Seabed sediment transport pathway investigations: review of scientific approach and methodologies

Abstract

AbstractAn understanding of the geomorphological evolution of the coastal and inner continental shelf environments, in response to natural and/or anthropogenic forcings, depends upon a comprehensive knowledge of the prevailing sediment dynamics. In this contribution, selected methods/tools that can be used to study seabed mobility/transport patterns, are described and these all reviewed in relation to their inherent limitations.The geological, morphological, hydrodynamic and sedimentary information (the environmental framework) necessary to develop a general understanding of the areas investigated are identified. This preliminary information prescribes the investigative tools to be utilized subsequently, i.e. the collection/analysis of data; these can define geomorphological and sedimentological indicators of sediment transport, hydrodynamic/sediment transport field observations and numerical simulations.The results derived from the various methods can be used then independently or, preferably in combination, to establish conceptual models of seabed sediment dynamics over the investigated area. The coherence between the outputs of the different methods/tools controls the confidence level (high, medium or low) of the models. This approach is illustrated in relation to case studies from the southern UK inner continental shelf.