Fig. 2

Spanwise averaged particle concentration pseudo-color plot for various times (Re = 15000, v _s = 0.001, N = 2.11, m = 0.0744). This represents the case of a turbidity current with non-zero settling velocity moving down a uniformly stratified ambient. The density of the lock is initially larger than the ambient fluid outside of the lock such that the current starts moving downslope upon release. It then encounters region of denser and denser saline ambient, until its density reaches that of the ambient and it intrudes horizontally. The flow is 2D at very early stages but quickly grows unstable under the effect of a spanwise instability at the head. This leads to the breakdown of 2D vorticies into much smaller 3D mixing structures at the head and all along the body of the current at the interface with the ambient