Boundary Layer Flow and Sediment Transport Dynamics on the Amazon Continental Shelf

这个项目是早先一个项目的延续，该项目调查了亚马逊河河口附近大陆架上细颗粒沉积物的积累情况。最早的研究证明沉积物是主动堆积的，后来的研究发现了控制堆积的沉积过程。该项目将详细研究这些过程的运作以及它们如何影响沉积地层的形成。这项新的研究将作为AMasSeds(多学科亚马逊陆架沉积物研究)的沉积学和地层学部分进行，该研究是美国和巴西科学家的合作项目。该项目涉及物理、化学、生物和地质科学的合作。该项目将研究浅海环境中的边界层流动和悬浮泥沙动力学。鉴于迄今取得的进展和仪器的能力，下一个合乎逻辑的步骤是扩大这项工作，以包括波-流相互作用和大陆架沉积物运输的细节。拟议的目标被分为四个主要的悬而未决的问题：(1)沉积物积累，(2)物理改造，(3)河流沉积物的扩散，(4)细尺度地层的起源。该项目将使用陆架三脚架GeoProbe收集数据以解决这些问题，还将建造一个悬浮沉积物剖面系统，并使用高频回声测深仪分别调查河流沉积物的扩散预算和浮泥特性。从开始，计划对四个阶段的河道排放进行合作实地研究。

This project is a continuation of an earlier project that investigated the accumulation of fine-grained sediment on the continental shelf near the mouth of the Amazon River. The earliest research proved that sediment was actively accumulating, and later research identified the sedimentary processes controlling accumulation. This project will examine in detail the operation of the processes and how they affect the formation of sedimentary strata. This new research will be done as the Sedimentology and Stratigraphy portion of AmasSeds (A Multi-disciplinary Amazon Shelf Sediment Study), which is a cooperative project between US and Brazilian scientists. The project involves collaboration of Physical, Chemical, Biological and Geological Sciences. %%% The project will investigate boundary layer flow and suspended sediment dynamics in the shallow marine environment. In view of progress to date and the capabilities of the instrumentation, the next logical step is to extend the work to include wave-current interactions and the details of shelf sediment transport. The proposed objectives are divided into four major unresolved issues resulting from prior Amazon studies: (1) sediment accumulation, (2) physical reworking, (3) dispersal of river sediment, and (4) origin of fine-scale stratigraphy. The project will use the shelf tripod GEOPROBE to collect data to address these issues and also construct a suspended sediment profiling system and use a high frequency echo sounder to investigate river sediment dispersal budgets and fluid mud properties respectively. Cooperative field studies are planned for four stages of river discharge beginning in 1989.