Staff profile

Research Overview

My research focusses on the dynamics of geophysical flows, their associated morphologies and the eventual deposits that are left in the rock record. I use field measurements, experiments, numerical models and the sedimentary record to test morphodynamic hypothesis from different perspectives. I am fascinated by the autonomous behaviour observed in these processes and the broad scope of beautiful patterns that they produce.

Currently, my research is mainly focused on direct observations of turbidity currents in settings varying from large submarine canyons to small delta front channels. These observations include the first deep ocean measurements of unprecedented Mississippi-River-size, week-long flows. These flows show a complete new flow structure, where a dense frontal parts of the flow outruns a dilute quasi-steady trailing body. Other datasets include ~100 individual smaller flows occurring in delta channels, which now allow us to constrain for the first time what it takes for a small flow to ignite into a fully develop turbidity current. More generally, I am trying expand on our observation capabilities by bringing in techniques that are new to this field, such as CHIRP systems to image dense basal layers on turbidity currents, electronic resistivity tomography to measure dense basal layer non-intrusively in the laboratory, acoustic inversion techniques to explore sediment concentration within deep-ocean turbidity currents and fully three-dimensional numerical modelling techniques to study the link between supercritical flows and their related bedforms.

In my future research I want to expand my research scope to other geophysical flows. This is currently being reflected in modelling work on sediment waves on submarine flanks of volcanoes to constrain submarine continuation of pyroclastic flows, and by linking sedimentological signatures to morphological seafloor features in a large glacially formed trough on the Antarctic shelf.

Supervises

• Mr Jamie Hizzett
• Ms Sophie Hage
• Ms Zoë Roseby
• Mr Florian Pohl
• Ms Daniela Vendettuoli

• Morphodynamics of geophysical flows
• Sedimentology
• Turbidity currents
• Sediment transport
• Bedform

• 2018:

  Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow by the Royal Society

  : Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow by the Royal Society
• 2018:

  Early-Career Scientist Award by the International Association of Sedimentologists

  : Early-Career Scientist Award by the International Association of Sedimentologists
• 2018:

  Roland Goldring Award by the British Sedimentological Research Group

  : Roland Goldring Award by the British Sedimentological Research Group
• 2016:

  Harold Reading Award for De Leeuw et al., 2016 by the British Sedimentological Research Group

  : Harold Reading Award for De Leeuw et al., 2016 by the British Sedimentological Research Group
• 2006:

  Hydraulic Engineering MSc award by Duthc Society of Hydraulic Engineers

  : Hydraulic Engineering MSc award by Duthc Society of Hydraulic Engineers

Conference Paper

• Mastbergen, D., van den Ham, G., Cartigny, M., Koelewijn, A., de Kleine, M., Clare, M., …Vellinga, A. (2016). Multiple Flow Slide Experiment in the Westerschelde Estuary, The Netherlands. In G. Lamarche, J. Mountjoy, S. Bull, T. Hubble, S. Krastel, E. Lane, …S. Woelz (Eds.), . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20979-1_24
• Krastel, S., Wynn, R. B., Feldens, P., Schuerer, A., Boettner, C., Stevenson, C., …Unverricht, D. (2016). Flow Behaviour of a Giant Landslide and Debris Flow Entering Agadir Canyon, NW Africa. In G. Lamarche, J. Mountjoy, S. Bull, T. Hubble, S. Krastel, E. Lane, …S. Woelz (Eds.), Submarine Mass Movements and their Consequences: 7th International Symposium (145-154). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20979-1_14
• Postma, G., Hoyal, D. C., Abreu, V., Cartigny, M. J., Demko, T., Fedele, J. J., …Pederson, K. H. (2016). Morphodynamics of Supercritical Turbidity Currents in the Channel-Lobe Transition Zone. In G. Lamarche, J. Mountjoy, S. Bull, T. Hubble, S. Krastel, E. Lane, …S. Woelz (Eds.), . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-20979-1_47
• Basani, R., Janocko, M., Cartigny, M. J., Hansen, E. W., & Eggenhuisen, J. T. (2014). MassFLOW-3D (TM) as a simulation tool for turbidity currents: some preliminary results. In A. Martinius, R. Ravnas, J. Howell, R. Steel, & J. Wonham (Eds.), From Depositional Systems To Sedimentary Successions On The Norwegian Continental Margin (587-608). https://doi.org/10.1002/9781118920435.ch20

Journal Article

• Englert, R. G., Vellinga, A. J., Cartigny, M. J., Clare, M. A., Eggenhuisen, J. T., & Hubbard, S. M. (in press). Controls on upstream-migrating bed forms in sandy submarine channels. Geology, https://doi.org/10.1130/g51385.1
• Azpiroz‐Zabala, M., Sumner, E. J., Cartigny, M. J. B., Peakall, J., Clare, M., Darby, S. E., …Johnson, J. (2024). Benthic biology influences sedimentation in submarine channel bends: Coupling of biology, sedimentation and flow. Depositional Record, 10(1), 159-175. https://doi.org/10.1002/dep2.265
• Talling, P. J., Cartigny, M. J. B., Pope, E., Baker, M., Clare, M. A., Heijnen, M., …Maier, K. L. (2023). Detailed monitoring reveals the nature of submarine turbidity currents. Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, 4(9), 642-658. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43017-023-00458-1
• Pohl, F., Eggenhuisen, J., de Leeuw, J., Cartigny, M., Brooks, H., & Spychala, Y. (2023). Reconstructing sedimentary processes in a Permian channel–lobe transition zone: an outcrop study in the Karoo Basin, South Africa. Geological Magazine, 160(1), 107-126. https://doi.org/10.1017/s0016756822000693
• Bailey, L. P., Clare, M. A., Pope, E. L., Haigh, I. D., Cartigny, M. J., Talling, P. J., …Heijnen, M. (2023). Predicting turbidity current activity offshore from meltwater-fed river deltas. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 604, Article 117977. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117977
• Pope, E. L., Heijnen, M. S., Talling, P. J., Jacinto, R. S., Gaillot, A., Baker, M. L., …Urlaub, M. (2022). Carbon and sediment fluxes inhibited in the submarine Congo Canyon by landslide-damming. Nature Geoscience, 15(10), 845-853. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41561-022-01017-x
• Bello, A. M., Charlaftis, D., Jones, S. J., Gluyas, J., Acikalin, S., Cartigny, M., & Al-Ramadan, K. (2022). Experimental diagenesis using present-day submarine turbidite sands. Frontiers in Earth Science, 10, https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.952690
• Pope, E. L., Cartigny, M. J., Clare, M. A., Talling, P. J., Lintern, D. G., Vellinga, A., …Vendettuoli, D. (2022). First source-to-sink monitoring shows dense head controls sediment flux and runout in turbidity currents. Science Advances, 8(20), Article eabj3220. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.abj3220
• Heijnen, M. S., Clare, M. A., Cartigny, M. J., Talling, P. J., Hage, S., Pope, E. L., …Hughes Clarke, J. E. (2022). Fill, flush or shuffle: How is sediment carried through submarine channels to build lobes?. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 584, Article 117481. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2022.117481
• Talling, P. J., Baker, M. L., Pope, E. L., Ruffell, S. C., Jacinto, R. S., Heijnen, M. S., …Hilton, R. J. (2022). Longest sediment flows yet measured show how major rivers connect efficiently to deep sea. Nature Communications, 13(1), https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-31689-3
• Heerema, C. J., Cartigny, M. J., Jacinto, R. S., Simmons, S. M., Apprioual, R., & Talling, P. J. (2022). How distinctive are flood-triggered turbidity currents?. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 92(1), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.2020.168
• Gwiazda, R., Paull, C., Kieft, B., Klimov, D., Herlien, R., Lundsten, E., …Talling, P. J. (2022). Near‐Bed Structure of Sediment Gravity Flows Measured by Motion‐Sensing “Boulder‐Like” Benthic Event Detectors (BEDs) in Monterey Canyon. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 127(2), https://doi.org/10.1029/2021jf006437
• Hage, S., Galy, V., Cartigny, M., Heerema, C., Heijnen, M., Acikalin, S., …Talling, P. (2022). Turbidity Currents Can Dictate Organic Carbon Fluxes Across River‐Fed Fjords: An Example From Bute Inlet (BC, Canada). Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences, 127(6), https://doi.org/10.1029/2022jg006824
• Bello, A. M., Jones, S. J., Gluyas, J. G., Acikalin, S., & Cartigny, M. (2021). Role played by clay content in controlling reservoir quality of submarine fan system, Forties Sandstone Member, Central Graben, North Sea. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 128, Article 105058. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2021.105058
• Englert, R. G., Hubbard, S. M., Cartigny, M. J., Clare, M. A., Coutts, D. S., Hage, S., …Vendettuoli, D. (2021). Quantifying the three‐dimensional stratigraphic expression of cyclic steps by integrating seafloor and deep‐water outcrop observations. Sedimentology, 68(4), 1465-1501. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12772
• Ono, K., Plink‐Björklund, P., Eggenhuisen, J. T., & Cartigny, M. J. (2021). Froude supercritical flow processes and sedimentary structures:New insights from experiments with a wide range of grain sizes. Sedimentology, 68(4), 1328-1357. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12682
• Wang, Z., Xu, J., Talling, P. J., Cartigny, M. J., Simmons, S. M., Gwiazda, R., …Parsons, D. R. (2020). Direct evidence of a high-concentration basal layer in a submarine turbidity current. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 161, Article 103300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2020.103300
• Pohl, F., Eggenhuisen, J., Cartigny, M., Tilston, M., Leeuw, J. D., & Hermidas, N. (2020). The influence of a slope break on turbidite deposits: An experimental investigation. Marine Geology, 424, Article 106160. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2020.106160
• Simmons, S., Azpiroz-Zabala, M., Cartigny, M., Clare, M., Cooper, C., Parsons, D., …Talling, P. (2020). Novel acoustic method provides first detailed measurements of sediment concentration structure within submarine turbidity currents. Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans, 125(5), Article e2019JC015904. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019jc015904
• Heerema, C. J., Talling, P. J., Cartigny, M. J., Paull, C. K., Bailey, L., Simmons, S. M., …Pope, E. (2020). What determines the downstream evolution of turbidity currents?. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 532, Article 116023. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.116023
• Hage, S., Galy, V., Cartigny, M., Acikalin, S., Clare, M., Gröcke, D., …Talling, P. (2020). Efficient preservation of young terrestrial organic carbon in sandy turbidity current deposits. Geology, 48(9), 882-887. https://doi.org/10.1130/g47320.1
• Heijnen, M. S., Clare, M. A., Cartigny, M. J., Talling, P. J., Hage, S., Lintern, D. G., …Hughes Clarke, J. E. (2020). Rapidly-migrating and internally-generated knickpoints can control submarine channel evolution. Nature Communications, 11(1), Article 3129. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-16861-x
• Maier, K. L., Rosenberger, K. J., Paull, C. K., Gwiazda, R., Gales, J., Lorenson, T., …Cartigny, M. J. (2019). Sediment and organic carbon transport and deposition driven by internal tides along Monterey Canyon, offshore California. Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 153, Article 103108. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dsr.2019.103108
• Hage, S., Cartigny, M. J., Sumner, E. J., Clare, M. A., Hughes Clarke, J. E., Talling, P. J., …Watts, C. (2019). Direct monitoring reveals initiation of turbidity currents from extremely dilute river plumes. Geophysical Research Letters, 46(20), 11310-11320. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019gl084526
• Larter, R. D., Hogan, K. A., Hillenbrand, C., Smith, J. A., Batchelor, C. L., Cartigny, M., …Dowdeswell, J. A. (2019). Subglacial hydrological control on flow of an Antarctic Peninsula palaeo-ice stream. The Cryosphere, 13(6), 1583-1596. https://doi.org/10.5194/tc-13-1583-2019
• Vendettuoli, D., Clare, M., Hughes Clarke, J., Vellinga, A., Hizzet, J., Hage, S., …Lintern, D. (2019). Daily bathymetric surveys document how stratigraphy is built and its extreme incompleteness in submarine channels. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 515, 231-247. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2019.03.033
• Gales, J., Talling, P., Cartigny, M., Hughes Clarke, J., Lintern, G., Stacey, C., & Clare, M. (2019). What controls submarine channel development and the morphology of deltas entering deep-water fjords?. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 44(2), 535-551. https://doi.org/10.1002/esp.4515
• Pohl, F., Eggenhuisen, J., Tilston, M., & Cartigny, M. (2019). New flow relaxation mechanism explains scour fields at the end of submarine channels. Nature Communications, 10(1), Article 4425. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-019-12389-x
• Clare, M. A., Le Bas, T., Price, D. M., Hunt, J. E., Sear, D., Cartigny, M. J., …Cronin, S. (2018). Complex and Cascading Triggering of Submarine Landslides and Turbidity Currents at Volcanic Islands Revealed From Integration of High-Resolution Onshore and Offshore Surveys. Frontiers in Earth Science, 6, Article 223. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2018.00223
• Wu, X., Baas, J. H., Parsons, D. R., Eggenhuisen, J., Amoudry, L., Cartigny, M., …Ruessink, G. (2018). Wave ripple development on mixed clay-sand substrates: Effects of clay winnowing and armoring. Journal of Geophysical Research: Earth Surface, 123(11), 2784-2801. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018jf004681
• Paull, C. K., Talling, P. J., Maier, K. L., Parsons, D., Xu, J., Caress, D. W., …Cartigny, M. J. (2018). Powerful turbidity currents driven by dense basal layers. Nature Communications, 9(1), Article 4114. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-06254-6
• Pope, E. L., Jutzeler, M., Cartigny, M. J., Shreeve, J., Talling, P. J., Wright, I. C., & Wysoczanski, R. J. (2018). Origin of spectacular fields of submarine sediment waves around volcanic islands: distinguishing eruption-fed supercritical flow bedforms from slope failures. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 493, 12-24. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2018.04.020
• Hage, S., Cartigny, M., Clare, M., Sumner, E., Vendettuoli, D., Hughes Clarke, J., …Vellinga, A. (2018). How to recognize crescentic bedforms formed by supercritical turbidity currents in the geologic record: insights from active submarine channels. Geology, 46(6), 563-566. https://doi.org/10.1130/g40095.1
• de Leeuw, J., Eggenhuisen, J. T., & Cartigny, M. J. (2018). Linking submarine channel-levee facies and architecture to flow structure of turbidity currents: insights from flume tank experiments. Sedimentology, 65(3), 931-951. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12411
• Vellinga, A. J., Cartigny, M. J., Eggenhuisen, J. T., & Hansen, E. W. (2018). Morphodynamics and depositional signature of low-aggradation cyclic steps: New insights from a depth-resolved numerical model. Sedimentology, 65(2), 540-560. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12391
• Hizzett, J., Hughes Clarke, J., Sumner, E., Cartigny, M., Talling, P., & Clare, M. (2018). Which triggers produce the most erosive, frequent and longest runout turbidity currents on deltas?. Geophysical Research Letters, 45(2), 855-863. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017gl075751
• Azpiroz-Zabala, M., Cartigny, M., Sumner, E., Clare, M., Talling, P., Parsons, D., & Cooper, C. (2017). A general model for the helical structure of geophysical flows in channel bends. Geophysical Research Letters, 44(23), 11,932-11,941. https://doi.org/10.1002/2017gl075721
• Azpiroz-Zabala, M., Cartigny, M., Talling, P., Parsons, D., Sumner, E., Clare, M., …Pope, E. (2017). Newly recognized turbidity current structure can explain prolonged flushing of submarine canyons. Science Advances, 3(10), Article e1700200. https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1700200
• Clare, M., Vardy, M., Cartigny, M., Talling, P., Himsworth, M., Dix, J., …Belal, M. (2017). Direct monitoring of active geohazards: emerging geophysical tools for deep-water assessments. Near Surface Geophysics, 15(4), 427-444. https://doi.org/10.3997/1873-0604.2017033
• Eggenhuisen, J. T., Cartigny, M. J., & de Leeuw, J. (2017). Physical theory for near-bed turbulent particle suspension capacity. Earth Surface Dynamics, 5(2), 269-281. https://doi.org/10.5194/esurf-5-269-2017
• Symons, W., Sumner, E., Paull, C., Cartigny, M., Xu, J., Maier, K., …Talling, P. (2017). A new model for turbidity current behavior based on integration of flow monitoring and precision coring in a submarine canyon. Geology, 45(4), 367-370. https://doi.org/10.1130/g38764.1
• Pope, E., Talling, P., Hunt, J., Dowdeswell, J., Allin, J., Cartigny, M., …Watts, M. (2016). Long-term record of Barents Sea Ice Sheet advance to the shelf edge from a 140,000 year record. Quaternary Science Reviews, 150, 55-66. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quascirev.2016.08.014
• Clare, M., Hughes Clarke, J., Talling, P., Cartigny, M., & Pratomo, D. (2016). Preconditioning and triggering of offshore slope failures and turbidity currents revealed by most detailed monitoring yet at a fjord-head delta. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 450, 208-220. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2016.06.021
• de Leeuw, J., Eggenhuisen, J. T., & Cartigny, M. J. (2016). Morphodynamics of submarine channel inception revealed by new experimental approach. Nature Communications, 7, Article 10886. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms10886
• Slootman, A., Cartigny, M. J., Moscariello, A., Chiaradia, M., & Boer, P. L. D. (2016). Quantification of tsunami-induced flows on a Mediterranean carbonate ramp reveals catastrophic evolution. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 444, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.epsl.2016.03.052
• Symons, W. O., Sumner, E. J., Tailing, P. J., Cartigny, M. J., & Clare, M. A. (2016). Large-scale sediment waves and scours on the modern seafloor and their implications for the prevalence of supercritical flows. Marine Geology, 371, 130-148. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2015.11.009
• Ventra, D., Cartigny, M. J., Bijkerk, J. F., & Acikalin, S. (2015). Supercritical-flow structures on a Late Carboniferous delta front: sedimentologic and paleoclimatic significance Reply. Geology, 43(12), https://doi.org/10.1130/g37387y.1
• Ventra, D., Cartigny, M. J., Bijkerk, J. F., & Acikalin, S. (2015). Supercritical-flow structures on a Late Carboniferous delta front: Sedimentologic and paleoclimatic significance. Geology, 43(8), 731-734. https://doi.org/10.1130/g36708.1
• Zhong, G., Cartigny, M. J., Kuang, Z., & Wang, L. (2015). Cyclic steps along the South Taiwan Shoal and West Penghu submarine canyons on the northeastern continental slope of the South China Sea. GSA Bulletin, 127(5-6), 804-824. https://doi.org/10.1130/b31003.1
• Talling, P. J., Allin, J., Armitage, D. A., Arnott, R. W., Cartigny, M. J., Clare, M. A., …Xu, J. (2015). Key future directions for research on turbidity currents and their deposits. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 85(2), 153-169. https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.2015.03
• Postma, G., Kleverlaan, K., & Cartigny, M. J. (2014). Recognition of cyclic steps in sandy and gravelly turbidite sequences, and consequences for the Bouma facies model. Sedimentology, 61(7), 2268-2290. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12135
• Postma, G., & Cartigny, M. J. (2014). Supercritical and subcritical turbidity currents and their deposits-A synthesis. Geology, 42(11), 987-990. https://doi.org/10.1130/g35957.1
• Cartigny, M. J., Ventra, D., Postma, G., & van den Berg, J. H. (2014). Morphodynamics and sedimentary structures of bedforms under supercritical-flow conditions: New insights from flume experiments. Sedimentology, 61(3), 712-748. https://doi.org/10.1111/sed.12076
• Janocko, M., Cartigny, M., Nemec, W., & Hansen, E. (2013). Turbidity current hydraulics and sediment deposition in erodible sinuous channels: Laboratory experiments and numerical simulations. Marine and Petroleum Geology, 41(SI), 222-249. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpetgeo.2012.08.012
• Cartigny, M. J., Eggenhuisen, J. T., Hansen, E. W., & Postma, G. (2013). Concentration-dependent flow stratification in experimental high-density turbdiity currents and their relevance to turbidite faceis models. Journal of Sedimentary Research, 83(11-12), 1047-1065. https://doi.org/10.2110/jsr.2013.71
• Cartigny, M. J., Postma, G., van den Berg, J. H., & Mastbergen, D. R. (2011). A comparative study of sediment waves and cyclic steps based on geometries, internal structures and numerical modeling. Marine Geology, 280(1-4), 40-56. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.margeo.2010.11.006
• Postma, G., Cartigny, M., & Kleverlaan, K. (2009). Structureless, coarse-tail graded Bouma Ta formed by internal hydraulic jump of the turbidity current?. Sedimentary Geology, 219(1-4), 1-6. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.sedgeo.2009.05.018