Transient three‐dimensional‐patterned ripples appear during deformation of a two‐dimensional ripple field under wave‐induced oscillatory flow

Wave‐flume experiments on the process of deformation of pre‐existing two‐dimensional ripples revealed that one of two distinct types of three‐dimensional patterned ripple, the rhombic or the barrel type, emerged in the early stages of the experimental runs. Rhombic‐type ripples were characterized by a staggered pattern of similar‐sized mounds, whereas the barrel‐type ripples had a barrel‐like plan shape arranged in echelons. The former ripples were formed under strongly asymmetrical flow conditions with large excursion distances of water particle motion near the pre‐existing rippled bed, whereas the latter were formed under relatively symmetrical flow conditions with small excursion distances. The emergence of both types of ripples was also highly dependent on sediment grain size. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.