Interpreting flash flood palaeoflow parameters from antidunes and gravel lenses: An example from Montserrat,West Indies

The wavelength of stationary water‐surface waves and their associated antidune bedforms are related to the mean velocity and depth of formative flow. In past published sand‐bed flume experiments, it was found that lens structures were preserved during antidune growth and change, and the dimension of the lenses was empirically related to antidune wavelength, and thus could be used to estimate flow velocity and depth. This study is the first to compare observations of formative flow conditions and resulting sedimentary structures in a natural setting, testing the previously published relationship at a field‐scale. Trains of stationary and upstream migrating water‐surface waves were prevalent during the flash flood in October 2012 in the Belham Valley, Montserrat, West Indies. Wave positions and wavelengths were assessed at 900 sec intervals through the daylight hours of the event within a monitored reach. The wave data indicate flow depths up to 1·3 m and velocity up to 3·6 m sec^?1. Sedimentary structures formed by antidune growth and change were preserved in the event deposit. These structures include lenses of clast‐supported gravel and massive sand, with varying internal architecture. The lenses and associated low‐angle strata are comparable to sand‐bed structures formed from stationary and upstream migrating waves in flume experiments, confirming the diagnostic value of these structures. Using mean lens length in the event deposit underestimated peak flow conditions during the flood and implied that the lenses were preserved during waning flow.     

Architectural analysis of a volcaniclastic jökulhlaup deposit, southern Iceland: sedimentary evidence for supercritical flow

The 1918 eruption of the glacially capped Katla volcano, southern Iceland, generated a violent jökulhlaup, or glacial outburst flood, inundating a large area of Mýrdalssandur, the proglacial outwash plain, where it deposited ca 1 km³ of volcaniclastic sediment. The character of the 1918 jökulhlaup is contentious, having been variously categorized as a turbulent water flow, a hyperconcentrated flow or as a debris flow, based on localized outcrop analysis. In this study, outcrop‐based architectural analyses of the 1918 deposits reveal the presence of lenticular and tabular bedsets associated with deposition from quasi‐stationary antidunes and down‐current migrating antidunes, and from regular based bedsets, associated with transient chute‐and‐pool bedforms, all of which are associated with turbulent, transcritical to supercritical water flow conditions. Antidune wavelengths range from 24 to 96 m, corresponding to flow velocities of 6 to 12 m sec^?1 and average flow depths of 5 to 19 m. This range of calculated flow velocities is in good agreement with estimates made from eyewitness accounts. Architectural analysis of the 1918 jökulhlaup deposits has led to an improved estimation of flow parameters and flow hydraulics associated with the 1918 jökulhlaup that could not have been achieved through localized outcrop analysis. The observations presented here provide additional sedimentological and architectural criteria for the recognition of deposits associated with transcritical and supercritical water flow conditions. The physical scale of sedimentary architectures associated with the migration of bedforms is largely dependent on the magnitude of the formative flow events or processes; sedimentary analyses must therefore be undertaken at the appropriate physical scale if reliable interpretations, regarding modes of deposition and formative flow hydraulics, are to be made.     

Evolution of a carbonate delta generated by gateway‐funnelling of episodic currents

Cool‐water carbonate sedimentation has dominated Mediterranean shelves since the Early Pliocene. Skeletal sand and gravel herein consist of remains of heterozoan organisms, which are susceptible to reworking due to weak early cementation in non‐tropical waters. This study documents the Lower Pleistocene carbonate wedge of Favignana Island (Italy), which prograded from a 5   km wide passage between two palaeo‐islands into a perpendicular, 10 to 15   km wide strait between the palaeo‐islands at one side and Sicily at the other during the Emilian highstand (1·6   Ma to 1·1   Ma). The clinoformed carbonate wedge, which is 50   m thick and 6   km long, formed by east/south‐east progradation of a platform on the submarine sill by currents that were funnelled between the two palaeo‐islands. Platform‐slope clinoforms evolved from initial aggradation (thin and low‐angle) into a progradation phase (thick and high‐angle). Both clinoform types are characterized by a bimodal facies stacking pattern defined by sedimentary structures created by: (i) subaqueous dunes associated with dilute subcritical currents; and (ii) upper‐flow‐regime bedforms associated with sediment‐laden supercritical turbidity currents. Focusing of episodic currents on the platform by funnelling between the islands controlled the downstream formation of a sediment body, here named carbonate delta. The carbonate delta interfingers with subaqueous dune deposits formed in the perpendicular strait. This study uses a reconstruction of bedform dynamics to unravel the evolution of this gateway‐related carbonate accumulation.     

Formation and preservation of open-framework gravel strata in unidirectional flows

Open‐framework gravel (OFG) in river deposits is important because of its exceptionally high permeability, resulting from the lack of sediment in the pore spaces between the gravel grains. Fluvial OFG occurs as planar strata and cross strata of varying scale, and is interbedded with sand and sandy gravel. The origin of OFG has been related to: (1) proportion of sand available relative to gravel; (2) separation of sand from gravel during a specific flow stage and sediment transport rate (either high, falling or low); (3) separation of sand from gravel in bedforms superimposed on the backs of larger bedforms; (4) flow separation in the lee of dunes or unit bars. Laboratory flume experiments were undertaken to test and develop these theories for the origin of OFG. Bed sediment size distribution (sandy gravel with a mean diameter of 1·5 mm) was kept constant, but flow depth, flow velocity and aggradation rate were varied. Bedforms produced under these flow conditions were bedload sheets, dunes and unit bars. The fundamental cause of OFG is the sorting of sand from gravel associated with flow separation at the crest of bedforms, and further segregation of grain sizes during avalanching on the steep lee side. Sand in transport near the bed is deposited in the trough of the bedform, whereas bed‐load gravel avalanches down the leeside and overruns the sand in the trough. The effectiveness of this sorting mechanism increases as the height of the bedform increases. Infiltration of sand into the gravel framework is of minor importance in these experiments, and occurs mainly in bedform troughs. The geometry and proportion of OFG in fluvial deposits are influenced by variation in height of bedforms as they migrate, superposition of small bedforms on the backs of larger bedforms, aggradation rate, and changes in sediment supply. If the height of a bedform increases as it migrates downstream, so does the amount of OFG. Changes in the character of OFG on the lee‐side of unit bars depend on grain‐size sorting in the superimposed bedforms (dunes and bedload sheets). Thick deposits of cross‐stratified OFG require high bedforms (dunes, unit bars) and large amounts of aggradation. These conditions might be expected to occur during high falling stages in the deeper parts of river channels adjacent to compound‐bar tails and downstream of confluence scours. Increase in the amount of sand supplied relative to gravel reduces the development of OFG. Such increases in sand supply may be related to falling flow stage and/or upstream erosion of sandy deposits.     

清水冲刷条件下长江中游沙卵石河段局部卵石淤积成因

为探究三峡水库持续下泄清水条件下长江中游沙卵过渡段内卵石局部冲刷、搬运和淤积现象的成因,采用近期水文、泥沙和地形观测资料,结合河道平面二维水动力模型,计算了研究河段内各级流量下的泥沙起动粒径分布,分析了上游来流、下游水位变化的影响,辨析了河床冲淤的成因。结果表明:①45 000 m³/s以上流量时,粒径大于30 mm的卵石可沿洪水主流带连续搬运;流量低于15 000 m³/s时,大粒径卵石只能沿枯期主流在浅滩河段局部搬运;流量介于两者之间时,水流对大粒径卵石的输移动力相对较弱。②三峡建库后,洪水量级削减而枯水天数增多,不利于卵石长距离下移,而水位下降不断溯源传递,促使枯水流路上原本稳定的区域开始冲刷。③局部淤积现象由枯期水动力增强所导致,与长江中游沙卵过渡段特殊的地貌和沉积环境有关。卵石局部冲淤调整可能在河段内多个位置长期存在,需引起关注。     

清水冲刷条件下长江中游沙卵石河段局部卵石淤积成因

为探究三峡水库持续下泄清水条件下长江中游沙卵过渡段内卵石局部冲刷、搬运和淤积现象的成因，采用近期水文、泥沙和地形观测资料，结合河道平面二维水动力模型，计算了研究河段内各级流量下的泥沙起动粒径分布，分析了上游来流、下游水位变化的影响，辨析了河床冲淤的成因。结果表明：① 45 000 m³/s以上流量时，粒径大于30 mm的卵石可沿洪水主流带连续搬运；流量低于15 000 m³/s时，大粒径卵石只能沿枯期主流在浅滩河段局部搬运；流量介于两者之间时，水流对大粒径卵石的输移动力相对较弱。② 三峡建库后，洪水量级削减而枯水天数增多，不利于卵石长距离下移，而水位下降不断溯源传递，促使枯水流路上原本稳定的区域开始冲刷。③ 局部淤积现象由枯期水动力增强所导致，与长江中游沙卵过渡段特殊的地貌和沉积环境有关。卵石局部冲淤调整可能在河段内多个位置长期存在，需引起关注。     

Rare earth elements of the Altar Desert dune and coastal sands, Northwestern Mexico

Twenty-one surficial sand samples from the Altar Desert coastal and desert dune systems were analysed for rare earth elements (REE) content. This was done to observe the provenance signatures for four strategic dune localities near the Colorado River Delta, the El Pinacate dune fields, and the beaches of the north of the Gulf of California in the state of Sonora, Mexico. Our goals are to show which mechanisms (i.e., aeolian, marine) exert more influence on the composition of the Altar Desert dune sands. This study also shows the usefulness of REE spatial distribution to determine the relative mobility of the sand. Some sand samples from the dune systems in San Luis Río Colorado (SLRC), Golfo de Santa Clara (GSC), and Puerto Peñasco (PP) displayed dissimilar REE concentrations with respect to the rest of the sand samples from the same sites. These differences can be related to short aeolian transport distance in the sands with high REE concentrations and long aeolian transport distance in the sands with low REE concentrations. Besides, high REE concentration in the sands might be due to their closeness to the Colorado River Delta sediments and to recycled sands derived from granitic rocks. In contrast, all the sand samples from the El Pinacate (EP) site have similar REE concentration values, suggesting that the El Pinacate dune sands are influenced by more selective aeolian processes and less diverse heavy mineral content. The Altar Desert dune sands are derived from granitic sources eroded by the Colorado River. Our results also indicate that the Altar Desert dune sands are low in heavy mineral content (with the exception of Fe and Ti bearing minerals) and enriched in carbonates with phosphates (especially at the PP site) yielding poor correlations between REE and major element concentrations. The REE geographical distribution values in the Altar Desert dune sands indicate that light and heavy REE concentration values are related to aeolian transport, maturity of the sands, their low weathering rates, proximity of the source rocks, and the biogenic debris input from beach sands into the dune.     

Morphodynamics and sedimentary structures of bedforms under supercritical‐flow conditions: New insights from flume experiments

Supercritical‐flow phenomena are fairly common in modern sedimentary environments, yet their recognition and analysis remain difficult in the stratigraphic record. This fact is commonly ascribed to the poor preservation potential of deposits from high‐energy supercritical flows. However, the number of flume data sets on supercritical‐flow dynamics and sedimentary structures is very limited in comparison with available data for subcritical flows, which hampers the recognition and interpretation of such deposits. The results of systematic flume experiments spanning a broad range of supercritical‐flow bedforms (antidunes, chutes‐and‐pools and cyclic steps) developed in mobile sand beds of variable grain sizes are presented. Flow character and related bedform patterns are constrained through time‐series measurements of bed configurations, flow depths, flow velocities and Froude numbers. The results allow the refinement and extension of some widely used bedform stability diagrams in the supercritical‐flow domain, clarifying in particular the morphodynamic relations between antidunes and cyclic steps. The onset of antidunes is controlled by flows exceeding a threshold Froude number. The transition from antidunes to cyclic steps in fine to medium‐grained sand occurs at a threshold mobility parameter. Sedimentary structures associated with supercritical bedforms developed under variable aggradation rates are revealed by means of combining flume results and synthetic stratigraphy. The sedimentary structures are compared with examples from field and other flume studies. Aggradation rate is seen to exert an important control on the geometry of supercritical‐flow structures and should be considered when identifying supercritical bedforms in the sedimentary record.     

砂砾土渗流侵蚀中细粒迁移-沉积-滤通的物理水力临界条件

细粒迁移机制是理解砂砾土渗流侵蚀过程的基础与关键,对研究砂砾土斜坡雨水侵蚀过程的细观致灾机制具有重要意义。目前其运移模式及运移状态发生转变的临界条件并不清晰,不同物理水力条件下的细粒运动类型有所不同。为掌握砂砾土侵蚀过程中细粒的整体运动类型及其发生改变的临界条件,采用可视圆柱入渗试验和离散元数值模拟,分析了细粒迁移的影响因素和内部机理。结果表明：（1）细粒迁移受级配和水力梯度影响显著,而受初始孔隙率影响不显著,且级配的影响大于水力梯度;（2）水力作用下细粒整体运动状态可分为沉积和滤通2种模式,内部结构不稳定的砂砾土细粒运动处于滤通状态,内部结构稳定和稳定性过渡型砂砾土随水力梯度升高细粒的运动状态从整体沉积转变为整体滤通;（3）细粒运动状态在粒径比和水力梯度共同作用下存在明显界限,最终得到细粒沉积-滤通转变的临界条件为$ i = 3.4 - $$ 0.12{{\text{e}}^{\left( {{D_{15}}/{d_{85}}} \right)/1.5}} $。研究可为砂砾土斜坡渗蚀失稳防护提供理论指导。     

湖南常德南斗姆湖地区早更新世砾石层砾组分析与沉积特征研究

为了查明洞庭盆地西缘早更新世砾石层沉积特征及沉积环境,在1:5万地质调查基础上,对常德南斗姆湖地区几处第四系砾石层剖面进行了较系统的测量与统计。结果表明: 砾石成分主要来源于寒武纪或前寒武纪地层。砾石分选系数S_a 为1.16~1.64,部分测点S_a>1.40,反映砾石形成时水动力很强,部分砾石层为快速堆积。砾石扁度F为2.06~2.32,大于2.0,砾石以扁平状为主。砾石普遍弱—中等风化,部分砾石强风化,反映砾石在沉积搬运过程中存在风化暴露。砾向分析显示古水流主要来源于SWW—NW向,表明砾石层形成时期古地貌与现有地貌有较大差异。剖面对比得出,区内砾石层是在冲洪积扇基础上发育的以辫状河相为主的沉积体。对研究区砾石层沉积相及古地貌的新认识,为区内金刚石原生矿床的找矿工作提供支撑。     

Modelling the formation of residual dune ridges behind barchan dunes in North-east Brazil

Residual dune ridges are often formed by vegetation growing along a line some distance upwind of the lower stoss slope of migrating dunes. This process is common in areas where vegetation germinates along the edge of the water during the rainy period when the water level is higher and interdune areas are flooded. The phenomenon occurs on a large scale in North‐east Brazil, because of the rise and fall in groundwater level at the end of the rainy season. Each residual dune ridge corresponds to the position of the dune during the wet period in each year. Therefore, variations in the distance between these residual dune ridges could be used potentially to monitor climatic fluctuations in rainfall and wind. To examine the potential use of these residual dune ridges for the reconstruction of past climatic fluctuations, a model that simulates them under varying conditions of wind, rainfall and evaporation rates was formulated. The model was tested for sensitivity to climatic variability in North‐east Brazil and validated against residual dune ridge displacements as measured in the field and from high spatial resolution satellite images. Based on the results, it is concluded that residual dune ridges may not form in North‐east Brazil in years which are exceptionally dry, as may happen during El‐Niño events. When this type of event happens, the distance between adjacent residual dune ridges corresponds to more than one year and, therefore, the correlation between dune displacements and wind power becomes weak or even disappears. Additionally, because of biotic, aeolian and hydrological processes, these arcuate residual dune ridges may not preserve their initial shape for long periods. The presence of residual dune ridges testifies to the temporary flooding which may or may not be seasonal. However, the potential for using residual dune ridges to reconstruct the palaeo‐climate of wind regime on a yearly basis or to identify past El‐Niño events seems to be limited.     

细粒含量Pc＜25％渗透变形类型为非管涌碎砾石的颗粒级配特征及判别方法

细粒含量判别法是无黏性粗粒土渗透变形类型主要判别方法,但细粒含量Pc25%渗透变形类型为流土和过渡的碎砾石,其渗透变形类型不符合细粒含量判别准则.通过对46个工程310个试样(其中Pc25%的试样数214个),渗透变形试验结果统计分析发现,该类土虽然仅占同级配段(Pc25%)比例为6.1%,但其颗粒级配曲线均具有独特特征,即各粒径级颗粒含量均较均匀,即Cu均大于5,Cc多数为1.0~3.0之间,即该类土大多数为优良级配,进一步分析发现其D15/d85之比均小于等于5,进而提出用D15/d85≤5作为判别该类土的方法.     

A biological origin for gravel mounds in inland Australia

More than 1000 near-circular mounds up to 40 m diameter and 2.1 m high, which contain 15–1250 m³ (mean 159 m³) of gravel, have been identified in western New South Wales. Mounds are more pebble-rich than the surrounding surface regolith and contain abundant pebbles to 1196 g weight. Resemblance to smaller gravel nest mounds of the malleefowl (Leipoa ocellata) suggests they were constructed by a similar although larger bird. Pebbles were inadvertently concentrated in the nest mounds during construction and maintenance. Formation by geological mechanisms, as burrow spoil or burial mounds is not compatible with the features of the mounds. The mounds are undated, but partial blanketing by eolian sand suggests they predate the Last Glacial Maximum. The mounds are now spatially associated with Casuarina trees. Pollen records in southeastern Australia reveal that shrub and grassland replaced Casuarina woodland as aridity increased after ca 35 000 yrs BP. Climate change driven habitat loss in the semi-arid zone likely caused the extinction of the apparently Casuarina woodland dependent megapode responsible for the gravel mounds. The mounds partly map the megapode distribution and provide an opportunity to date the local extinction of a megafauna member, compare this to climate and vegetation changes, and determine the duration of overlap with human occupation.     

甘肃岷县浑水沟泥包砾成因机制及其灾害意义

2020年8月, 甘东南地区持续降雨且伴随多个强降雨过程, 岷县梅川镇浑水沟暴发泥石流, 左岸方家山滑坡失稳下滑, 严重威胁沟口成兰铁路安全。基于野外调查、遥感解译和室内测试结果, 分析泥包砾的形态结构、矿物组成以及堆积特征, 研究泥包砾形成的地质环境和机制, 探讨泥包砾的灾害意义。研究结果表明: 泥包砾分布于浑水沟流通区下游及堆积区, 呈球形且具多层结构, 由石英、方解石、黏土矿物等组成, 其形成主要受控于流域第四系黄土和古近系泥岩中的黏土矿物, 而较缓的沟道、岸坡黄土滑坡和崩塌的发育以及适宜的水动力条件, 促进了泥包砾的形成和自生加大; 泥石流冲击力随着泥包砾粒径的增大而增大, 再起动所需临界泥石流流速相较于块石较小; 泥包砾是古近系泥岩与泥石流共同作用的结果, 具有加剧泥石流危害的作用, 因此亟需治理浑水沟泥石流以保证成兰铁路的安全运营。     

川西凹陷地区更新统砾石层沉积成因探讨

笔者通过野外地质调查和相关资料,从宏观形态和沉积特征多方面对川西凹陷地区的更新统砾石层的成因进行综合分析.发现各时期更新统砾石层平面上均呈扇状,具多级阶地.各砾石层的岩性结构柱、基本层序、砾石的组构特征均表现为河流相冲洪积成因.并通过ESR和孢粉、充填序列和地貌标志探讨了区内各更新统砾石层的沉积时代、古气候特征.综合研究表明区内存在4套不同特征的更新统砾石层,它们不仅在空间位置上存在密切联系,而且在沉积特征和形成时代上也具继承性.沉积环境均为温暖潮湿热环境下,出龙门山的古青衣江在盆地中不同时期、不同位置的沉积响应.并反演古青衣江水系在前陆盆地中不同时期的迁移及变化规律.     

A field quantification of coastal dune perennial plants as indicators of surface stability, erosion or deposition

Dune plants both modify the wind field around them and are impacted by various stress factors, among them sand erosion and sand deposition. As coastal dunes are being either stabilized or remobilized, in response to the changes in the rates of sand and dune movement, the vegetation cover and composition are expected to vary reflecting the differences in the sedimentary conditions. In this field study 315 quadrats of 100 m², in which the perennial plant species were sampled, were analysed with respect to annual rates of sand erosion and deposition that were measured using erosion pins. A visual exploratory data analysis was introduced, based on selective filtering of samples according to their vegetation cover. This method, combined with established statistical tools, enabled the authors to uncover the inclination and indicative power of nine perennial dune plants to either a stabilized or a mobile environment, and to establish whether they are more prevalent in places undergoing sand erosion or sand burial. Two species were found to be clear indicators of a stabilized environment, Stipagrostis lanata , and Retama raetam . Of the species indicating a mobile environment, only one may be stated as a clear indicator of sand erosion: Silene succulenta , with Cyperus macrorrhizus coming close to being an indicator of a less mobile erosive environment. The best indicator species for sand burial was found to be, as expected, Ammophila arenaria , with Artemisia monosperma also indicating high rates of sand mobility especially when its relative cover is higher than 80%. Such information can be used to monitor natural processes of dune stabilization or reactivation, or to assess the success of a management plan that aims at stabilizing a dune, or at remobilizing it by removing vegetation.     

Assessment of temporal changes in coastal sand dune environments using the log-hyperbolic grain-size method

Abstract Three cores (<9 m long) recovered from late Holocene coastal sand dunes in Northumberland, north‐eastern England, were examined stratigraphically and dated by the infrared stimulated luminescence (IRSL) method to the time period between the Medieval Warm Period (MWP; ≈ 900–1200 AD) and Little Ice Age (LIA; ≈ 1550–1800 AD). Grain‐size variability and CaCO₃ content were determined at 10‐mm intervals throughout parts of the cores. The sahara computer program was used to plot the log‐hyperbolic distribution (LHD) of grain‐size spectra from different stratigraphic levels and estimate the LHD's statistical components. Core samples plot variously in the depositional and erosional domains of the hyperbolic chi (χ) vs. xi (ξ) shape triangle, which describes components of sediment sorting. Depositional and erosional phases, discriminated within the LHD's shape triangle, cannot readily be resolved from core stratigraphies or correlated between cores. IRSL dates from single cores show a clustering about the period 1430–1540. Between the dated horizons, dunes accreted at ≈ 0·02–0·05 m year^?1, enabling the timing of excursions in χ and ξ to be estimated. These excursions, which can be resolved to the subannual level between the dated horizons, may be related to deposition by episodic storms or storm surges in the North Sea region, which is supported by historical documentary evidence. This innovative use of the LHD method and its derived statistics can be used successfully to describe temporal trends in coastal depositional environments and identify likely storm events in dune sediment records.     

砾石土层中注浆扩散参数的研究

采用注浆模拟试验与数值分析等研究方法,探讨了砾石土层中注浆的注浆量、浆液扩散半径及注浆形成的结石体抗压强度等参数预测计算模型,并设计试验对其进行了验证。试验结果表明,砾石土层中注浆的注浆量、浆液扩散半径及结石体的抗压强度等参数预测计算模型计算的注浆量、浆液扩散半径与注浆结石体抗压强度的理论值与试验实测值间虽分别有10%、5%、10%左右的差异,但均相差不大,因此,可用来预测砾石土层实际注浆工程中的注浆量、浆液扩散半径及注浆形成的结石体的抗压强度等参数。研究成果不仅可为砾石土层实际注浆工程实践提供理论支撑,还可为砾石土诱发的滑坡、泥石流等灾害的防灾减灾提供技术参考。     

A gravel lobe deposit in the prodelta of the Doumsan fan delta (Miocene), SE Korea

The Doumsan fan-delta system in the Pohang Basin (Miocene), SE Korea comprises tripartite components of Gilbert-type topset, foreset, and bottomset environments with an extended prodelta in the deeper part (a few hundred metres deep). The present study documents sedimentologic features and origin of a gravel body (here interpreted as a gravel lobe) formed in the prodelta region of the Doumsan fan delta. The gravel lobe lies on sandy mud deposits and is capped by a thick massive sand bed. It extends for more than 1.5 km with a height of up to 30 m and shows a narrow tongue-like geometry. Eight sedimentary facies have been distinguished to describe characteristic features of the gravel lobe and the associated deposits. Of these, three types of gravelly sedimentary facies are important with regard to volumetric contribution and depositional processes: (1) crudely stratified pebble-grade conglomerate; (2) disorganized, clast-rich pebble(-to-cobble)-grade conglomerate; and (3) matrix-rich, bimodal cobble-grade conglomerate. The former two types dominate the central part of the lobe where they are not accompanied by sand beds, whereas the latter, as subordinate units, is prevalent in the fringe which otherwise is dominated by thick sandy mud deposits. The stacked successions of crudely stratified pebble-grade conglomerate are representative of the active aggradational phases of the gravel lobe, whereas the occurrence of channels within the lobe reflects that the gravel lobe prograded under the influence of subaqueous channel systems. The gravel lobe resulted from catastrophic disturbance (slumping) on the foreset region that further caused the development of channel systems, promoting efficient transport of gravelly sediments. This type of deposit may represent an important additional category of low-efficiency subaqueous fans.