenges that can be addressed by appreciate the effort of these reviewers who are
new technologies, integration of different spatial listedat theend ofthis book.
data sets and numerical modelling. Shi et al. use The completion of this Special Publication
various sediment characteristics, suspended par- volume is made possible by the support of our
ticulatematterconcentrationandtrendanalysisto families,particularlyourwivesPing,Patriciaand
establish a depositional process model for the Jennifer. We are grateful for their understanding
YellowSea.Uehara&Saitousenumericalmodel- and encouragement.
ingtoexaminethetidalinfluenceonthetransport
of suspended matter in the southwestern Yellow MichaelZ. Li
Seainthemid-Holocene.Wangetal.demonstrate Christopher R.Sherwood
the use of in-situ particle size and concentration Philip R.Hill
Part 1
Sediments and morphology in shelf and
coastal systems
(cid:2)2012InternationalAssociationofSedimentologistsandpublishedforthembyBlackwellPublishingLtd.
Int.Assoc.Sedimentol.Spec.Publ.(2012)44,1–28
Optimal use of multibeam technology in the study of shelf
morphodynamics
JOHN E. HUGHES CLARKE
DepartmentofGeodesyandGeomaticsEngineering,UniversityofNewBrunswick,Canada(E-mail:[email protected])
ABSTRACT
Many of the recent advances in our understanding of sedimentary processes on the
continentalshelfhavecomeaboutasaresultoftheuseofmultibeamsonarsystems.
These systems provide wide area coverage of seafloor variations in bathymetry and
backscatterattypicalhorizontalresolutionsassmallas(cid:2)2%ofthewaterdepth.The
narrowestbeamsystemsnowprovidebackscatterdataatresolutionsapproachingtowed
sidescan sonar while simultaneously providing co-registered, equivalent-resolution
topography.
Evenmorevaluablethanthestaticviewoftheseabedisanability,throughresurvey,to
monitortemporalvariationsintheseabed.Byaddingthetimedimension,insightscan
be provided into the sedimentary processes rather than just the resulting sediment
distribution.Toachievethis,however,requiresparticularattentiontobeplacedonthe
limitationsofthesesurveysystems,whichaffectrepeatableaccuracy.Toassessthetotal
achievableaccuracyoneneedstoaccountforalltheintegratedcomponentsofthesurvey
system.
Inthispaper,thecontributionsofthevarioussourcesofsystematicbathymetricand
backscattererrorwithinatypicalshelfmultibeamsurveyaredescribed.Tooptimizethe
bathymetricdata,strategiesfordealingwithimperfectionsintidalmodelsandknowl-
edgeofthesoundspeedstructurearedescribed.Inordertoimprovethebackscatterdata,
strategiesforpredictingthecombinedeffectofbeampatternresidualsandtheseabed
angularresponsearedetailed.
Toillustrateatypicalresult,apairofoverlappingsurveysemployingwidelydiffering
source sensor resolution and accuracy is combined to try to predict the relative
importanceofactiveandrelictshelfmorphodynamicprocesses.
Keywords:Multibeam,multi-sensorintegration,calibration,backscatterreduction.
INTRODUCTION challengetomaximizingtheusefulnessofthisdata
willlieinthefinerdetailsrevealed.Thedetailisin
Routineapplicationofmultibeamsonarbathyme- theshorterwavelengthmorphologythatliesclose
tryandbackscatterhasrevolutionizedourunder- to thelimitsof resolution of these systems.
standing of continental shelf morphodynamics. After the first pass interpretation of the current
Theabilitytoviewanear-continuoustopographic stateoftheshelves,futureresearchwillbeincreas-
surface together with variations in seabed back- inglyfocusedonmonitoringtheirtemporalevolu-
scatterstrengthprovidesanoverviewanalogousto tion. The first view provides a snapshot. That
aerialphotography,resultinginavastlyimproved snapshotallowsinferencestobemadeaboutlikely
ability to interpret the seafloor sedimentary pro- sedimentary processes. However, proof of the
cesses (Hughes Clarke etal., 1996). activity of those processes awaits repetitive sur-
One of the most immediate results of this new veying.Proofthattheseabedhaschangedrequires
technology has been the recognition, for the first confidence in the absolute accuracy of both the
time, of the continuity and juxtaposition of long bathymetric and backscatter output of the inte-
wavelengthfeaturessuchasdrownedbeachridges grated sonar system.
and reefs (e.g. Gardner et al., 2005), or moraine Obvious change, such as new slide scars
complexes (e.g. Todd et al., 1999). But the real (Brucker et al., 2007), overprinted iceberg scours
(cid:2)2012InternationalAssociationofSedimentologistsandpublishedforthembyBlackwellPublishingLtd. 3
