Clay-laden subaqueous gravity flows: Flow structures, deposits, and run-out distance

Submarine gravity flows constitute the last link in the source-to-sink sediment transport chain. They are the main mechanism for the transportation of sediment from the shallower to the deeper parts of the ocean. Due to their great volume, mobility, and power, they pose a formidable threat to the offshore infrastructures, and can generate tsunamis which can result in human mortality and cause great damage to onshore structures. In addition, deposits of ancient submarine gravity flows host many hydrocarbon reservoirs. The quality of these reservoirs is primarily controlled by the grain size and the clay con- centration of the flows that deposited the sediments. Due to the growing population and rise in the per capita energy consumption, connecting the dynamics of clay-laden density flows to their depositional characteristics has become important for oil and gas exploration purposes. The principle questions that were investigated in this study were: (1) How are the dynamics of subaqueous gravity flows related to their deposits?, and, (2) Why are these flows able to travel so far? ...