Model:1DBreachingTurbidityCurrent

1DBreachingTurbidityCurrent

Also known as
Model type	Single
Model part of larger framework
Note on status model
Date note status model

Incorporated models or components:

Spatial dimensions	1D
Spatial extent	Watershed-Scale
Model domain	Coastal
One-line model description	1D Breaching Turbidity current model for generating continuous turbidity currents
Extended model description	The term “breaching” refers to the slow, retrogressive failure of a steep subaqueous slope, so forming a nearly vertical turbidity current directed down the face. This mechanism, first identified by the dredging industry, has remained largely unexplored, and yet evidence exists to link breaching to the formation of sustained turbidity currents in the deep sea. The model can simulate a breach-generated turbidity current with a layer-averaged formulation that has at its basis the governing equations for the conservation of momentum, water, suspended sediment and turbulent kinetic energy. In particular, the equations of suspended sediment conservation are solved for a mixture of sediment particles differing in grain size. In the model the turbidity current is divided into two regions joined at a migrating boundary: the breach face, treated as vertical, and a quasi-horizontal region sloping downdip. In this downstream region, the bed slope is much lower (but still nonzero), and is constructed by deposition from a quasi-horizontal turbidity current. The model is applied to establish the feasibility of a breach-generated turbidity current in a field setting, using a generic example based on the Monterey Submarine Canyon, offshore California, USA.

Keywords:	turbidity current,

Name	Enrica Viparelli
Type of contact	Model developer
Institute / Organization	University of South Carolina
Postal address 1
Postal address 2
Town / City	Columbia
Postal code
State	South Carolina
Country	United States
Email address	VIPARELL@cec.sc.edu
Phone
Fax

Supported platforms	Windows
Other platform
Programming language
Other program language	VB, excel
Code optimized	Single Processor
Multiple processors implemented
Nr of distributed processors
Nr of shared processors
Start year development	2011
Does model development still take place?	No
If above answer is no, provide end year model development	2011
Code development status
When did you indicate the 'code development status'?
Model availability	As code
Source code availability (Or provide future intension)	Through CSDMS repository
Source web address
Source csdms web address	https://github.com/csdms-contrib/1DBreachingTurbidityCurrent
Program license type	GPL v3
Program license type other
Memory requirements	--
Typical run time	--

Describe input parameters	Excel sheet. User can change initial geometry data (slope at top of breach, initial height of breach face, initial bed slope in quasi-horizontal region, initial location of breach face, initial length of quasi-horizontal region); sediment grain size distribution; sediment properties (bed porosity, breach porosity, bed friction coefficient, wall friction coefficient, submerged specific gravity); and time evolution (time step, number of time steps, initial number of nodes in horizontal, print interval, calculation time).
Input format	ASCII
Other input format
Describe output parameters	Current thickness, velocity, and D50 for active layer and in suspension.
Output format	ASCII
Other output format	graphs in excel sheet
Pre-processing software needed?	No
Describe pre-processing software
Post-processing software needed?	No
Describe post-processing software
Visualization software needed?	No
If above answer is yes
Other visualization software

Describe processes represented by the model	The model solves both Gary Parker's three and four equation models for sediment mixtures. A condition was incorporated in the model to solve the equation of conservation of turbulent kinetic energy (fourth equation) and to decide how to estimate the friction coefficients. See also: Eke, E., Viparelli, E., and Parker, G., 2011. Field-scale numerical modeling of breaching as a mechanism for generating continuous turbidity currents. Geosphere, 7, 1063-1076. Doi: 10.1130/GES00607.1
Describe key physical parameters and equations	See: Eke, E., Viparelli, E., and Parker, G., 2011. Field-scale numerical modeling of breaching as a mechanism for generating continuous turbidity currents. Geosphere, 7, 1063-1076. Doi: 10.1130/GES00607.1
Describe length scale and resolution constraints	--
Describe time scale and resolution constraints	--
Describe any numerical limitations and issues	--

Describe available calibration data sets	The codes have been validated against laboratory experiments which are described in Eke's MS thesis. The results are summarized in her thesis and in a conference paper that she presented in Vancouver.
Upload calibration data sets if available:	Media:Esther Eke.pdf
Describe available test data sets	MS thesis
Upload test data sets if available:
Describe ideal data for testing

Do you have current or future plans for collaborating with other researchers?	--

Is there a manual available?	No
Upload manual if available:
Model website if any
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Viparelli

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Featured reference(s)	Open Access Status	Year	Type of Reference	Cited
Eke, Esther; Viparelli, Enrica; Parker, Gary; 2011. Field-scale numerical modeling of breaching as a mechanism for generating continuous turbidity currents. Geosphere, 71063–1076. 10.1130/GES00607.1	closed	2011	a module overview describing a module	28