Date of Award
Spring 5-2017
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
M.S.
Degree Program
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Department
Earth and Environmental Sciences
Major Professor
Ioannis Georgiou
Second Advisor
Kyle Straub
Third Advisor
John McCorquodale
Abstract
In this study we assessed growth laws of sub-delta crevasses in the Mississippi River delta plain, experimental laboratory deltas, and compared them to previously studied river dominated large deltas worldwide. Metrics for channel and delta geometry for each system were obtained using a combination of geospatial tools, bathymetric datasets, sediment size, and hydrodynamic observations. Most crevasses and experimental deltas appear to obey delta growth laws suggesting that they exhibit planform metrics similar to larger deltas. However, some channels within each system, exhibit outlier behavior (e.g. asymmetric growth) where channel length is much larger than channel width. Hydrodynamic observations and morphodynamic modeling results, support the role of confinement in governing this response, through direct lateral confinement of the receiving basin width and depth thus guiding channels, and indirect confinement caused by sediment cohesion, whereby natural levees guide the systems asymmetric channel growth.
Recommended Citation
Yocum, Tara A., "Growth laws for sub-delta crevasses in the Mississippi River Delta: observations and modeling" (2017). University of New Orleans Theses and Dissertations. 2339.
https://scholarworks.uno.edu/td/2339
Rights
The University of New Orleans and its agents retain the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible this dissertation or thesis in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. The author retains all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis or dissertation.