Conditions and mechanism of skewed meanders formation

Abstract

This article is an attempt to define the conditions and mechanism of meanders formation based on the analysis of multi-temporal maps and satellite images. It is noted that the formation of such meanders is due to the characteristics of the circulation of the river flow on a steep (90°) bend of the river with one relatively stable wing – a straight channel insert and an actively deformable other wing. This insert can be formed close to the native bank of a river or after cut-off channel. To describe skewed meanders it is proposed to use the parameter α * – the angle of the skew.