A three-dimensional theory for the development and migration of deep sea sedimentary waves

A perturbation model is presented for a velocity field of a bottom current flowing over a sinusoidal topography or an obstacle. The model extends existing theory by taking into account the three-dimensional Coriolis vector and an initial horizontal velocity vector at any orientation. One possible mechanism of the development of sedimentary waves in the vicinity of an obstacle by an arbitrarily oriented initial horizontal current is analyzed in detail. Space-stationary fluid particle oscillations are initiated on the downstream side of an obstacle, which can result in sedimentary waves. The model shows that their wavelength depends on latitude, water depth, obstacle width and orientation as well as the initial current direction and intensity. The model defines intervals for current velocities normal to the wave crest, for which the sedimentary waves grow (or are destroyed) or migrate in a certain direction. Information derived from bathymetric and seismic surveys, such as wavelength, height, orientation and migration direction of mudwaves, can be used to calculate the velocity component across the wave crest and to estimate the current direction, as is demonstrated for an example from the Argentine Basin (Project MUDWAVES, Site 5).