Modeling River Delta Formation: Computations, Experiments and Observations

How do river deltas emerge and how do they evolve with time? These classical questions in geomorphology are computationally difficult to answer because of the long times and large ranges of length scales involved in the processes. Based on a simplified cellular model which captures the essential hydrodynamic features, it was possible to reproduce realistic river delta patterns and realistic delta dynamics. The modeling results have been compared with laboratory experiments and field data measurements.