Deltas are large accumulations of terrigenous sediment deposited where sediment-laden waters carried by rivers flow into the ocean (or into large lakes, or at the head of coastal embayments). River delta evolution through time is driven by the interplay between hydrodynamic and sediment-transport processes, resulting in delta morphosedimentary configurations arising from both autogenic dynamics and allogenic forcings. The former refers to self-driven, internal processes and interactions within the delta system that occur without the need for any external fine-tuning, while the latter includes external factors such as tectonics, sea-level changes, and human activities.

Using ReMoD, we were able to replicate the characteristic evolution of river deltas driven by autogenic processes (such as delta topset aggradation, channel avulsion, and deltaic lobe switching), as well as observe how the system responds to changes in mean sea level and sediment-supply rate.

 In this fourth episode of our mini-series dedicated to analogue models in teaching sedimentology, we will delve into river delta morphodynamics with Prof. Alvise Finotello and some of the students enrolled in the “Coastal Environment Under Climate Change” course for the Master's Degree in Environmental Geology and Earth Dynamics, degree study track in Earth Dynamics.