Sediment Trapping Pathways and Mechanisms through the Mekong Tidal River and Subaqueous Delta

A long-term goal of our sediment transport and deposition investigations is to link sediment-transport processes to the formation and preservation of event beds in sediment deposits. The general aim of this project is to investigate how forcing processes affect the sediment-transport dynamics that act to effect the delivery and retention of fine-grained sediment through tidal rivers and in shallow-water coastal regions. We strive to understand how the delicate balance of ebb and flood sediment fluxes is maintained to create tidal flat and mangrove complexes, and distributary shoals and islands within tidal rivers. All of these environments are characterized by variable bathymetry and variable seabed stability, and our goal is to answer the question: How do the processes that control the transfer of finegrained sediment, e.g., tidal, riverine and other seasonal processes (e.g., winds/waves, precipitation, temperature and biological factors) influence the transport pathways, seabed erosion/deposition, and morphological development in shallow tidally influenced systems?