Sand ripple growth in an oscillatory-flow water tunnel /

The development of sand ripples in an oscillatory-flow water tunnel was observed in 104 laboratory experiments approximating conditions at the seabed under steady progressive surface waves. The period, T, and amplitude, a, of the water motion were varied over wide ranges. Three quartz sands were used, with mean grain diameters, D = 0.55, 0.21, and 0.18 millimeter. In 24 experiments, with the bed initially leveled, T was reduced until ripples appeared, and their development to final equilibrium form was observed without further change in T. The remaining 80 experiments investigated the response of previously established bed forms to changes in T or a or both. The ripple length, lambda, and height, eta, were measured from photos, except when bed forms were three dimensional.