Status and Trends in Research on Deep-Water Gravity Flow Deposits

• Published in: Acta geologica Sinica (Beijing) Vol. 89; no. 2; pp. 610 - 631
• Main Authors: Tian, YANG, Yingchang, CAO, Yanzhong, WANG, Ya, LI, ShaoMin, ZHANG
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Richmond Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.04.2015; Wiley Subscription Services, Inc; School of Geosciences, China University of Petroleum(East China), Qingdao 266580, Shandong, China
• Edition: English ed.
• Subjects: Classification; Classification (sedimentation); Classification schemes; Debris; debris flows; deep-water gravity flows; Deposition; depositional model; Development history; Flow theory; genesis; Gravitation; Landslides & mudslides; Materials handling; Pallets; Rheology; Sediments; Trends; Turbidity; 分类方案; 泥沙输移; 流动状态; 深水; 砂质碎屑流; 遗传机制; 重力流沉积; 风暴沉积; turbidity; genesis; debris flows; Development history; depositional model; deep-water gravity flows
• ISSN: 1000-9515; 1755-6724
• DOI: 10.1111/1755-6724.12451

Deep-water gravity flows are one of the most important sediment transport mechanisms on Earth. After 60 years of study, significant achievements have been made in terms of classification schemes, genetic mechanisms, and depositional models of deep-water gravity flows. The research history of deep-water gravity flows can be divided into five stages： incipience of turbidity current theory; formation of turbidity current theory; development of deep-water gravity flow theory; improvement and perfection of deep-water gravity flow theory; and comprehensive development of deep-water gravity flow theory. Currently, three primary classification schemes based on the sediment support mechanism, the rheology and transportation process, and the integration of sediment support mechanisms, rheology, sedimentary characteristics, and flow state are commonly used.Different types of deep-water gravity flow events form different types of gravity flow deposits. Sediment slump retransportation mainly forms muddy debris flows, sandy debris flows, and surge-like turbidity currents. Resuspension of deposits by storms leads to quasi-steady hyperpycnal turbidity currents （hyperpycnal flows）. Sustainable sediment supplies mainly generate muddy debris flows, sandy debris flows, and hyperpycnal flows. Deep-water fans, which are commonly controlled by debris flows and hyperpycnal flows, are triggered by sustainable sediment supply; in contrast, deep-water slope sedimentary deposits consist mainly of debris flows that are triggered by the retransportation of sediment slumps and deep-water fine-grained sedimentary deposits are derived primarily from fine- grained hyperpycnal flows that are triggered by the resuspension of storm deposits. Harmonization of classification schemes, transformation between different types of gravity flow deposit, and monitoring and reproduction of the sedimentary processes of deep-water gravity flows as well as a source-to-sink approach to document the evolution and deposition of deep-water gravity flows are the most important research aspects for future studies of deep-water gravity flows study in the future.