Prof Phil Ashworth
Dir. of R & D (Life & Physical Sciences)
contact:
Environment and Technology
Moulsecoomb
Brighton
BN2 4GJ
Telephone: +44 (0)1273 642266
Email: P.Ashworth@brighton.ac.uk
Teaching
- River processes, dynamics and sedimentation
- Floodplain management, Sensitive River Engineering
- Landform evolution
- Flooding and river hazards
- Applied geomorphology and sedimentology
Research
- River dynamics, channel change, bar development
- Open channel hydraulics, 3D flow, sediment transport
- Morphodynamics and sedimentology of the fluvial-tidal zone
- Alluvial stratigraphy and basin sedimentation
- Dynamics and sedimentology of the world's largest rivers
- Experimental modelling of rivers and alluvial architecture
- Shallow geophysics in fluvial environments
- Characterisation of alluvial reservoir heterogeneity for the hydrocarbon industry
- Video commentary on the world's largest rivers
Consultancy
- Provision of alluvial architecture databases to the hydrocarbon industry
- Assessment of engineering failures in large rivers
- Experimental modelling of river dynamics and channel change
- Large-scale floodplain and coastal protection schemes
Biography
- Director of Research and Development for Life and Physical Sciences (2012-2013)
- Leader of two £0.6 m NERC grants (2008-11, 2010-2013)
- CI on £0.5 m NERC grant (2011-2014)
- CI on three oil company contracts, £0.4 m (2010-2014)
- NERC Pool of Chairs for Peer Review College
- RAE2008 leader
- Joined the University of Brighton in 2000
- Lecturer and then Professor at Leeds University for 12 years
Research Publications
Parker, N. O., Sambrook-Smith, G. H., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Best, J. L., Lane, S. N., Lunt, I. A., Simpson, C. J. and Thomas, R. E. (2013) Quantification of the relationship between surface morphodynamics and subsurface sedimentological product in sandy braided rivers Sedimentology, 60 (3). ISSN 0037-0746
Sandbach, S. D., Lane, S. N., Hardy, R. J., Amsler, M. L., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Best, J. L., Orfeo, O., Parsons, D. R., Reesink, A. J. H., Sambrook-Smith, G. H. and Szupiany, R. N. (2013) Application of a roughness-length representation to parameterize energy-loss in 3D numerical simulations of large rivers Water Resources Research . ISSN 0043-1397
Lewin, John and ASHWORTH, PHILIP (2013) Defining large river channel patterns: alluvial exchange and plurality Geomorphology . ISSN 0169-555X (In Press)
Lunt, I. A., Sambrook-Smith, G. H., Best, J. L., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Lane, S. N. and Simpson, C. J. (2013) Deposits of the sandy braided South Saskatchewan River: implications for the use of modern analogues in reconstructing channel dimensions in reservoir characterisation Bulletin of the American Association of Petroleum Geologists . ISSN 0002-7464
Nicholas, A. P., Sandbach, S. D., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Amsler, M. L., Best, J. L., Hardy, R. J., Lane, S. N., Orfeo, O., Parsons, D. R., Reesink, A. J. H., Sambrook-Smith, G. H. and Szupiany, R. N. (2012) Modelling hydrodynamics in the Rio Paraná, Argentina: an evaluation and inter-comparison of reduced-complexity and physics-based models applied to a large sand-bed river Geomorphology, 169-170 . pp. 192-211. ISSN 0169-555X
Fielding, Christopher R., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Best, J. L., Prokocki, Eric W. and Sambrook-Smith, G. H. (2012) Tributary, distributive and other fluvial patterns; what really represents the norm in the continental rock record (invited review) Sedimentary Geology, 261-262 . pp. 15-32. ISSN 0037-0738
Ashworth, P.J. and Lewin, J. (2012) How do big rivers come to be different? Earth-Science Reviews, 114 . pp. 84-107. ISSN 0012-8252
ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Sambrook-Smith, G. H., Best, J. L., Bridge, J.S., Lane, S. N., Lunt, I. A., Reesink, A. J. H., Simpson, C. J. and Thomas, Robert E. (2011) Evolution and sedimentology of a channel fill in the sandy braided South Saskatchewan River and its comparison to the deposits of an adjacent compound bar Sedimentology, 58 (7). pp. 1860-1883. ISSN 0037-0746
Sambrook Smith, G.H., Best, J.L., Ashworth, P.J., Fielding, C.R., Goodbred, S.L. and Prokocki, E.W. (2010) Fluvial form in modern continental sedimentary basins: distributive fluvial systems: comment Geology, 38 (12). pp. 39-42. ISSN 0091-7613
Parsons, D. R., Amsler, M. L., Szupiany, R. N., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Best, J. L., Hardy, R. J., Lane, S. N., Nicholas, A. P., Orfeo, O., Sambrook-Smith, G. H., Reesink, A. J. H. and Sandbach, S. D. (2010) Process-product relationships in a large multi-channel river: the Rio Paraná, Argentina In: Vionnet, C.A., García, E.M., Latrubesse, E.M. and Perillo, G.M.E., eds. Proceedings of the 6th IAHR Symposium on River, Coastal and Estuarine Morphodynamics: RCEM 2009. Taylor & Francis Group, London, Universidad Nacional del Litoral, Santa Fe, Argentina, pp. 51-56. ISBN 9780415554268
Sandbach, S. D., Hardy, R. J., Lane, S. N., Parsons, D. R., Best, J. L., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Reesink, A. J. H., Amsler, M. L., Szupiany, R. N., Nicholas, A. P., Orfeo, O. and Sambrook-Smith, G. H. (2010) Three-dimensional modelling of a very large river: the Rio Paraná In: Dittrich, A., Koll, Ka, Aberle, J. and Geisenhainer, P., eds. Proceedings of the IAHR River Flow Conference. Bundesanstalt fuer Wasserbau, Germany, pp. 409-417. ISBN 9783939230007
Sambrook Smith, G., Best, J.L., Ashworth, P.J., Lane, S.J., Parker, N.O., Lunt, I.A., Thomas, R.E. and Simpson, C.J. (2010) Can we distinguish flood frequency and magnitude in the sedimentological record of rivers? Geology, 38 (7). pp. 579-582. ISSN 0091-7613
Lane, S.N., Widdison, P.E., Thomas, R.E., Ashworth, P.J., Best, J.L., Lunt, I.A., Sambrook-Smith, G.H. and Simpson, C.J. (2010) Quantification of braided river channel change using archival digital image analysis Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 35 (8). pp. 971-985. ISSN 0197-9337
Sambrook-Smith, G. H., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Best, J. L., Lunt, I. A., Orfeo, O. and Parsons, D. R. (2009) The sedimentology and alluvial architecture of a large braid bar, Rio Paraná, Argentina Journal of Sedimentary Research, 79 (7-8). pp. 629-642. ISSN 1527-1404
Parker, N. O., Sambrook-Smith, G. H., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Best, J. L., Bridge, J.S., Lane, S. N., Lunt, I. A. and Simpson, C. J. (2008) Sedimentological impact of a high magnitude, low-frequency flood in a braided river revealed from sequential GPR surveys In: Proceedings of the 12th International Conference on Ground Penetrating Radar, Birmingham, UK.
ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Best, J. L., Sarker, Maminul H. and Roden, Julie E. (2007) The Brahmaputra-Jamuna River, Bangladesh In: Large rivers: Geomorphology and Management. Wiley & Sons Ltd, Chichester, UK, pp. 395-430. ISBN 9780470849873
Peakall, J., Ashworth, P.J. and Best, J.L. (2007) Meander bend evolution, alluvial architecture, and the role of cohesion in sinuous river channels, a flume study Journal of Sedimentary Research, 77 (3). pp. 197-212. ISSN 1527-1404
Ashworth, P.J., Best, J.L. and Jones, M.A. (2007) The relationship between channel avulsion, flow occupancy and aggradation in braided rivers: insights from an experimental model Sedimentology, 54 (3). pp. 497-513. ISSN 1365-3091
Best, J. L., ASHWORTH, PHILIP, Woodward, J., Sambrook-Smith, G. H. and Simpson, C. J. (2006) Bar-top hollows: a new element in the architecture of sandy braided rivers Sedimentary Geology, 190 . pp. 241-255. ISSN 0037-0738
Sambrook Smith, G.H., Ashworth, P.J., Best, J.L., Woodward, J. and Simpson, C.J. (2006) The sedimentology and alluvial architecture of the sandy braided South Saskatchewan River, Canada Sedimentology, 53 (2). pp. 413-434. ISSN 1365-3091
Sambrook Smith, Gregory H, Ashworth, P.J., Best, James L, Woodward, John and Simpson, Christopher J (2005) The morphology and facies of sandy braided rivers: some considerations of scale invariance In: Blum, Michael, Marriott, Susan and Leclair, Suzanne, eds. Fluvial sedimentology. International Association of Sedimentologists, VII (Special Publication 35). Blackwell Publishing, Oxford, UK, pp. 145-158. ISBN 1405126515
Ashworth, P.J., Best, James L. and Jones, Merren (2004) The relationship between sediment supply and avulsion frequency in braided rivers Geology, 32 (1). pp. 21-24. ISSN 0091-7613
Best, James L., Ashworth, P.J., Bristow, Charles S. and Roden, Julie E. (2003) Three-dimensional sedimentary architecture of a large, mid-channel sand braid bar, Jamuna River, Bangladesh Journal of Sedimentary Research, 73 (4). pp. 516-530. ISSN 1527-1404
Woodward, John, Ashworth, P.J., Best, James L., Sambrook Smith, Gregory H. and Simpson, Christopher J. (2003) The use and application of GPR in sandy fluvial environments: methodological considerations In: Bristow, C.S. and Jol, H.M., eds. Ground penetrating radar in sediments. Geological Society special publication (211). Geological Society of London, London, pp. 127-142. ISBN 978-1-86239-131-4
Lin, Ma, Ashworth, P.J., Best, James L., Elliott, Lionel, Ingham, Derek B. and Whitcombe, Leslie J. (2002) Computational fluid dynamics and the physical modelling of an upland urban river Geomorphology, 44 (3-4). pp. 375-391. ISSN 0169-555x
Moreton, David J., Ashworth, P.J. and Best, James L. (2002) The physical scale modelling of braided alluvial architecture and estimation of subsurface permeability Basin Research, 14 (3). pp. 265-287. ISSN 0950-091X

