This workshop/fieldtrip presents the integration of cross-disciplinary research on the Dee estuary, undertaken by the Departments of Geography and Earth and Ocean Sciences at Liverpool and the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratories. The first 2 hours, based in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Liverpool, comprises a set of linked presentations including direct physical measurements of sedimentary processes, numerical modelling of tidal processes at whole estuary scale and the Quaternary history of the estuary, which includes both natural and anthropogenic forcing factors. We then move to the Dee, where we examine modern depositional environments, historical stratigraphic evolution and discuss the implications of the Dee system for the interpretation of both ancient estuarine successions and the effects of future sea level rise.
Richard Worden will discuss his work on animal-sediment interaction in estuaries and intertidal zones. This ongoing work has involved a substantial experimental programme that has shown that animals create new clay minerals within their intestines. The results of these experiments will be presented and related to grain-coating clays in estuarine sedimentary rocks and processes in modern environments. Problems associated with sampling modern environments for mineralogy and petrology studies will be detailed. The field component of the workshop will entail the use of a new petrol-driven “window sampler”. Rowena Moore will discuss work on numerical modelling of the Dee estuary and LIDAR dataset analysis. Numerical modelling has been used to assess the flood and ebb dominance in the Dee which can affect an estuaries role as a sediment source or sink. Numerical modelling results of residual currents will also be discussed, which also has implications for net sediment transport. LIDAR analysis will be presented to show recent morphological changes and areas of erosion and accretion
Coordinators:
Rowena Moore, University of Liverpool
Andy Plater, University of Liverpool
Alex Souza, Proudman Oceanographic Laboratories
Stephen Flint, University of Liverpool
Richard Worden, University of Liverpool |
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