Time-sequence observations of wave-formed sand ripples on an ocean shoreface

Analysis of an 18-day time-lapse film record of shoreface ripple development, with concurrent measurements of near-bottom flow and surface waves, provides new insight on equilibrium bedform conditions, adjustment of ripple planform to variable hydrodynamics, and ripple migration behaviour. The study was conducted in approximately 10 m water depth, 1 km off Martinique Beach on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia (Canada), under low-energy summer wave conditions. Significant wave-height and peak period during the study averaged 0–7 m and 8 s, respectively, with extremes up to 1–7 m and 11 s during passage of three weak weather disturbances. Six mutually exclusive ripple types have been defined: (1) short-wavelength regular ripples; (2) variable bifurcated ripples; (3) variable terminated ripples; (4) short-crested ripples; (5) long-wavelength regular ripples; and (6) chaotic ripples. Ripple wavelength ranged from 0–07 m to 0–24 m and displayed a strong Reynolds number dependence. Together with other published field data, the results suggest a lower limit of γ=0–06 m for the wavelength of wave ripples in ocean shoreface environments. Ripple orientation ranged through 38° and responded rapidly to changes in wave approach direction, but did not conform to the orientation of the adjacent shoreline. Ripples were observed to migrate both on- and off-shore (with and against the wave advance direction) at rates up to ±0–1 m h^-1, associated with net flows other than wave-induced onshore asymmetry and mass transport. Migration (mainly of ripple types 1 and 2) occurred during the peak of storm events, but showed no obvious correlation with measured near-bottom flow magnitude or direction. Ripple behaviour demonstrates equilibrium with prevailing dynamic conditions when straight-crested rippie types 1 and 5 are present. Disequilibrium in orientation or dimensions is expressed by increasing sinuosity, bifurcation and crest termination in types 2,3,4 and 6.     

The development of small scale bedforms in tidal environments: an empirical model for unsteady flow and its applications

Dimensions and plan morphology of current ripples are generally considered to vary with flow velocity and grain size. Recently, however, it has been shown that for sand of D₅₀=0.095 and 0.238 mm the equilibrium dimensions are identical at all velocities within the stability field of ripples and that the plan form of equilibrium ripples is linguoid. On this basis, an empirical unsteady flow model has been developed and tested with flume experiments in order to predict ripple development in natural depositional environments. The model includes the development of washed-out ripples and upper stage plane bed. The unsteady flow model explains the development and preservation of small scale bedforms in various tidal environments more accurately than previous models. Such bedforms can serve, therefore, as indicators of prevailing hydrodynamic conditions.     

浅水非线性波作用下沙纹床面底层流动特性试验研究

通过水槽试验研究浅水非线性波作用下沙纹床面底层流动特性,利用CCD图像技术观测分析非对称沙纹的形成和演化规律。利用声学多普勒测速仪(ADV)测量非对称沙纹底床上的流场,得到了不同波高、周期、水深条件下的沙纹峰顶和谷底断面的瞬时速度。试验结果分析表明,浅水非线性波作用下床面上形成非对称沙纹,其近底流速具有较强紊动特性,随着距床面距离的增大紊动强度逐渐减弱。在水流方向改变时,沙纹背部具有明显漩涡运动。沙纹背后形成的漩涡能起到维持沙纹的作用。浅水非线性波作用下,沙纹的形成原因主要是床面泥沙颗粒在非对称流动和床面近壁粘性底层中漩涡结构动力作用下,作受迫摆动、推移所致。     

Hummocky cross-stratification in the surf zone: flow parameters and bedding genesis

Primary sedimentary structures exhibiting the diagnostic criteria for single sets of hummocky cross-stratification (Harms et al.) have been found in the surf zone of a storm-wave dominated coastline in the Canadian Great Lakes. Epoxy peels of box cores (0.45 m × 0.30 m) reveal hummocky stratification in well-sorted, fine-grained sands in water depths less than 2 m under conditions of wave breaking and strong longshore currents. The wavelengths of the hummocks (0.3–0.6 m) are somewhat smaller than the norm for their ancient analogues, but the ratios of length to height (8–12) are comparable. Depth of activity rods have been used to identify those hummocks that formed during sediment transport events when the near-bed currents were recorded directly using electromagnetic flowmeters. Results from such experiments clearly identify the hummocky stratification as being produced by an actively growing bedform with little or no lateral migration. Hummocks occur under conditions close to that expected for the upper flat bed. In one vertical sequence, the hummocky cross-stratification is underlain by subhorizontal, planar lamination and overlain by undulatory lamination which grades upward into small-scale, trough cross-lamination of wave ripple origin. This sequence was associated with a single storm and would appear to represent a combined-flow regime sequence with the hummocky structure representing a post-vortex (?) ripple bedform. At the inferred time of hummock formation, near-bed oscillatory flows were dominant and reached maxima of 1.1 m s ^?1 with a superimposed longshore current of 0.27 m s^?1. Rapid sedimentation associated with vertical growth of the hummocky bedform was triggered by a significant reduction in the orbital currents (by 19%) and'steady'currents (by 67%) while the total bed shear remained high.     

Ripple marks in intertidal Lower Bhander Sandstone (late Proterozoic), Central India: A morphological analysis

The late Proterozoic, intertidal Lower Bhander Sandstone (Bhander Group, Vindhyan Supergroup) developed around Maihar, central India, is characterized by alternations of sandstone and shale in different scales and shows profuse ripple marks of widely varying morphology. Visual examination of their external morphology led to the identification of wave ripple, current ripple and others of intermediate character.Standard deviation and average of ripple spacing and height of symmetrical and assymmetrical ripples show genetically significant differences analogous to those obtained by Harms (1969) for wave- and current-generated ripples. Different dimensionless parameters, e.g., R.I., R.S.I., S.I., etc., processed separately for the two types of ripples, show a wide variation in their range which encompasses the total spectrum of values stipulated for wave and current ripples. However, the frequency of any particular genetic type of ripple differs widely when analysed in terms of different dimensionless parameters. Several scatter plots, prepared after Tanner (1967) also indicate the presence of various genetic types of ripples, but there are ripples for which results remain inconclusive. Furthermore, scatter plots involving the vertical form index (ripple length/ripple height) and median grain size of a few asymmetrical ripples, following Reineck and Wunderlich (1968a), led to the discrimination between current ripple and wave ripple and the distinction is grossly consistent with the results obtained by other means.Ripple spacing, ripple index and grain-size data of a few representative samples of ripples of possible wave origin, analysed after Tanner (1971) and Allen (1979) indicate that they were generated in a shallow basin with restricted fetch.Internally, the ripples, irrespective of their symmetry, are often characterized by unidirectional bundles of foresets consisting of rhythmically alternating sand and mud laminae. The sets of cross-laminae may be complexly organized with planar or curved erosional boundaries separating them. In many instances internal structures typical of wave ripples are also noted.Inconsistencies, however, exist between the results obtained by application of different criteria in interpretation of these ripple marks. The limitations in applicability of     

An empirical model for the development and equilibrium morphology of current ripples in fine sand

A flume study on the development and equilibrium morphology of current ripples in fine sand (D₅₀ = 0·238 mm) was performed to extend an empirical model for current ripple stability in 0·095 mm sand to larger grain sizes. The results of the flume experiments agree with the very fine sand model that current ripple development from a flat bed is largely independent of flow velocity. At all flow velocities, ripples evolve from incipient, through straight, sinuous and non-equilibrium linguoid, to equilibrium linguoid plan morphology. The time needed to achieve an equilibrium linguoid plan form is related to an inverse power of flow velocity and ranges from several minutes to more than hundreds of hours. Average equilibrium height and length are 17·0 mm and 141·1 mm respectively. These values are about 20% larger than in very fine sand. Equilibrium ripple height and length are proportional to flow velocity near the stability field of dunes. In the same velocity range, a characteristic grouping of ripples with smaller ripples migrating on the upstream face of larger ripples was observed. Bed-form development shows a conspicuous two-phase behaviour at flow velocities < 0·49 m s^?1. In the first phase of development, ripple height and length increase along an exponential path, similar to that at higher flow velocities, thus reaching intermediate equilibrium values of 14·8 mm and 124·5 mm respectively. After some time, however, a second phase commences, that involves a rapid increase in bed-form size to the typical equilibrium values for 0·238 mm sand. A comparison with literature data shows that the results obtained for 0·238 mm sand agree reasonably well with other flume studies at similar grain size. Yet considerable variability in the relationships between ripple dimensions and flow strength ensues from, among others, underestimation of equilibrium time, shallow flow depths and differences in sediment texture.     

渤海西部沙东南构造带东营组古地貌特征及对沉积的控制作用

渤海西部海域沙东南构造带处于沙垒田凸起向沙南凹陷的过渡部位,受继承性凸起、 不同时期同沉积断裂和古沟谷多种因素影响,沉积相的发育较为复杂,制约了下步油气勘探.为此,通过分析由地层厚度法恢复的沙东南构造带东营组各三级层序沉积时期的古地貌,明确了研究区发育凸起区、斜坡区、古沟谷、断槽、浅洼和深洼陷区等多种地貌单元.同时,以...     

Ripple formation in combined transdirectional steady and oscillatory flow

Measurements are described of the geometry of ripples formed on beds of sand exposed to a steady current at right angles to an oscillatory flow. Four different sands were studied. The oscillation was produced by an oscillating tray set into the bed of a steady-flow flume. It was observed that straight-crested ripples formed by oscillatory flow would usually develop a ‘serpentine’ form when the superimposed steady current exceeded a certain limit. For amplitudes of the tray velocity U_∞ less than about 0.38 m s^-1 this limit corresponded to U_∞/ū_*c>31, where ū_*c is the shear velocity measured just upstream of the oscillating tray. It is suggested that the serpentine form is caused by the interaction of vortices carried back and forth between adjacent ripples. On this assumption, the wavelength of the serpentine form would be proportional to the product of period of oscillation and near-bed steady current velocity. The present measurements appear to support this hypothesis although there is also evidence that the wavelength is influenced by preferred spacing patterns between vortices. The measurements also show the ratio of the amplitude of the serpentine form to its wavelength to be approximately constant. Empirical relationships are derived relating ripple geometry to flow and sediment properties. It is observed that the influence of Reynolds number and sediment properties on the geometry is very weak. It is suggested that this is typical of ripples formed with relatively low sediment transport rates. It is also found that, under the present experimental conditions, the ripple spacing in the direction of oscillation is almost independent of the magnitude of the steady current and in close agreement with the wavelengths previously measured in an oscillating water tunnel. This suggests that the additional inertia effects associated with oscillating tray rigs were not sufficient to affect bed geometry under the present test conditions.     

Granule ripples in the Kumtagh Desert,China: Morphology,grain size and influencing factors

Granule ripples are found mainly in four regions of the Kumtagh Desert in China; they are characterized by an asymmetrical shape, with gentle lower slopes on both sides and abrupt crests. The ripples tend to be oriented perpendicular to the prevailing winds, except when they form near obstacles such as yardangs. The wavelengths (λ) range between 0·31 m and 26 m and heights (h) range from 0·015 m to 1 m. The relationship between wavelength and height can be described by a simple linear function, and the mean ripple index (λ/h) is about 20·4 for the study sites. The sediments are poorly sorted, with negative to very negative skewness at lee and stoss slopes and between‐ripple troughs, which confirms the ‘poured in’ and ‘shadow’ appearance described by previous researchers. The bimodal or trimodal distributions of grains (with modes of ?1·16φ, ?0·5φ and 3·16φ) and the enrichment of coarse particles at the ripple surface (with coarse granule contents ranging between 5·2% and 62·1%) indicate that the underlying layer is the original sediment source and that the granule ripples resist erosional processes. Although the impact of saltating particles and, consequently, the creep and reptation of coarse grains are responsible for granule ripple initiation at a micro‐scale, however, the characteristics of local sediments, wind regimes and topographical obstacles, as well as the feedbacks among bedform and airflow, more strongly affect the development and alignment of granule ripples at a macro‐scale.     

Visualization of wave-induced suspension patterns over two-dimensional bedforms

High spatial and temporal resolution measurements of suspended sand concentration ( c ) over vortex ripples were collected with a three-transducer acoustic backscatter sensor (ABS) array, under irregular `natural' waves in a multidirectional wave basin. These measurements permit two-dimensional visualization of the movement of sediment-laden vortices over an individual vortex ripple under a series of waves. Patterns of sediment motion were tracked through consecutive zero-crossings in the horizontal velocity ( U ) record measured at 0·05 m above the ripple crest elevation. It was possible to trace the advection of individual sediment-laden vortices at the zero-crossings. During 73% of these events, shedding and advection of coherent suspension events occurred before the flow reversal associated with the zero-crossing. This may be caused by the bedforms retarding the near-bed flow inducing the eddy shedding before the zero-crossing. While at maxima in U , secondary suspension events with low c were observed to pass over the ripple crest moving with U measured at 0·05 m. This pattern is attributed to vortex shedding from adjacent bedforms and/or antecedent suspension events. The most energetic events appeared to persist for several wave cycles and reached heights of ≈0·20 m. These suspension events appeared to be more persistent when smaller waves follow larger waves, possibly as a result of weaker reversals in vorticity. Although the events appeared to be vertically coherent in the time series from the individual transducers, it is apparent through visualization that these events are associated with the pairing of antecedent and developing vortices.     

Aeolian granule ripple deposits, Namibia

Granule ripples are a common feature of most dunefields, yet they have seldom been recognized in ancient deposits. Although granule ripples are common in erosional settings, such as windward slopes of dunes, or scour surfaces in interdunes, they nevertheless migrate laterally and leave distinctive deposits that can be recognized in ancient rocks. These deposits have characteristics of ‘type B’sand sheet deposits, including: ‘poured-in’texture; curving ripple trough; tangential, coarse-grained foresets; irregular silty layers; well-sorted coarse and fine layers (either horizontal or within foresets); and fine layers in ripple troughs. Wind tunnel experiments suggest that under low-velocity wind conditions, granule ripples grow to a significant degree as parasites dependent on saltation of fine sand grains whose impact moves the larger grains of the granule ripple. Although the depositional surface of granule ripples is commonly coated with a layer of coarse grains, this is in most places only a few grains thick. Underlying deposits commonly have a poorly sorted, or ‘poured-in’texture. This texture results from an admixture of fine grains that fall among the spaces between the larger grains during deposition.     

Undular hydraulic jumps and the formation of backlash ripples on beaches

Field observations are made of the formation of backwash ripples on the beach face, formed by undular hydraulic jumps generated by backwash down the beach face colliding with wave bores. Measured ripple wavelengths range from set averages of 48 to 70 cm. Within a particular set of ripples the spacing tends to decrease in the offshore direction. These observations are compared with laboratory experiments where undular jumps are generated in a flume, and with a computer simulation model which calculates both the flow within an undular hydraulic jump and the resulting sediment transport which gives rise to the backwash ripples. The computer model involves a numerical solution of the Bousssinesq equations which govern the fluid flow, and sediment transport equations which relate the sand transport rate to the local mean flow velocity. The model permits a study of the detailed time-history of the undular jump development and the formation of the backwash ripples and shows good agreement with the field observations of backwash ripples, predicting an offshore decrease in their spacings. The laboratory experiments showed a similar result so long as the Froude number of the supercritical flow before the jump occurs is small (c. 1–4). Small differences between the computer model and experiments arose principally from the neglect of internal friction and surface tension in the model.     

Laboratory investigations into the threshold of movement of natural sand-sized sediments under unidirectional, oscillatory and combined flows

The threshold of movement of sediment obtained from sandbanks within the Bristol Channel (UK) is investigated under unidirectional, oscillatory and combined flows. The experiments were undertaken in a recirculating, unidirectional laboratory flume containing an oscillating plate to simulate wave action, with movement along the same axis as the unidirectional flows. The sand samples consisted of cohesionless quartz grains with median grain sizes between 0·315 and 0·513 mm. The experiments were performed under flow velocities (measured at 2 cm above the bed) ranging between 0 and 24 cm s^–1 and oscillatory currents (wave periods of 5, 12 and 15 s) ranging from 0 to 28 cm s^–1. The critical conditions for the initiation of sediment movement were assessed, by visual observation, using the Yalin criterion. The results show that, under unidirectional flow, there is a slight overestimation of the threshold of naturally graded sediments derived on the basis of empirically derived threshold curves for artificially prepared sediments under similar flow conditions. In the case of oscillatory flows, the threshold for the natural sands is found to be higher than that predicted by previously derived empirical curves. Under combined flows, wave period is shown to control threshold conditions, with the unidirectional and oscillatory flow components combining in a linear fashion for long-period (12 s and 15 s) waves. In contrast, in the presence of short-period (5 s) waves, the unidirectional and oscillatory components of the flow appear to 'decouple'. For high orbital velocities, in both cases, the effect of the wave period on threshold diminishes.     

Microbial influence on erosion,grain transport and bedform genesis in sandy substrates under unidirectional flow

Interpreting the physical dynamics of ancient environments requires an understanding of how current‐generated sedimentary structures, such as ripples and dunes, are created. Traditional interpretations of these structures are based on experimental flume studies of unconsolidated quartz sand, in which stepwise increases in flow velocity yield a suite of sedimentary structures analogous to those found in the rock record. Yet cyanobacteria, which were excluded from these studies, are pervasive in wet sandy environments and secrete sufficient extracellular polysaccharides to inhibit grain movement and markedly change the conditions under which sedimentary structures form. Here, the results of flume experiments using cyanobacteria‐inoculated quartz sand are reported which demonstrate that microbes strongly influence the behaviour of unconsolidated sand. In medium sand, thin (ca 0·1 to 0·5 mm thick) microbial communities growing at the sediment–water interface can nearly double the flow velocity required to produce the traditional sequence of ripple→dune→plane‐bed lamination bedforms. In some cases, these thin film‐like microbial communities can inhibit the growth of ripples or dunes entirely, and instead bed shear stresses result in flip‐over and rip‐up structures. Thicker (ca≥1 mm thick) microbial mats mediate terracing of erosional edges; they also, foster transport of multi‐grain aggregates and yield a bedform progression consisting of flip‐overs→roll‐ups→rip‐ups of bound sand.     

Gutter casts from the Proterozoic Bijaygarh Shale Formation,India: Their implication for storm-induced circulation in shelf settings

The orientations of elongate gutter casts occurring in inner shelf storm deposits of the Proterozoic Bijaygarh Shale Formation, India reveal a modal population oriented roughly parallel to the average trend of the associated wave ripples. Assuming that the wave ripple trend approximately represents the orientation of the contemporary shoreline, the shore-parallel gutters appear to have been formed by the geostrophic current. Some gutters oriented at high angles to the inferred shoreline presumably represent incision by wave orbital currents in a storm-induced combined flow regime. The gutters also show variations in the style of incision and infill, which may be useful in distinguishing between gutters formed by wave orbital and geostrophic currents, independently of their orientation pattern with respect to the palaeo-shoreline.     

Effect of velocity hiatuses in oscillatory flow on migration and geometry of ripples: wave‐flume experiments

A series of wave‐flume experiments was conducted to closely look at characteristics of geometry and migration of wave‐generated ripples, with particular reference to the effect of velocity ‘hiatuses’ during which the near‐bed flow velocity becomes much smaller than the threshold of sediment movement. Three types of wave patterns were generated: two types for simulating waves with intervening velocity hiatuses; and regular waves for comparison purposes. In the former two types, two different wavelengths of water waves were generated alternately in the course of a wave test: the wave with a longer wavelength was set large enough to mobilize the bottom sediment, whereas the wave with a shorter wavelength was set too small to mobilize the sediment. The former two types were designed to be different in sequence of convexity and concavity of wave patterns. The sequence with the convex–concave longer wave and successive convex–concave shorter wave was described as a ‘zero‐up‐crossing’ wave pattern, and the inverse sequence was described as a ‘zero‐down‐crossing’ wave pattern. The ripples developed under oscillatory flow with intervening hiatuses manifested the following characteristics in geometry and migration. (i) The morphological characteristics of ripples, namely wavelength, height and the ripple steepness, are unaffected by the intervening hiatuses of velocity. (ii) The directions of ripple migration under the zero‐up‐crossing and zero‐down‐crossing wave patterns corresponded well with the directions of the flow immediately before onset of the hiatuses. (iii) The observation of sand particle movement on the ripple surface indicated that, under the zero‐up‐crossing waves, the velocity hiatus prevents the entrained sediment cloud from being thrown onshore, and thus the sediment grains thrown onshore are fewer than those thrown offshore. As a result of the sediment movement over one wave‐cycle, the net sediment transport is directed offshore under the zero‐up‐crossing wave pattern. (iv) The velocity of ripple migration was highly correlated with acceleration skewness. Under most of the zero‐up‐crossing (zero‐down‐crossing) wave patterns, flow acceleration skewed negative (positive) and ripples migrated offshore (onshore).     

Mud dispersal across a Cretaceous prodelta: Storm‐generated,wave‐enhanced sediment gravity flows inferred from mudstone microtexture and microfacies

Determining sediment transport direction in ancient mudrocks is difficult. In order to determine both process and direction of mud transport, a portion of a well‐mapped Cretaceous delta system was studied. Oriented samples from outcrop represent prodelta environments from ca 10 to 120 km offshore. Oriented thin sections of mudstone, cut in three planes, allowed bed microstructure and palaeoflow directions to be determined. Clay mineral platelets are packaged in equant, face‐face aggregates 2 to 5 μm in diameter that have a random orientation; these aggregates may have formed through flocculation in fluid mud. Cohesive mud was eroded by storms to make intraclastic aggregates 5 to 20 μm in diameter. Mudstone beds are millimetre‐scale, and four microfacies are recognized: Well‐sorted siltstone forms millimetre‐scale combined‐flow ripples overlying scoured surfaces; deposition was from turbulent combined flow. Silt‐streaked claystone comprises parallel, sub‐millimetre laminae of siliceous silt and clay aggregates sorted by shear in the boundary layer beneath a wave‐supported gravity flow of fluid mud. Silty claystone comprises fine siliceous silt grains floating in a matrix of clay and was deposited by vertical settling as fluid mud gelled under minimal current shear. Homogeneous clay‐rich mudstone has little silt and may represent late‐stage settling of fluid mud, or settling from wave‐dissipated fluid mud. It is difficult or impossible to correlate millimetre‐scale beds between thin sections from the same sample, spaced only ca 20 mm apart, due to lateral facies change and localized scour and fill. Combined‐flow ripples in siltstone show strong preferred migration directly down the regional prodelta slope, estimated at ca 1 : 1000. Ripple migration was effected by drag exerted by an overlying layer of downslope‐flowing, wave‐supported fluid mud. In the upper part of the studied section, centimetre‐scale interbeds of very fine to fine‐grained sandstone show wave ripple crests trending shore normal, whereas combined‐flow ripples migrated obliquely alongshore and offshore. Storm winds blowing from the north‐east drove shore‐oblique geostrophic sand transport whereas simultaneously, wave‐supported flows of fluid mud travelled downslope under the influence of gravity. Effective wave base for sand, estimated at ca 40 m, intersected the prodelta surface ca 80 km offshore whereas wave base for mud was at ca 70 m and lay ca 120 km offshore. Small‐scale bioturbation of mud beds co‐occurs with interbedded sandstone but stratigraphically lower, sand‐free mudstone has few or no signs of benthic fauna. It is likely that a combination of soupground substrate, frequent storm emplacement of fluid mud, low nutrient availability and possibly reduced bottom‐water oxygen content collectively inhibited benthic fauna in the distal prodelta.     

A unified model for bedform development and equilibrium under unidirectional,oscillatory and combined‐flows

The development of bedforms under unidirectional, oscillatory and combined‐flows results from temporal changes in sediment transport, flow and morphological response. In such flows, the bedform characteristics (for example, height, wavelength and shape) change over time, from their initiation to equilibrium with the imposed conditions, even if the flow conditions remain unchanged. These variations in bedform morphology during development are reflected in the sedimentary structures preserved in the rock record. Hence, understanding the time and morphological development in which bedforms evolve to an equilibrium stage is critical for informed reconstruction of the ancient sedimentary record. This article presents results from a laboratory flume study on bedform development and equilibrium development time conducted under purely unidirectional, purely oscillatory and combined‐flow conditions, which aimed to test and extend an empirical model developed in past work solely for unidirectional ripples. The present results yield a unified model for bedform development and equilibrium under unidirectional, oscillatory and combined‐flows. The experimental results show that the processes of bedform genesis and growth are common to all types of flows, and can be characterized into four stages: (i) incipient bedforms; (ii) growing bedforms; (iii) stabilizing bedforms; and (iv) fully developed bedforms. Furthermore, the development path of bedform; growth exhibits the same general trend for different flow types (for example, unidirectional, oscillatory and combined‐flows), bedform size (for example, small versus large ripples), bedform shape (for example, symmetrical or rounded), bedform planform geometry (for example, two‐dimensional versus three‐dimensional), flow velocities and sediment grain sizes. The equilibrium time for a wide range of bed configurations was determined and found to be inversely proportional to the sediment transport flux occurring for that flow condition.     

Climbing ripple structure and associated storm-lamination from a Proterozoic carbonate platform succession: Their environmental and petrogenetic significance

The Mesoproterozoic Pandikunta Limestone, a shallow water carbonate platform succession in the Pranhita-Godavari Valley, south India, displays well developed climbing ripple lamination and storm deposited structures, such as HCS, wave ripple-lamination, combined-flow ripple-lamination and low angle trough cross-stratification. Different types of stratification developed in calcisiltite with minor amounts of very fine quartz sand and silt. The climbing ripple structures exhibit a complex pattern of superposition of different types (type A, B and S) within cosets pointing to a fluctuating rate of suspension depositionversus bedform migration, and an unsteady character of the flow. Close association of climbing ripple structures, HCS with anisotropic geometry, wavy lamination and combined-flow ripple-lamination suggest that the structures were formed by storm generated combined-flow in a mid-shelf area above the storm wave base. The combined-flow that deposited the climbing ripple structures had a strong unidirectional flow component of variable magnitude. The climbing ripple structure occurs as a constituent of graded stratified beds with an ordered vertical sequence of different types of lamination, reflecting flow deceleration and increased rate of suspension deposition. It is inferred that the beds were deposited from high-density waning flows in the relatively deeper part of the ancient shelf. The structures indicate that the Pandikunta platform was subjected to open marine circulation and intense storm activities. The storm deposited beds, intercalated with beds of lime-mudstone, consist primarily of fine sand and silt size carbonate particles that were hydrodynamically similar to quartz silt. Detrital carbonate particles are structureless and are of variable roundness. The particles were generated as primary carbonate clasts in coastal areas by mechanical disintegration of rapidly lithified beds, stromatolites or laminites, and the finest grade was transported to the offshore areas by storm-generated currents.