Motivated by the remarkably large propagation distances observed in
turbidity currents near the mouth of the Congo River in Africa, a new
model is proposed for their dynamics. It assumes that the erosion of
solid particles from the bed underneath the current increases the
density of the current such that the vortex rotational rate increases
over the case of no erosion. If the rate of increase of vortex rotation
is sufficient, the entrainment rate of fluid above the current is
inhibited. As a consequence, the turbidity current propagates much
farther than would be expected without the dynamic effect of
acceleration.