Turbulent flow study reveals key to predicting sediment transport accurately.
Researchers used computer simulations to study how sediment moves in water flow over different types of bedforms. They found that near-bed flow structures create low-speed streaks over ripples and high-speed streaks over dunes, leading to the formation of vortices. The presence of sediment particles affects the flow patterns and can be accurately predicted by considering fluid motion terms. This study provides insights into how sediment transport occurs in natural water environments.