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Original research — experimental, observational, or case-control study. Direct primary evidence.
Marine & Wildlife
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Rapidly-migrating and internally-generated knickpoints can control submarine channel evolution
Nature Communications2020
76 citations
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Citation count from OpenAlex, updated daily. May differ slightly from the publisher's own count.
Score: 40
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0–100 AI score estimating relevance to the microplastics field. Papers below 30 are filtered from public browse.
Stephen M. Simmons,
Michael Clare,
Maarten Heijnen,
Peter J. Talling,
Sophie Hage,
Sophie Hage,
Maarten Heijnen,
Maarten Heijnen,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Maarten Heijnen,
Sophie Hage,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Matthieu Cartigny,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Daniel R. Parsons,
E. J. Sumner,
Michael Clare,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Matthieu Cartigny,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Daniel R. Parsons,
E. J. Sumner,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Peter J. Talling,
Michael Clare,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Matthieu Cartigny,
Matthieu Cartigny,
Matthieu Cartigny,
Matthieu Cartigny,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Peter J. Talling,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Peter J. Talling,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Peter J. Talling,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
John E. Clark,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Michael Clare,
Sophie Hage,
Peter J. Talling,
E. J. Sumner,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Sophie Hage,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Sophie Hage,
E. J. Sumner,
Gwyn Lintern,
Gwyn Lintern,
Sophie Hage,
John E. Clark,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Stephen M. Simmons,
Cooper Stacey
Stephen M. Simmons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
E. J. Sumner,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Gwyn Lintern,
Peter J. Talling,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Stephen M. Simmons,
Cooper Stacey
Ye Chen,
Maarten Heijnen,
Stephen M. Simmons,
E. J. Sumner,
Michael Clare,
Michael Clare,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Stephen M. Simmons,
Justin K. Dix,
Michael Clare,
Matthieu Cartigny,
John E. Clark,
Michael Clare,
Maarten Heijnen,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Daniel R. Parsons,
Sophie Hage,
Stephen M. Simmons,
Cooper Stacey
Summary
Researchers used nine years of time-lapse mapping to track how an underwater canyon channel in British Columbia evolved, discovering that rapidly migrating erosion steps called knickpoints — moving upstream at 100–450 meters per year — are the primary force reshaping the channel. Understanding these underwater channels matters because they transport sediment, carbon, and pollutants including microplastics to the deep ocean.
Submarine channels are the primary conduits for terrestrial sediment, organic carbon, and pollutant transport to the deep sea. Submarine channels are far more difficult to monitor than rivers, and thus less well understood. Here we present 9 years of time-lapse mapping of an active submarine channel along its full length in Bute Inlet, Canada. Past studies suggested that meander-bend migration, levee-deposition, or migration of (supercritical-flow) bedforms controls the evolution of submarine channels. We show for the first time how rapid (100-450 m/year) upstream migration of 5-to-30 m high knickpoints can control submarine channel evolution. Knickpoint migration-related changes include deep (>25 m) erosion, and lateral migration of the channel. Knickpoints in rivers are created by external factors, such as tectonics, or base-level change. However, the knickpoints in Bute Inlet appear internally generated. Similar knickpoints are found in several submarine channels worldwide, and are thus globally important for how channels operate.