Understanding the processes and conditions at the time of deposition is key to the development of robust geological models which adequately approximate the heterogeneous delta morphology and stratigraphy they represent. We show how the mechanism of sediment transport (the proportion of the sediment supply transported as bed load vs. suspended load) impacts channel kinematics, delta morphology and stratigraphy, to at least the same extent as the proportion of cohesive sediment supply. This finding is derived from 15 synthetic delta analogues generated by processes-based simulations in Delft3D. The model parameter space varies sediment transport mechanism against proportions of cohesive sediment whilst keeping the total sediment mass input constant. Proximal morphology and kinematics previously associated with sediment cohesivity are also produced by decreasing the proportion of bed load sediment transport. However, distal depositional patterns are different for changes in sediment transport and sediment load cohesivity. Changes in sediment transport mechanisms are also shown to impact clinoform geometry as well as the spatiotemporal scale of autogenic reorganisation through channel avulsions. We

Modern and ancient analogues are often consulted by geologists to help understand subsurface systems. While modern analogues provide information on the areal relationship between facies, ancient systems provide detailed data on the vertical facies variations, typically along a two-dimensional outcrop. Combining data from modern and ancient systems effectively requires translating areal morphology, which is often still evolving, to the related sediments preserved in three dimensions. Process-based models simulate both depositional processes while preserving stratigraphy. These models can be employed to unravel the relationship between sediment supply and preserved deposits in natural systems and to help integrate field data. Four synthetic deltas were modelled using different sediment supply compositions, from coarse to very fine sand systems. The resultant sedimentary deposits are classified into architectural elements, and the grain size composition of each architectural element is studied over time. Facies that are extensive in their horizontal dimensions are often less abundant in three-dimensional preserved deposits. Between deltas, grain size compositions of a specific architectural element type (e.g. mouth bars) are more similar than their corresponding sediment supply compositions. This is due to selective deposition of grain size classes across each architectural element type. This selective deposition causes overrepresentation of the same range of grain sizes, even for systems with different sediment supply compositions. When a particular supply composition does not contain enough of the overrepresented grain size class for a particular architectural element, that element will be under-supplied and constitute a smaller proportion of the overall delta deposits. It is imperative to account for overrepresentation of grain size classes in particular architectural elements when estimating palaeo-sediment supply, delta architecture and morphology from field data. Even when data availability/accessibility does not allow the inclusion of distal deposits in field studies, process-based simulations can contribute valuable information on sediment sorting patterns in three dimensions. K E Y W O R D SGrain size, mouth bar, river delta architecture, sorting 218 | van der veGT eT al.

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In natural deltaic settings, mixed hydrodynamic forcings and sediment properties are known to influence the preserved delta deposits. One process that has not received much attention yet is syn-sedimentary compaction of clastic sediment on millennial-scale delta evolution. To study how compaction interacts with delta morphodynamics and preserved sediment, a modelling approach is proposed.

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