Gravity flows are driven by gravity because of a density different from that of the surrounding environment, often due to temperature (e.g. katabatic winds) and/or salinity (e.g. density currents) differences, and/or the presence of particles (e.g. snow avalanches, debris-flows turbidites, pyroclastic flows). This can be observed either as a current along a slope or as an intrusion in the bulk of a stratified environment. While occurring in various planetary environments, and involving different fluids and particles, they share numerous features due to the common and similar physical processes that govern their dynamics. Yet, a universal description of their dynamics remains elusive, as specifically the feedback on the flow of various processes, such as entrainment, fluid-particle interactions,
internal waves, etc., is difficult to predict.
This session then aims to present complementary physical-based approaches, by gathering researchers from different communities, all focusing on these flows by either studying field data, improving risk assessment techniques, using analogue laboratory experiments or numerical simulations, or focusing on analytical modelling. We therefore welcome contributions including (but not limited to):
- snow avalanches, dust storms, landslides, turbidity currents
- river, volcanic and oceanic plumes
- mud, debris and pyroclastic flows
- katabatic winds, oceanic density currents
-offshore waste discharge
We particularly encourage the participation of early-career researchers and students.