Particulate Gravity Currents

Book excerpt: This volume arises from the conference Sediment Transport andDeposition by Particulate Gravity Currents held in the UK in 1998.The field of particulate gravity currents ranges from turbiditycurrents in the oceans, lakes and reservoirs to pyroclastic densitycurrents and avalanches, debris flows and lahars, grainflows,powder snow avalanches, effluent dispersal and ancient gravitycurrent deposits. Although the sub-division of particulate gravity currents intodiscrete sub-categories (such as grain flows, turbidity currents ordebris flows) provides a convenient descriptive shorthand, itundermines the sense of process continuum needed to describe manynatural flows. The structure of this volume reflects an integrativeaim, with papers grouped by research approach. The first section ofthe book contains six papers on theoretical and numerical modellingof a range of flow types. The following four papers are focusedupon combined theoretical and experimental modelling approaches.The next section contains four papers describing experimentalmodelling and the final section includes five papers detailingfield-based studies. The volume stands as a testament to the broad range of researchcarried out on particulate gravity currents, and hints at theenhanced rate of progress that is likely to be achieved throughfurther integrated studies. If you are a member of the International Association ofSedimentologists, for purchasing details, please see:http://www.iasnet.org/publications/details.asp?code=SP31