Meeting:Abstract 2011 CSDMS meeting-048

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CSDMS all hands meeting 2011

A model framework for fluvial-delta evolution that accounts for the accumulation of organic sediment

Jorge Lorenzo Trueba, Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory Minneapolis Minnesota, . loren153@umn.edu
Vaughan Voller, Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory Minneapolis Minnesota, .
Chris Paola, Saint Anthony Falls Laboratory Minneapolis Minnesota, .


[[Image:|300px|right|link=File:]]The evolution of fluvial deltas involves a complex web of processes, many of which are yet poorly understood. In particular, the role of organic matter (peat) accumulation on delta dynamics still remains elusive. Here, we present a simple geometric prism model that couples the evolution of the delta plain with the accumulation of organic-rich sediment. The model is able to explain the observed coupling between the accommodation/peat accumulation ratio and the quality of buried peat/coal deposits in the delta plain. Similarly to multiple modern and ancient organic-rich sedimentary environments, the model preserves the maximum volume fraction of organic sediment in the delta plain when the overall accommodation rate approximately equals the rate of peat accumulation. Further analysis of the model under simple scenarios of base-level rise and pivot subsidence shows that organic matter accumulation can either enhance or alleviate shoreline transgression.