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Suspended sediment concentration (SSC) is one of the fundamental topics in sediment study. The parameterization of the SSC profile of silty sediments is still under-researched. This study focuses on the mean SSC profile for silty sediments under non-breaking wave-dominant conditions. First, inspired by a 1DV model, different types of the distribution of mean eddy viscosity were proposed, i.e., a toe-type distribution over flat bed and a constant-toe type distribution over rippled bed. Then, the time-averaged diffusion equation for suspended sediment transport was analytically solved, and expressions for the mean SSC profiles were derived. The expressions involve several basic physical processes, including the effects of bed forms, stratification, hindered settling and mobile bed. Verification using a number of experimental datasets showed that the proposed expressions can properly calculate the mean SSC for silt and are applicable for sand as well. In conclusion, this research provides an approach to estimate the mean SSC for silty sediments under wave-dominant conditions, which is expected to be applicable for engineering practice and numerical modelling. • Formulations for mean SSC (suspended sediment concentration) profile of silty sediments were derived. • Several essential physical processes were considered in the formulations. • The SSC profiles over rippled bed and hydrodynamically plane bed were simulated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment transport over Sandy Point dredge pit in the northern Gulf of Mexico during a cold front event in November 2014 was examined using a finely resolved numerical model. The Delft3D model was used to perform numerical experiments that simulate the effect of wind-generated waves, wind-driven currents, river discharge, and tides on sediment dynamics in Sandy Point dredge pit. The hydrodynamics and sediment models were validated and calibrated using field data of current, wave, water level, and suspended sediment concentration. Two potential sources of sediment were examined: fluvial sediment from the Mississippi River and resuspended sediments from the seabed. Results showed that during a cold front, shear stress from wave motions played a significant role in the resuspension of sediments in Sandy Point dredge pit. The maximum cold front-related wave impact on sediment resuspension could increase near-bed sediment concentration in Sandy Point dredge pit by 20–50 times. In addition, the results suggest that the primary source of sediment for Sandy Point dredge pit during a cold front was resuspension from the ambient seabed due to increased bottom shear stress by wind-induced waves and strong southward wind-driven currents. Currents dispersed sediments from the Mississippi River passes and inhibited riverine sediment supply from Sandy Point dredge pit. Results also showed that cold fronts contribute 16%–24% of the annual sedimentation in Sandy Point dredge pit. • A coupled wave-current-sediment model was used to study the sandy dredged pit. • The combined effect of waves and currents on sedimentation was assessed. • The reverse bottom current inside the pit was identified. • Bottom boundary layer was significantly affected by waves. • Sediment accumulation occurs mostly on the north of the pit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop an idealised one dimensional (cross-shore) morphodynamic model that couples wave, tide and sediment dynamics to study the effect and evolution of a shoreface nourishment. Sediment fluxes driven by wave skewness, wave asymmetry (both onshore) and return flow (offshore) are considered. With the aid of new analytical expressions for the skewness and standard deviation of wave velocity and acceleration, sediment fluxes are calculated. Nourishment is viewed as a perturbation to the system in equilibrium that is subject to the divergence of the perturbed sediment flux and a gravity driven diffusion term. Depending on the location, a nourishment may provide a feeder or lee effect. In moderate and mild wave conditions, the evolution of a nourishment primarily depends on the relative location of nourishment and break point. Placed well offshore of the break point, the nourishment induces an overall positive perturbation in sediment flux, resulting in onshore migration (feeder effect). Located closer to the break point, the nourishment induces an earlier wave breaking, which dissipates part of the wave energy (lee effect), leading to a negative sediment flux perturbation around this break point and a positive sediment flux perturbation around the break point of the un-nourished beach. Depending on the intensity of the earlier breaking, the nourishment either migrates onshore (weak break) or splits into onshore and offshore moving parts (strong break). The relative importance of the diffusion term and the divergence of perturbed sediment flux may lead to a primarily migrating or decaying evolution of nourishment. In storm wave conditions, the nourishment tends to move offshore due to the predominance of return flow driven sediment flux. The sensitivity to wave period and tide are also studied. Model results are consistent with observations, as well as prevailing theory on cross-shore sediment transport. • An idealised one dimensional (cross-shore) morphodynamic model that couples wave, tide and sediment dynamics is developed to study the e_ect and evolution of a shoreface nourishment. • In moderate and mild wave conditions, a nourishment placed well o_shore from the break point induces an overall positive perturbation in sediment ux, resulting in onshore migration (feeder e_ect). Located closer to the break point, the nourishment induces an earlier wave breaking, which dissipates part of the wave energy (lee e_ect), resulting in onshore migration (weak break) or splitting into onshore and o_shore moving parts (strong break). In storm wave conditions, nourishment moves o_shore due to the predominance of return-ow-driven sediment ux. • Tide a_ects nourishment evolution through shifting the relative location of the nourishment and break point. The sediment dynamics at low tide dominate the evolution of the nourishment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modeling the size and settling velocity of sediment under the influence of flocculation is crucial for the accurate prediction of mud movement and deposition in sediment transport modeling of environments such as agricultural streams, large coastal rivers, estuaries, river plumes, and turbidity currents. Yet, collecting accurate and high resolution data on mud flocs is difficult. As a result, models that account for the influence of flocculation on mud settling velocity are based on sparse data that often present non-congruent relationship in floc properties with basic influencers of flocculations such as suspended sediment concentration. This study examines the influence of suspended sediment concentration on floc size populations within a turbulent suspension. Specifically, the work investigates: (1) the relationship between the equilibrium floc size and suspended sediment concentration under conditions of steady concentration and turbulent shearing; and (2) the speed at which mature flocs adapt to an unsteady drop in the concentration when turbulent shear is constant. Two sets of experiments were used to investigate the target processes. All work was conducted in laboratory mixing tanks using a floc camera and a newly developed image acquisition method. The new method allows for direct imaging and sizing of flocs within turbulent suspensions of clay in concentrations ranging from 15 to 400 mg/L, so that no transfer of the sample to another settling column or imaging tank is needed. The primary conclusions from the two sets of experiments are: (1) that the equilibrium floc size in an energetic turbulent suspension is linearly and positively related to concentration over the range of C = 50 to 400 mg/L, yet with a smaller-than-expected slope based on previous data and models from low-energy environments; and (2) that floc sizes decrease quickly (with a time lag on the order of 1–15 min) to time-varying decreases in concentration at turbulent shearing of G = 50 s - 1 . Overall the data illustrate that equilibrium floc size is a positive function of concentration, but that the rate of increase is weaker than expected. The data also suggest that approximating the size or settling velocity of some muds with a simple equilibrium model might be appropriate if the time steps of interest are on the order of 10 min or larger. The data also shows the importance of calibrating historic mud settling velocity equations for accurate predictions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal and intra-seasonal variability of hydrodynamics and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the Yellow Sea were investigated using combined ship measurements and physical fields extracted from the global Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model (HyCOM). Model-data comparison indicates that the HyCOM solutions fairly agree with the observed temperature fields, both showing strong horizontal and vertical seasonality. High SSC was observed in waters near the Chengshantou Cape and above the old Yellow River subaqueous delta in November 2012, and was coincident with enhanced velocity shear. Thermal fronts were identified in waters less than 60 m deep with their prominent appearances in November 2012, inhibiting the offshore sediment transport. The previously reported depo-center of distal Yellow River mud-patch off the Chengshantou Cape was confined between the positions of the strong velocity shear in a shoreward direction and the thermal fronts in an offshore direction. We concluded that the nearshore mixing front and the offshore thermal front play critical roles in both capture of the fine-grained suspended sediment and formation of the Omega-shaped mud patch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the concept of a significant transport rate, in coastal environments that contains different spatial and temporal scales and multiple interacting forces (e.g., waves, tides, wave-current, and wind density currents) as well as, the complex physical processes of total-load sediment which is not easy to calculate for practical needs due to restricted range of applicability. The present study develops a unified classical formula for non-cohesive total-load sediment transport in marine coastal zones by using dimensional analysis and self-similarity concepts where a set of independent variables considered. A dataset of total-load collected at both field observation stations and from the laboratory flume conditions and the six well-known relevant formulas were used to evaluate the predictive capability of the proposed formula. Since the results show that, the new formula is in good agreement with both field and flume data sets measures, the authors are suggesting the use of it for the sediment-carrying capacity predictions of total-load sediment transport in marine coastal zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South Yellow Sea (SYS) is strongly influenced by large amounts of sediment input from surrounding rivers, but the dispersal patterns of these sediments, especially how they accumulate in the central Yellow Sea mud (CYSM) region, have not been well illustrated. Here, we present a detailed temporal variation record of the clay mineral compositions from core YSC-10 of the northern SYS near the western margin of the CYSM, trying to investigate sediment provenance and to discuss transport processes occurring during the Holocene. The clay mineral assemblages of core YSC-10 mainly consist predominantly of illite (68 ± 3%), followed by chlorite (15 ± 2%) and kaolinite (10 ± 2%), with scarce amounts of smectite (6 ± 3%). Combined with published data, our results suggest that the fine sediments of core YSC-10 are most likely a mixing product of the Huanghe (Yellow River), Changjiang (Yangtze River) and Korean Peninsula small river sediments, with notable temporal changes. During 8.4–6.4 ka, the Huanghe sediments from the Bohai Sea flowed directly into the SYS and played major roles in the sedimentation therein. In addition, as the modern ocean circulation pattern was formed ∼6 ka, the ocean front developed along the Shandong Peninsula coastal area of the SYS, which would have prevented the dispersal of the Huanghe sediments to the CYSM. The Changjiang sediments delivered by the diluted water replaced those from the Huanghe as the main source of the CYSM during the period of 6.4–4.2 ka. After 4.2 ka, the coastal shear front weakened and moved seawards due to the weakening and eastward shift of the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) in winter and the weakening and shrinking of the Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass (YSCWM) in summer. The Huanghe sediments seem to have increased and fluctuated frequently to core YSC-10 since then. Our study thus highlights that the coastal shear front may have played an important role in the source-to-sink processes of the SYS. • Clay mineral assemblages of core YSC-10 which near the western margin of the CYSM since the Holocene. • The source and transport mechanism of clay minerals of core YSC-10 in different time periods since Holocene. • The oceanic front played critical role in the source to sink processes of the SYS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tidal asymmetry is a phenomenon that characterises estuarine hydrodynamics and has a strong impact on sediment dynamics. Extensive research has been dedicated to studying tidal dynamics in semidiurnal macrotidal estuaries, highlighting several general principles. The ratio of flood to ebb peak velocities and differences in ebb and flood durations are often used to characterise the asymmetry encountered in estuaries. In the Charente estuary (French Atlantic coast), water surface elevation data obtained using an ADCP (Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler) and a tide gauge show that the duration asymmetry undergoes inversions during the spring-neap tidal cycle. A two-dimensional hydrodynamics model is used to investigate the connection between spring-neap inversions of the tidal asymmetry and the harmonic composition of the tide. Different constituents (M2, S2, M4 and MS4) are considered at the open boundary. The results show that M4 and MS4 play a key role in the occurrence of these inversions. The influence of the morphology is also discussed and modifications of the bathymetry are performed to evaluate its impact. In the Charente estuary, the existence of both externally and internally generated overtides thus results in a spatially and fortnightly variable tidal asymmetry. The modelled barotropic tidal currents are used to estimate the possible impact on sediment dynamics. The results suggest that asymmetry inversions tend to create sediment accumulation in an intermediate zone between the river mouth and Rochefort, located approximately 20 km upstream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Spatial variations in grain-size parameters contain information on sediment transport patterns. Therefore, in this study, 106 surficial sediment samples taken from the Pearl River Estuary (PRE), South China, were analyzed, to better understand the net sediment transport pattern in this region. The PRE is an area of fine-grained sediment and shows muddy patches with relatively coarse sediment in the north. The sorting coefficient of surficial sediment over the whole estuary is higher than 2, indicating a very poor sorting in this region. The relationship between the sand, silt and clay contents of the sediments was analyzed by a log-ratio analysis, and it was indicated that the selective deposition is a non-linear function of the sediment mixture composition. The net sediment transport pathways indicate four distinct characteristics of sediment transport over the PRE. The sediment is transported obviously southeastward in the upper part of the estuary due to the relatively stronger fluvial dynamics and northwestward in the lower part, due to the stronger tidal dynamics. However, in the central part of the PRE, the sediment transport vectors display a clockwise rotation trend and net deposition is taking place, as indicated by the convergence of the grain size trend. The trend vectors show that some of the sedimentary material is supplied from upper and lower parts of the estuary to this depocenter. This result is consistent with the residual current circulation pattern near Neilingding Island. The patterns of sediment transport reveal directions with the main areas of deposition and possible dispersal patterns in the PRE. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The influence of reef structures on seafloor surface sediments has implications for marine spatial planning and coastal development, including use of the coastal zone for offshore wind energy. We present results of interannual changes in seafloor surficial geology at the Redbird artificial reef site, located on the continental shelf offshore of Delaware Bay. The Redbird reef is composed of NYC subway cars, barges, tugboats, and other sunken objects. Since objects were added sporadically between 1996 and 2009, the survey area acts as a natural laboratory to study the evolution of the surrounding seafloor at a structural reef habitat through time. Annual side-scan surveys from 2008 through 2011, and one bathymetric survey in 2010 provide information about surface geology and morphology. Local wave and current data for this time period were analyzed to determine the main morphological agents. Automated backscatter segmentation show that three bottom types dominate and that these large-scale (>10m) surface sediment patterns persist from year to year. Grab samples reveal that the bottom types are silty sand with clay and sandy gravel. Clear sediment and biological patterns emerged revealing the influence of the objects on the seafloor. Comet-shaped moats of sandy gravel surround single objects and grow to form large-scale coalesced patches around groups of objects. Alignment of sediment patches suggests the periodic hydrodynamic influence of seasonal storms. The abundance and diversity of organisms increases with decreasing clay/silt content. Evidence of scour includes the removal of fine sediments, the formation of moats 1–30m in diameter and 0.5–1m deep around the reef objects, and the >1m settling of objects into the seafloor. Data suggest subway cars reached equilibrium with the environment in 6–7 years, but that larger objects or clusters of objects take a longer time to equilibrate and have farther-reaching effects. Knowledge of local wave and current climate and stratigraphy could inform decisions of object clustering and orientation to decrease scour impacts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An exceptional flood event, accompanying a marine storm, was investigated simultaneously at the entrance and the exit of the Gulf of Lion’s hydrosystem (NW Mediterranean) in December 2003. Cs, Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb signatures of both riverine and shelf-exported particles indicate that continental inputs and resuspended prodeltaic sediments were intensively mixed with resuspended sediments from middle/outer shelf areas during advective transport. As a result, particles leaving the Gulf of Lion inherited the mean signature of shelf bottom sediments, exporting anthropogenic Pb and Zn out into the open sea. When assessing the particulate metal budget in relation with the event, it appears that the output fluxes accounted for between 15% and 60% of the input fluxes, depending on the element and the period of reference. This trend is also observed for annual budgets, which were drawn up by compiling the data from this study and the literature. Results evidenced that, except some element fluxes during extreme output scenario, outputs never counterbalance the inputs. In its current functioning, the Gulf of Lion’s shelf seems to act as a retention/sink zone for particulate metals. Regarding anthropogenic fluxes, the contribution of the oceanic flood of December 2003 to the mean annual scenario is considerable. Environmental impacts onto coastal and deep-sea ecosystems should therefore tightly depend on both the intensity and the frequency of event-dominated sediment transport. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The Minas Basin, the eastern end of the Bay of Fundy, is well known for its high tide ranges and strong tidal currents, which can be exploited to extract electricity power. The properties of the tidally-induced sediment transport in the Minas Basin, where significant changes in tidal processes may occur due to a recently proposed tidal power project, have been studied with a three-dimensional hydrodynamic model, an empirical bed load sediment transport model and surface sediment concentrations derived from the remotely-sensed images. The hydrodynamic model was evaluated against independent observational data, which include tidal elevation, tidal current (in the full water column and bottom layer), residual current profile and tidal asymmetry indicators. The evaluation shows that the model is in good agreement with the observations. The sediment transport includes two components, bed load and suspended particulate load. The bed load is calculated using the modelled bottom shear stress and the observed grain size data. The estimated features of bed load transport roughly agree with the observed patterns of the erosion and deposition in the Minas Basin and Cobequid Bay. The transport of the suspended load is estimated using the modelled velocity fields and the surface sediment concentration derived from remote-sensing images. The comparisons between the modelled results and the limited observations illustrate that the observed directions of suspended sediment transport are basically reproduced by the model. The modelled net suspended sediment input into the Minas Basin through Minas Passage is 2.4×106 m3 yr−1, which is comparable to the observed value of 1.6×106 m3 yr−1. The variations of the bed load and the suspended load in space and time are also presented. The total net transport, defined as the mean value of the sum of bed and suspended load transports during the tidal cycle, shows strong spatial variability. The magnitude of the transport flux ranges from 0.1 to 0.2kgm−1 s−1 in Minas Channel and Minas Passage, 0.1kgm−1 s−1 in Cobequid Bay, to 0.01kgm−1 s−1 in the central Minas Basin and Southern Bight. In Minas Channel, the sediment transport follows the structure of the tidal residual circulation, which features a large anticlockwise gyre. The sediment in Minas Passage moves eastward and deposits into the central Minas Basin. However, the sediment from the eastern part of the Basin moves westward and deposits in the central Minas Basin as well. In the Cobequid Bay, sediment moves eastward and deposits in the upper bay. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A numerical approach based on the coupling of the wave propagation module SWAN (Simulating WAves Nearshore) with the three-dimensional circulation module COHERENS (COupled Hydrodynamical-Ecological model for RegioNal and Shelf seas) is developed to simulate the impact of a northerly wind-generated storm on the resuspensions of heterogeneous sediments in the Dover Strait and adjacent waters. Suspended sediment transport is computed for the four grain-size classes of silts , very fine sands , fine sands and medium sands . Predicted times histories of wave variables and the near-bottom mean current and total suspended sediment concentration (SSC) are compared with field data collected off Merlimont Beach, in the south of Boulogne-sur-Mer. Mappings of the growth of the near-bottom total SSC during the storm are produced. The total SSC increases by four at the Merlimont site. The multiplying factor reaches 40 along the exposed northern French coastline revealing the Flandres bed features. This increase is limited to five in deep waters of the southern Dover Strait with local strengthening on the top of the Vergoyer and the Bassure de Baas sandbanks. The storm modifies the granulometric composition of suspended materials by increasing the contribution of medium sands. Main modifications appear at the south-western entrance of the Dover Strait and in the exposed southern North Sea. The near-bottom resuspensions remain elsewhere dominated by the local resuspensions of fine sands added to remote resuspended silts advected by currents. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Appropriate descriptions of turbulence are important in predicting sediment transport and seabed evolution. We use here a three-dimensional model to investigate the impacts of sediment-induced stratification, erosion parameterization, and turbulence closures on sediment transport and morphological simulations. The model is implemented in the Proudman Oceanographic Laboratory Coastal Ocean Modelling System (POLCOMS), which couples a hydrodynamic model to the General Ocean Turbulence Model (GOTM) and to a sediment transport model. This sediment transport model calculates both suspended sediment concentrations and bed evolution. A large number of turbulence closures can be tested and we focus on the methods used to calculate the turbulent length scale and the stability functions. Different modelling scenarios are assessed against experimental data of velocity profiles, suspended sediment concentrations, and trench migration in a laboratory flume. Numerical results show that the processes investigated have little impact on the flow velocity profiles, in spite of some differences on the bed shear stress. The only exception is the one-equation turbulence closure, which cannot reproduce velocity profiles appropriately. Sediment-induced stratification, erosion parameterization, and turbulence closures can all have significant impacts on the suspended sediment concentration and the bed evolution. Model-data comparisons are found to be particularly sensitive to the method used to calculate the turbulent length scale. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper proposes an explanation of the mud deposits on the inner Shelf of Cassino Beach, South Brazil, by using computational modeling. These mud deposits are mainly formed by sediments delivered from Patos Lagoon, a coastal lagoon connected to the Shelf, next to Cassino Beach. The deposits are characterized by (soft) mud layers of about 1m thick and are found between the −5 and −20 isobaths. Two hydrodynamic models of the larger Patos Lagoon–Cassino Beach system were calibrated against water elevation measured for a 5 months period, and against currents and salinity measured for a week period. The circulation patterns and water exchange through the mouth were analyzed as a function of local and remote wind effects, and river discharges. The remote wind effect mainly governs the quantity of water exchange with the Lagoon through its effect on mean sea level as a result of Ekman dynamics, while river discharges are important for the salinity of the exchanged water masses. Local winds augment the export–import rates by set-up and set-down within the Lagoon, but their effects are much smaller than those of the remote wind. Currents patterns on the inner Shelf during water outflow revealed a recirculation zone south of the Lagoon, induced by the local geometry and bathymetry of the system. This recirculation zone coincides with observed locations of mud deposition. Water, hence suspended sediment export occurs when remote and local winds are from the N–E, which explains why fine sediment deposits are mainly found south of the Lagoon''s breakwater. A sensitivity analysis with the numerical model quantified the contribution of the various mechanisms driving the transport and fate of the fine suspended sediments, i.e. the effects of remote and local wind, of the astronomical tide, of river discharge and fresh–salt water-induced density currents, and of earth rotation. It is concluded that gravitational circulation and earth rotation affects the further dispersion of the deposits largely, whereas the remote wind effect has the largest influence on the amount of sediment released from the Lagoon. It is noted that this paper analyzes the initial deposition patterns induced by current effects only. However, in reality, these deposits are further redistributed over the Shelf by wave effects—these are subject of a next study on the sediment dynamics of the larger Patos Lagoon–Cassino Beach system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of a giant offshore dyke, Saemangeum, have been of special interest on both scientific and environmental aspects. Without any rival worldwide with regard to the ample scale and estuarine setting, the Saemangeum dyke and its vicinity (Saemangeum Area) should be an unprecedented experimental site for monitoring the consequence of the estuarine developments with dykes. In order to unravel geologic changes caused by the Saemangeum dyke, we collected a number of surface sediment samples and bathymetric profiles from a full coverage of the Saemangeum Area, and compared topography and sediment phase on the inter-annual (2002–2006, post-construction) and decadal (1982–2002, between pre- and post-construction) timescales. The dyke construction induced vigorous erosion along the dyke, especially across a few open gaps between dyke segments. These open gaps led to forming deep erosional troughs and the associated channels to the river mouth. At the same time, mild accumulation of sediments occurred on the broad seafloor offshore the erosional zone of dyke sector IV and on shoals between the erosional troughs off dyke sectors I–II. Inside the dyke, tidal flats have become expanded and aggraded with continuously discharged riverine sediments. Sands have been newly introduced into the offshore area of sector IV owing to tidal currents with an orientation forced to be parallel to sector IV (NE–SW), reinforced by high waves during winter. By contrast, the expanded sandy area off sectors I–II resulted from redistribution of pre-existing sands without any new input from offshore. As a whole, the concentrated erosion and sandy-seafloor expansion offshore represent the man-made influences triggered by the Saemangeum dyke. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Multi-frequency acoustics backscattering has been used for over a decade, to quantitatively measure profiles of suspended sediment particle size and concentration, in the bottom 1–2m above the seabed. Central to obtaining the sediment parameters from the backscattered signal is a description of the scattering characteristics of the particles in suspension. Therefore, formulations are required for the attenuation and backscattering properties of the suspended particles with size and acoustic frequency. There is no single formulation for these scattering properties and different researchers have used somewhat different expressions. However, these expressions are all based on a variation of sphere scattering, modified to fit available scattering data. Here we bring together all the published data on acoustic backscattering and attenuation by suspensions of sandy sediments. The aim is to provide coastal scientists, who use acoustics for sediment transport measurements, with simple expressions which best represent the observed scattering properties of sandy sediments. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The utilisation of sound backscattered from sediments in suspension, to measure profiles of near-bed particle size and concentration, has been gaining increasing acceptance and usage by sedimentologists and coastal engineers over the past two decades. To obtain the sediment parameters from the backscattered signal requires an inversion to be conducted on the signal and this necessitates a system calibration. The calibration can be carried out by detailed acoustic and electronic measurements, or alternatively by measuring the backscattering from suspensions with known scattering characteristics. Here, we explore the latter approach and describe in some detail the calibration of a triple frequency acoustic backscatter system. The aim is to provide coastal scientists involved in using acoustics as a tool for sediment transport research, with a clear exposition of the calibration process. Suspensions of glass spheres of varying particle size were used as the calibration scatterers. To interpret the signal backscatter from the suspension of glass spheres a simple model for sphere scattering is presented. The results show that consistent calibration results can be obtained in a relatively simple and robust manner. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The study of plant-bound nutrient transport has been largely neglected in estuaries. Lately however, it has been shown that nutrients bound to macroalgae and seagrasses can constitute a major part of the nutrient transport in shallow tidal estuaries. Organic detritus in estuaries comes from various sources. This paper looks into the source of detritus from sloughing, and the transport behaviour of plant detritus under unidirectional flows. In order to determine the extent of the sloughing of macrophytes, the threshold current velocities for the traction and resuspension of the most common submersed macrophytes in Venice Lagoon (Ulva lactuca, Enteromorpha sp., Ceramium rubrum, Cladophora sp., and Chaetomorpha linum) were studied in a laboratory flume. It was found that all macrophytes subjected to flows of 1.5–3.0cms−1 move initially as bed load. The threshold for suspension of the macrophyte tissue was at current speeds >3cms−1. The exception was the filamentous macroalgae, C. linum, which moved as bed load at all current speeds. This implies that the advection of plant-bound nutrients in Venice Lagoon is widespread and takes place over virtually all stages of the tide. Initial experiments were carried out on unattached macroalgae. A second study focused on the sloughing of attached macroalgae by steady currents. The threshold current speeds at which sloughing commenced varied between different types of algae, and sloughing rate was related largely to current speed. The resuspension rates were uniform between the different macrophyte groups. Our results help explain why plant matter has been trapped in nets close to the bed of Venice Lagoon on ebbing tides. It shows that a major component of the bedload is organic in origin. The results verify that a large proportion of the net nutrient export from estuaries is bound in macrophyte tissue. These findings need to be included in future ecological models that describe the resuspension, sloughing and settling of macrophytes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The in situ records of a cruise in September 1995 off the Huanghe mouth and laboratory measurements indicate that the shear front off the river mouth results from the phase difference between the nearshore and offshore tides and plays significant role in the river-laden sediment dispersal. Two types of shear front, identified from the behaviors of currents inside and outside the shear front, alternate over tidal cycle, each of which lasts for ∼2–3h. The dispersal patterns of suspended sediment at the stations inside and outside the shear front are distinctly different from each other. In addition, the gravity-driven hyperpycnal flow generated near the mouth is terminated within shallow water due to the barrier effect of shear front. A dispersal pattern of river-laden suspended sediment in the shear frontal zone is proposed to interpret the difference of sediment transport inside and outside the shear front. The fresh and highly turbid river effluents discharge to the sea during ebb tides and are transported northwestwards inside the shear front under the combined impacts of northward ebb currents, down-slope transport of hyperpycnal flow and confining action of shear front; after partially mixing with the ambient seawater the river effluents are then transported southeastwards outside the shear front along the flood currents, causing the intermittent increase in suspended sediment concentration and corresponding decrease in salinity outside the shear front. Over annual time scale the subaqueous slope has a geomorphological response to the ephemeral shear front. Most of the river-laden sediment deposit inside the shear front with a high accumulation rate, while erosion is dominant outside the shear front due to the lack of sediment supply. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A numerical modelling study on the effects of sediment-induced stratification on tidal currents is conducted for an idealized tidal estuary with a muddy seabed. The numerical model is a three-dimensional oceanic sediment transport model capable of predicting dynamics of Newtonian fluid mud layers due to coupling of the sea water density and suspended sediment concentration. The model uses a reparameterized bottom drag coefficient that incorporates a linear stability function of flux Richardson number Rf . The study has shown that the sediment-induced stratification in the bottom boundary layer (BBL) reduces the vertical eddy viscosity and bottom shear stress in comparison with the model prediction in a neutrally stratified BBL. In response to these apparent reductions, the tidal current shear in the water column is increased in the estuary. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A series of sand bed experiments was carried out in the Large Wave Flume in Hannover, Germany as a component of the SISTEX99 experiment. The experiments focussed on the dynamic sediment response due to wave group forcing over a flat sand bed in order to improve understanding of cross-shore sediment transport mechanisms and determine sediment concentrations, fluxes and net transport rates under these conditions. Sediment concentrations were measured within the sheet flow layer (thickness in the order of 10 grain diameters) and in the suspension region (thickness in the order of centimetres). Within the sheet flow layer, the concentrations are highly coherent with the instantaneous near-bed velocities due to each wave within the wave group. However, in the suspension layer concentrations respond much more slowly to changes in near-bed velocity. At several centimetres above the bed, the suspended sediment concentrations vary on the time scale of the wave group, with a time delay relative to the peak wave within the wave group. The thickness of the sheet flow changes with time. It is strongly coherent with the wave forcing, and is not influenced by the history or sequence of the waves within the group. The velocity of the sediment was also measured within the sheet flow layer some of the time (during the larger wave crests of the group), and the velocity of the fluid was measured at several cm above the sheet flow layer. The grain velocity and concentration estimates can be combined to estimate the sediment flux. The estimates were found to be consistent with previous measurements under monochromatic waves. Under these conditions, without any significant mean current, the sediment flux within the sheet flow layer was found to greatly exceed the sediment flux in the suspension layer. As a result, net transport rates under wave groups are similar to those under monochromatic waves. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Geological studies offshore of Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina reveal subtle large-scale regions of coarse sand with gravel and shell hash (widths between 100 and 200m and negative relief of ∼1m) that trend obliquely to the coast. It was previously suggested that these regions serve as conduits for sand exchange between the shoreface and inner shelf during storm-associated downwelling. Consequently they were classified as rippled scour depressions. More recently, the role of alongshore flows and self-organization as a result of inhibited settling of fine sand has been discussed. In this study, 45 days of near-bed current measurements were analyzed using benthic boundary layer and sediment transport models to examine the role of along- and cross-shore flows in driving sediment transport at this site. The wind climate was found to be a dominant influence on near-bed flows. Six distinct sediment transport events were recognized. During these events, sediment transport models show that bedload transport is directed mainly in the cross-shore direction, while suspended sediments are directed alongshore to the southwest. Current observations during these sediment transport events provide no evidence of cross-shore sediment transport caused by steady downwelling currents. Instead, benthic boundary layer model results are used to show that differences in bed roughness between the coarse areas of the seabed within the “rippled scour depressions” and the finer areas of the inner shelf are more pronounced during increasingly energetic wave and current conditions. The enhanced difference in roughness results in increased turbulence intensities over coarse regions inhibiting the deposition of the fine sand that is resuspended over the shelf during these events relative to finer areas over the shelf. Findings from this study contribute to explaining the observed long-term persistence of these features. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A self-recording instrument, named Tidal Sediment Dynamics Observational System (TISDOS), was built to monitor transport characteristics of nearbed sediments on tidal flats. It was deployed on a tidal flat in the semi-enclosed Garolim Bay, west coast of Korea, over a 15-day period between 5 and 20 January 2002 to examine sediment-transport processes during winter seasons. The measurements involved brief durations of high waves allowing for observation of wave effects upon the sediment transport on the tidal flat. Time series of various hydrodynamic parameters (water depth, current velocities, wave height, suspended sediment concentration, and bed level) from point measurements show characteristic interrelationships between parameters on both temporal and spatial scales. The tidal flat is dominated by flooding currents up to 2 times stronger than ebb currents. The current speeds measured simultaneously at two stations along a cross-shore transect varied in harmony with water depth, reaching the maximum during spring tide that was steadily decreased onshore. The onshore decrease in current speed was compatible with a fining textural trend from sand on the lower flat to mud toward the upper flat. Both the maximum water depth and current speed during individual tidal cycles also show semi-diurnal asymmetry that was highlighted during spring tide.Waves were of critical importance in resuspending bed material and thus yielding higher suspended sediment concentrations. On the middle flat, the suspended sediment concentrations were highest, exceeding 400 mg/l at 0.5 m above the seabed during large waves (relative wave height, 0.33) under weakest neap currents. In this wavy climate, the suspended sediment concentration increased over time during ebb, in strong contrast with a gradual decrease through time after mid-flood peaks under tidal currents without waves. The daily vertical flux of suspended sediments trapped in a plastic bottle also indicates the significance of wave effects in terms of enhancing resuspension of bottom sediments. As a whole, the suspended silts as well as seabed sands should be transported onshore by dominant flooding currents despite occasional offshore increase in suspension load by waves. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The role of bore turbulence for sediment transport in the swash and inner surf zones is investigated using field measurements of (a) cross-shore velocity using an electromagnetic current meter at z=3 cm, (b) turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) and cross-shore velocity using a 3-dimensional acoustic Döppler velocimeter at z=7.5 cm, (c) water depth using a pressure transducer at z=0, and (d) suspended sediment concentration (SSC) using seven miniature optical backscatter sensors at z=1–32 cm, on a steep beach in high energy conditions (Hb≈1.6 m). High SSC and high TKE values were associated with the passing of the bore front while the near-bed flow was undergoing rapid onshore acceleration. Peak TKE values tended to occur whilst the near-bed velocity was still offshore. The SSC peaked only slightly later than the TKE and therefore no evidence exists to support advection of pre-suspended sediment. Correlation tests are performed to assess the predictive capability of (a) a Bagnold-type model based on shear stress, (b) a similar model based on TKE, and (c) a model combining (a) and (b). When the data from the whole time series are used, the combined model improves r2 values over the shear stress model by up to 9%. If only data within bore events are included, then the improvement increases to over 55%, suggesting a significant effect of TKE on sediment transport across the bore. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Results are presented of numerical simulations of the basin-scale morphodynamics of an idealised, semi-enclosed, energetic tidal shelf sea. The basin dimensions and tidal characteristics resemble those of the Southern Bight of the North Sea. The simulations were carried out using a finite-difference model of bed-level change, designed for use with an existing numerical hydrodynamical model. A ‘bottom–up’ approach was chosen, which allows investigation of basic physical effects. A bed-load sediment-transport formulation was used, assuming uniform grain size. The computations focus on the basin-scale evolution of the seabed (hundreds of kilometres), span several tens of thousands of years, and represent various scenarios of sea-level change. Morphological features with length scales of tidal sandbanks and smaller were not included. The results show that the basin will export sediment and deepen. Also, it will expand by the accumulation of the eroded sediment in the deeper waters to the north. The deepening causes reduction of the flow velocities and the net sediment transport, resulting in decreasing rates of morphodynamic evolution. The resulting large-scale seabed topography partly resembles the current bathymetry of the Southern Bight of the North Sea. The topography is mainly the result of sediment redistribution along the longitudinal axis of the basin, caused by asymmetry in the velocity field of the amphidromic system. The feedback of the developing bed levels to the water motion is dominated by the increase in water depth, and much less by the seabed topography. Externally prescribed changes in sea level change the wavelengths of the tide and the seabed pattern; they also change the speed of the morphodynamical evolution. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Recent observations of inner continental shelves in many regions show numerous collections of relatively coarse sediment, which extend kilometers in the cross-shore direction and are on the order of 100 m wide. These “rippled scour depressions” have been interpreted to indicate concentrated cross-shelf currents. However, recent observations strongly suggest that they are associated with sediment transport along-shore rather than cross-shore. A new hypothesis for the origin of these features involves the large wave-generated ripples that form in the coarse material. Wave motions interacting with these large roughness elements generate near-bed turbulence that is greatly enhanced relative to that in other areas. This enhances entrainment and inhibits settling of fine material in an area dominated by coarse sediment. The fine sediment is then carried by mean currents past the coarse accumulations, and deposited where the bed is finer. We hypothesize that these interactions constitute a feedback tending to produce accumulations of fine material separated by self-perpetuating patches of coarse sediments. As with many types of self-organized bedforms, small features would interact as they migrate, leading to a better-organized, larger-scale pattern. As an initial test of this hypothesis, we use a numerical model treating the transport of coarse and fine sediment fractions, treated as functions of the local bed composition—a proxy for the presence of large roughness elements in coarse areas. Large-scale sorted patterns exhibiting the main characteristics of the natural features result robustly in the model, indicating that this new hypothesis offers a plausible explanation for the phenomena. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Measurements of waves, currents and sediment suspension from a 35-day deployment of three instrumented tripods on the wave-dominated shoreface off Tairua Beach, New Zealand, are presented. Two tripods were deployed at 22-m depth, one within a coarse-sand rippled scour depression (RSD), and the other nearby on the surrounding, relatively featureless fine-sand plain. A third tripod was deployed at 15-m depth, also on fine sand. To distinguish between suspended fine and coarse sand at each site, a method of simultaneously inverting two-frequency acoustic backscatter data was applied.Background, long-period swell was interrupted by two 6-day periods of high waves. At the 15-m/fine-sand site, only fine sand appeared in suspension. However, at the 22-m/fine-sand site, coarse sand appeared in suspension together with fine sand when the waves were highest. This suggests that coarse sand resuspended from the RSD can be dispersed on the adjacent fine-sand plain, at least along the same isobath. At the RSD, there was no coarse sand in suspension under background swell, but there was a fine-sand “washload”, presumably advected from the surrounding fine-sand plain, even though the coarse bed sediment in the RSD itself was not in motion. Under high waves, both fine and coarse sands were in suspension over the RSD. The fine sand appeared again as a washload, but the coarse sand was confined relatively close to the bed in accordance with a sediment diffusivity that decreased linearly with elevation above the bed.Measurements of fine-sand reference concentration over both fine-sand beds (15 and 22-m depth) plot against wave-induced skin friction in one cluster under the background swell and in another cluster under the high waves, which suggests a change in bedforms, possibly to a hummocky bed, that is related to wave conditions and that alters the suspension dynamics. The coarse-sand reference concentrations over the RSD fall into the “hummocky cluster”, which supports this interpretation.The fine-sand washload is indicative of an unfavourable settling environment over the RSD, which could constitute a positive feedback that causes RSDs to self-organize from initial perturbations. Under high waves, the suspended-sediment load impinging from the surrounding plain will be high, but turbulence will also be more energetic on the RSD, thus more effectively inhibiting deposition. Under low waves, deposition may be less inhibited on the RSD, but the suspended-sediment load arriving from the surrounding fine-sand plain will also be lower. Thus, the fine-sand deposition rate on the RSD will be small, even though conditions are more favourable for settling. Modelling could be expanded to consider the balance between inhibition of settling and tendency for burial by the sediment load that impinges from the area surrounding an RSD, and the way wave climate and water depth might mediate the basic self-organization process. Escape of coarse sand from RSDs under high waves may seed the growth of new RSDs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Surface sediments of the Northern and Middle Adriatic shelf were studied during five cruises, from 1977 to 1990, in order to map the distribution of Ca and Mg carbonates in bottom sediments of the Adriatic Sea. The aim of this work was to trace the preferential depositional areas of sediments derived from Italian rivers by distinguishing among the contributions from northeastern Italian rivers, the Po and Apenninic streams. The pattern distribution of dolomite concentration proved to be a good tracer of the alongshore transport of particulate material from the Northern toward the Middle and Southern Adriatic. Moreover, dolomite and textural sedimentary parameters such as grain size distributions discriminate between local, recent sources, and regional, older sources of bottom sedimentary material. The analysis of the main pathways of sediment transfer between different shelf compartments shows that a huge amount of material is transferred from north to south. This occurs in two main shelf sectors: along the Romagna coast, sediments moving inside the belt delimited by the 20 m isobaths are influenced by the local river input and minor coastal gyres, whereas offshore sediments, coming from the northern Adriatic Sea, are transported southward by the Northern Adriatic Coastal Current (NACC); along the Marche and Abruzzo coasts, the “local” belt extends offshore on the outer shelf. In order to obtain a quantitative estimate of sediment accumulation of fine sediments of Northern Adriatic origin along the shelf sectors, a mass budget was calculated for bulk sediments and for dolomite contributions. The budget shows that the amount of sediment transferred between adjacent boxes is always of the order of 50% of the fluvial input to the sea. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Strong tidal currents, shallow water, waves and mobile bed sediments present in many tidal inlets prevent deployment of instrumentation using benthic frames and restrict measurements that can be obtained safely from a boat and thus data from these environments remain scarce. Recent deployments of the new POL Instrument Package (PIP) from a jack-up barge have provided a solution to this problem. Here the performance of the various sensors on the PIP is assessed critically and the degree to which near-bed processes are affected by the PIP is investigated by comparing measured and predicted flows, bedforms and rates of sediment transport. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, we estimate sediment source strength and determine sediment transport/accumulation patterns on the Chukchi and Laptev shelves for lithogenic material from several key source regions. In the western Laptev Sea, sediments from the Siberian flood basalt province account for <20% of surface sediments, while detritus from the eastern Laptev''s Lena and Yana Rivers constitutes as much as 40% of seafloor sediments. Eastern Laptev Sea sediments similarly reflect inputs from multiple sources; here, however, local inputs from the Lena and Yana Rivers are most prevalent. Chukchi Sea sediments are more homogeneous in composition, with sediments originating from the Okhotsk-Chukotsk volcanic belt and Bering Strait inflow comprising over 60% of surface sediments except near Wrangel Island and along sections of the Siberian coast. In the Chukchi portion of our study area, the dominant sediment dispersal pathways are from the Bering Strait region to the north and from Long Strait to the east, into the central Chukchi Sea. There appears to be comparatively minimal sediment transport parallel to the Siberian coast at our sample sites (>40 m water depth). In contrast, at our Laptev Sea sites (typically >20 m water depth) sediments supplied by the Lena and Yana Rivers move primarily eastward/northeastward parallel to the coast, with relatively minimal transport to the west/northwest or north to the central shelf. Good correspondence between sediment accumulation patterns and currents on the Chukchi shelf indicates water circulation is an important sediment transport mechanism in this marginal sea. In the Laptev Sea, a combination of river outflow, cyclonic water circulation and the Siberian Coastal Current controls sediment distribution. We speculate that sediment ice rafting may also affect shelf sedimentation patterns through a combination of factors. Our findings have implications for the fate of particle reactive contaminants released to the Siberian continental margin. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In describing suspended sediment conditions in the lower Chesapeake Bay, VA, USA, this paper reports and develops methods for distinguishing multiple particle populations in the bottom boundary layer of estuaries in general. In addition, a novel application of the acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) is shown to estimate in situ particle fall velocity at a single point without affecting the ambient turbulence. In situ estimates of suspended sediment concentration from ADV, optical backscatter, and laser in situ scattering and transmissometry (LISST) instruments are compared with gravimetrically determined mass concentrations from pumped water samples. In this environment, acoustic backscatter from the ADV proved to be the best estimator of mass concentrations due to its apparent insensitivity to the size or density of muddy aggregates. The concentration estimates and the relative sensitivities of the instruments to particle size and density combined with size distribution information from the LISST reveal the characteristics of multiple particle populations in the bottom boundary layer. Two rapidly settling sediment populations are suggested with similar fall velocities but distinct critical erosion stresses. A slowly settling background population is also identified whose concentration varies over meteorological time scales. Fall velocities are estimated analytically from a balance of settling and diffusive flux gradients using two methods, one employing Reynolds concentration flux, and the other estimating eddy diffusivity using the von-Karman Prandtl equation. Comparison of the local change and advective terms in the solute transport equation to the magnitude of the settling term suggests that a balance between the settling and resuspension term is a good first order approximation at this site, validating the indirect method for estimating settling velocity. Single elevation estimates of fall velocity using the ADV to estimate Reynolds concentration flux produced the best estimates of fall velocity which are on the order of 1 mm/s. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Several techniques including analysis of bathymetric data, calculation of analytical parameters and computational hydrodynamic simulations are combined in this study to develop a conceptual understanding of processes causing morphological change in the Mersey Estuary between 1871 and 1997. Volumetric analysis demonstrates that morphological change is dominated by a trend of significant accretion between 1906 and 1977, with estuary volume reducing by &ap;10% (70 Mm3), followed by a relatively small increase in volume between 1977 and 1997. Previous research identified the construction of training walls between 1906 and 1936 to stabilise the position of the low water channel in Liverpool Bay outside the estuary as a probable cause of perturbation.The paper examines the hypothesis that sedimentation in the estuary was controlled by changes to hydrodynamic flow and related sediment transport patterns outside the estuary resulting from training wall construction, and that the estuary has now evolved towards a stable state. The results from computational hydrodynamic models for the years 1906, 1936 and 1977 quantifying potential changes in sediment transport pathways from outside the estuary indicate a significant increase in potential sediment supply to the mouth of the estuary during the period of peak accretion. However, these changes cannot be solely attributed to construction of the training walls, but result from the combined effect of training wall construction and dredging activity in the sea approach channels. Furthermore, it is not simply changes in hydrodynamic flow characteristics that cause sedimentation but also the existence of salinity-induced gravitational circulation within the estuary and wider Liverpool Bay system that acts as an important mechanism for importing sediment into the estuary. Evidence for evolution towards a stable estuary state is provided by derivation of a sediment budget demonstrating a negligible net flux of sediment into the estuary between 1977 and 1997. The establishment of a stable state is attributed to a reduction in the calculated transport of sediment across Liverpool Bay reducing the supply of sediment to the estuary mouth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to identify mechanisms which determine the morphology of tidal inlet systems, experiments with a shallow water model and sediment transport model of intermediate complexity are carried out and interpreted. A highly schematised geometry is used, consisting of a rectangular outer area connected to a rectangular basin by a narrow strait. The bottom topography is either flat or constantly sloping in the landward direction and the bed is composed of fine sand. Forcing at the open boundary consists of prescribed water levels, which can represent a (shore-parallel) progressive tidal wave or a fully standing wave. The symmetry breaking effects of Coriolis force and a progressive Kelvin wave on the tidal motion, the mean flow field and the mean sediment transport field are investigated. Tidal ellipticity properties on the outer delta are also discussed. Experiments for a rectangular basin without outer area are carried out in order to compare the intermediate model results with those of a 1D idealised model. The overall agreement is satisfactory. Next the influence of earth rotation and of the progressive wave in the outer sea on mean sediment transport in the basin is investigated. It turns out that both effects, which cannot be included in the idealised model, lead to different patterns of erosion and deposition. In both sets of experiments the effects of a progressive Kelvin wave were found to be dominant over earth rotation effects in the flow and mean sediment transport fields. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ripples and small-scale bedforms are ubiquitous in shallow water environments under the combined action of currents and waves. Small scale processes linked to their formation and migration are interconnected with sediment transport at larger scales (e.g. tens of metres to kilometres), both resulting in and being affected by large scale sediment transport and geomorphological evolution. The lower shoreface provides a key link between coasts and continental shelves, but the contribution of ripples and small-scale bedforms to sediment transport in this region has yet to be fully addressed. This work presents a study of sediment dynamic processes on the lower shoreface in the presence of small-scale bedforms. Observations were made during the winter of 2017 on the lower shoreface of Perranporth Beach, which is in the south west of the UK and exposed to Atlantic waves. The analysis of morphological expressions and the variability of ripples under waves, currents and wave-current conditions are assessed. Ripple morphology and associated dynamics are analysed for their potential contribution to the exchange of sediment between the lower and the upper shoreface. In the present study it was observed that even though ripples were evolving depending on the wave-current forcing, little ripple migration was observed due to low wave skewness. The implication is that ripple migration and bedload transport are only a small contribution to onshore sediment transport under low to moderate energy conditions. However, during more energetic conditions, ripples were washed out and the wave skewness increased, resulting in onshore sediment transport under a sheet flow regime. This suggests that ripple formation and migration can have little impact on the cross-shore supply of sediment from the lower shoreface to the upper shoreface and that more energetic wave conditions are required to significantly transport sediment towards the beach. • High-resolution observations on the seabed reveal 2D and 3D wave vortex ripples in a macrotidal sandy lower shoreface. • The morphological ripple transitions provide assessment of sediment transport regime thresholds. • The hypothesis of ross-shore sediment supplied from the lower to the upper shoreface through ripple migration is not supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of tides on cross-shore sediment dynamics of a longshore-uniform beach is studied by means of a 1D numerical model (XBeach). The model is modified to include longshore tidal currents induced by water level gradients. The effect of tides on cross-shore sediment dynamics is quantified by analyzing the change in suspended sediment concentration, sediment advection velocity, and sediment transport. The effect of tides is decoupled into its two main components, i.e., water level fluctuations and tidal currents. Water level fluctuations modulate wave orbital velocities, wave-averaged currents and sediment advection velocity, therefore affecting both resuspension of sediments and cross-shore sediment transport. Tidal currents favor tidally-averaged sediment resuspension due to the increase in applied shear stress on the bed. The effects of water level fluctuations and tidal currents on sediment dynamics vary in the cross-shore direction: tidal currents increase sediment resuspension in deeper water depth, while water level fluctuations control the changes observed in shallow waters. In shallow waters, tidal amplitude is a good indicator of the influence of longshore propagating tides on the cross-shore sediment dynamics of a uniform beach, while in deeper waters, tidal wavelength also plays an important role. The model predictions are able to capture the trends observed in field measurements. • Numerical model XBeach (1D) is modified to include longshore tidal currents induced by water level gradients. • Effects of different tides and (moderate) wind wave conditions on cross-shore sediment dynamics are studied. • In shallow waters, tidal amplitude is a good indicator of the influence of tides on sediment dynamics. • In deeper waters, tidal currents become important, increasing the tidally-averaged sediment concentration [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sediment provenance and transport, together with the forcing mechanism behind provenance changes in the middle Okinawa Trough over the past 16 kyr, were reconstructed using records of elemental and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions within the chronological framework of accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating. Results clearly revealed four notable phases of change in the sediment provenance those are closely related to sea-level fluctuations, the development of the Kuroshio Current (KC), magnitude of tidal bottom stress, and climatic variability of the East Asian monsoon. The sediments of Unit 1 (16–13.8 kyr BP) originated primarily from Changjiang, with a small degree originating from paleo-Huanghe as a result of low-stand sea-level deposition. The sediments of Unit 2 (13.8–11.6 kyr BP) originated from Taiwan the strengthening of because of the KC and the gradual landward retreat of the river mouth; the contribution of Changjiang sediments was reduced. The dominant provenance of Unit 3 (11.6–8.3 kyr BP) changed to seafloor erosion or resuspension and Taiwan sediments with an admixture of Changjiang-derived sediments. After that period, currents, especially the intense KC-dominated deposition, led to dominant sediment supplies from Taiwan during the enhanced KC interval of 8.3–5.4 kyr BP. A prominent decrease in Taiwan-derived particle supply at 5.4–2.8 kyr BP resulted from the suppression of the KC related to the Pulleniatina minimum event. This study suggests that Sr–Nd isotope compositions are useful proxies for understanding the linkage between river sediment source-to-sink processes and paleoenvironmental changes in East Asian marginal regions. • Kuroshio Current reentered at 13.8 kyr BP and suppressed after 5.4 kyr BP. • Sediment provenance changes in the middle Okinawa Trough over the last 16 kyr were characterized by four-phase pattern. • Sediment provenance changes reflect the competing effects of sea-level, the Kuroshio Current, and East Asian monsoon climate. • Paleo-Huanghe was an important source of sediment in middle Okinawa Trough during early-middle Holocene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determining the availability of suspension load, i.e. suspended particulate matter (SPM), in shallow marine tidal systems is necessary to estimate whether coastal lowlands may experience vertical accretion rates that keep pace with global sea level rise. In particular anthropogenic marshland areas are affected by limitations of SPM accumulation due to artificial structures such as dikes and revetments that act as transport barriers. With the use of an autonomously operating turbidity measuring network installed at and around the Hallig Langeness in the North Frisian Wadden Sea, we have analyzed eight individual inundations on this island-like marshland during harsh weather conditions. The results reveal that the majority of the available SPM could not accumulate on the marshland due to adjacent coastal protection measures. This reduction in SPM affects especially grain sizes within the very fine to fine sand range between 63 and 200 μm that can account for up to 70% of the sampled SPM during an inundation. Furthermore, we have determined a tidal average SPM concentration threshold of 0.15 g/l should be available on the tidal flat in order to allow sufficient vertical marshland accretion. Although this threshold is exceeded by the determined SPM on the tidal flats around Langeness, the available SPM on the marshland after passing the coastal protection measures is at most 20%. Hence, an optimized coastal management strategy has the potential to increase the sediment accumulation rate on the marshlands by a factor of five, which might allow for keeping pace with local sea level rise. • Assessment of the SPM availability with a turbidity measurement network. • Correlation between SPM and accumulated sediment on the marshland. • Coastal barriers hamper the sediment transport onto the marshland. • Utilization of the SPM availability for vertical accretion rates is at most 20%. • Determination of a SPM availability threshold to compensate sea level rise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The radial sand ridges found off the coast of Jiangsu (China) are major morphological features in the southern Yellow Sea and undergo rapid changes in morphology. Despite extensive observational and modeling efforts, the physical processes controlling sediment transport and associated morphological evolution over the ridges remain not well understood. Here we analyzed data collected from systematic hydrodynamic and sedimentary surveys including records from moorings and bottom-mounted tripods deployed at channels and adjacent ridges. We explored the role of advection and local resuspension processes in controlling morphological changes and how they are modulated by tidal asymmetry. Bottom shear stresses due to mean tidal currents, waves, and wave-current interactions were estimated to examine the effects of tidal asymmetry, advection and resuspension processes on suspended sediment concentration (SSC) variability. The simplified depth-averaged model of Bass et al. (2002) was used to explain the phase relationships between fine sediment suspensions and tidal currents. We found that resuspension is the major controlling factor of bottom SSC during mean and spring tides, while advection is the dominant process during neap tides. The asymmetries in water level and tidal current lead to a net lateral sediment transport directed from the channel to the sand ridges, which cause erosion in channels and deposition on the sand ridges. This sediment transport pattern likely contributes to the evolution of the sand ridges under fair weather conditions (i.e., excluding storm events). • Coarse-particle concentrations positively correlated with bottom shear stress. • A simplified model explains sediment-flow phase relationship. • The tidal asymmetry plays an important role in the sorted bedforms. • Lateral sediment transport contributes from tidal channels to ridges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Past major changes in sea level have had a significant influence on global- and shelf sea tidal dynamics. Some of these changes are preserved in sedimentary records from the shelf seas, and so appropriate proxy data have the potential to constrain tidal model outputs over the recent geological past. Tidal models which simulate the evolution of tide-dependent parameters over geological timescales are fundamental to understanding the response of the tides to sea-level rise and climate change. This study explores a potential new sedimentary proxy for validating past shelf sea tidal dynamics, interrogating the relationship between tidally-modulated bed shear stress and seabed sediment grain size at discrete sediment core locations over the northwest European shelf seas. Radiocarbon-dated sediment grain size profiles were generated for four British Geological Survey UK shelf sediment vibrocores, spanning a range of physical environments. Changes in observed sediment grain size through time were compared with simulated changes in tidal-induced bed shear through time, using temporal and spatial outputs from the most recently developed palaeotidal model of the Northwest European shelf seas. Although a positive correlation between observed grain size and simulated bed shear stress was observed at three of the four sediment cores sites, no robust relationship could be quantified. The palaeotidal model output failed to resolve the details of the actual sediment dynamics, since only tidal-induced bed shear stresses were considered. Wave processes were neglected, and the model was not sensitive enough to constrain simulated past tidal conditions at point locations; rather it is suitable for examining general trends. There remains a need to develop new proxies for past shelf sea hydrodynamic conditions which can be used to constrain numerical model output of tidal currents at regional scales. • We explore a new proxy for validating models of past shelf sea tidal dynamics. • Age-constrained seabed sediment data for 5 marine cores for NW Europe presented. • Evolutions of median grain size compared with simulated tidal-induced bed stress. • General trends in sediment grain size and simulated bed shear stress were observed. • The tidal model did not fully resolve the intricacies of observed sediment dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory and field experiments have suggested that near-bed sediment resuspension is an intermittent process influenced by turbulent coherent structures. This is in contrast to many sediment transport theories that relate sediment transport rates to mean near bed flow parameters. This study presents observations of turbulent bursting events obtained from two contrasting environments dominated by unidirectional and oscillatory flow regimes with mean currents higher than the critical value for sand transport. In agreement with previous laboratory and field experiments the data investigated in this study (both in unidirectional current and oscillatory flow environments) indicated that sediment resuspension was an event based system with sediment flux controlled by ejections and sweeps. Both the magnitude of the Reynolds stress and duration of the events contributed to sediment resuspension. Wavelet analysis confirmed that over time turbulence occurred in slowly evolving clusters that were closely followed by periods of strong resuspension near the bed, evolving from the primary leading scales at low frequencies, and decaying in time after the termination of the turbulent agitation. The results highlight the necessity of considering the instantaneous Reynolds shear stress effects in the existing sediment transport equations which are developed based on a time-averaged flow parameters and mean a critical velocity. Field observations presented in this study highlight the importance of considering turbulence events along with the concept of impulse as an essential parameter to be considered into future modelling of sediment movement under both unidirectional and oscillatory flows. • In near-shore regions, sediment transport is an event based system. • High variability strong turbulence occurs in slowly evolving clusters. • Reynolds shear stress has significance into future sediment transport modelling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface gravity waves play an important role in sediment transport. Previous studies have focused on the role of bottom shear enhanced by the surface wave orbital velocity. In this study, we embedded the University of New South Wales Sediment model into the Princeton Ocean Model, which includes a three-dimensional wave module to study sediment dynamics near a sandy spit in Sanniang Bay in the South China Sea. The simulated results for the deposition rate show that wave-induced currents play a dominant role in the maintenance of the sandy spit. The spit tip was formed as a result of the separation of wave-induced coastal flow. The spit tip was shown to be a barrier to the dominant wave-induced current, and the spit base was simulated to form via sand accumulation in the shelter of the spit tip. The deposition is mainly in the low-energy region behind the tip of the spit, which can counter the erosion effect of dominant wave-induced currents. The dominant wave-induced current prompts the lateral infilling of the spit tip when both the spit tip and base are above the water surface. The sediment carried by the coastal current is deposited along the flow branch of separation and forms the spit tip, which indicates that the sediment is deposited where the longshore current changes into an offshore current. As the water depth increases along the separated flow spindle, the bottom shear stress decreases, contributing to the deposition of the spit tip. • The three dimensional wave-induced currents were modeled to study the sediment transport near a sandy spit. • The currents induced by dominant waves were shown to be relevant to the formation of the sandy spit. • The spit base was simulated to form via sand accumulation in the shelter of the spit tip. • The spit tip was formed due to the separation of wave-induced coastal flow. • The sediment was deposited where the longshore current changes into an offshore current. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A field study of a temperate mudflat in Willapa Bay, Washington was conducted to determine whether seasonal variation in physical forcings (e.g., temperature, rainfall, insolation) coupled with variation in key biological properties (e.g., seagrass and microphytobenthos abundance) would result in measurable changes in seabed porosity. On two mudflats and in a nearby secondary channel, replicate samples for surficial grain size, chlorophyll a content, and seagrass (Zostera japonica) shoot density were obtained at roughly 7–wk intervals for one year starting in November 2009. In addition, high-resolution profiles of porosity in the upper ∼9cm of the seabed were measured using an in situ resistivity profiler. Ancillary meteorological and river discharge data were obtained from nearby stations operated by Washington State University and the U. S. Geological Survey, respectively. Despite significant seasonal variation in seagrass abundance (0 to >3000 shoots m−2), a less dramatic, but still significant variation in chlorophyll a content, as well as seasonal changes in physical forcings, the near-surface porosity of the flats was a normally consolidated bed that remained steady throughout the year. In contrast, porosity of the channel often departed from a normally consolidated profile, with evidence for both erosion and deposition of several centimeters of sediment. These departures did not display a clear seasonal pattern (i.e., deposition in winter, erosion in summer), however, suggesting that the provision and removal of sediment to/from the channels was governed by processes (e.g., channel slumps, rainfall events) occurring on shorter time scales or that there was significant, unresolved small-scale variability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tidal flats act as natural laboratories in which fundamental sediment-transport processes can be directly related to resulting seabed deposits. These environments represent important repositories for terrestrial particles (including organic carbon) entering marine dispersal systems. Along the coast of the US Pacific Northwest, tides, waves, currents, and storms create year-round energetic environments that evolve on myriad time scales, from semi-diurnal to interannual. In southern Willapa Bay, WA, an extensive tidal flat is accreting at a distance away from local fluvial sources. During winter, freshwater input and the peak suspended-sediment concentration (SSC) are one-to-two orders of magnitude greater than in summer, and wind- and wave-generated shear stresses prevent sediment from accumulating on the tidal flat. Temporary deposits form as a drape across secondary channels off the Bear River Channel. Sedimentary structures from these deposits reveal 15–30cm of physically stratified sediment underlain by a discrete shell-hash layer 2–8cm thick. The presence of relatively uniform excess 210Pb activities in the sediment above the shell hash, and only supported activities below indicate rapid deposition of the surficial sediment. During summer, the distribution of bed shear stresses is not significantly weaker than in winter due to the effect of local basin geometry on fetch, yet the SSC is much less, likely due to reduced fluvial sediment supply and enhanced benthic biological factors. Progressively through the summer, tidal currents and wind waves remove the temporary channel deposits and expose the buried shell-hash layer, and concurrent seabed changes allow the tidal flats to trap this remobilized sediment. Accumulation rates determined by 210Pb analysis for cores collected on the tidal flats show mean accretion at 1.4mm/yr, which can be accounted for by local river sources. The mass of sediment stored in the temporary channel drapes during winter is approximately the same as the annual tidal-flat accumulation in the vicinity of these channels. This agreement suggests a mechanism by which sediment temporarily stored in winter channel deposits is subsequently reworked during summer, and transferred onto the tidal flats. The accumulation rate on the flats approximately matches local sea-level rise, which implies this system accretes over longer time scales in equilibrium with the space provided. The preservation of layered deposits (65–90cm thick) buried 155–230cm beneath the modern surface suggests that the past accommodation space was greater than at present. Coseismic subsidence during Cascadia earthquakes represents a possible mechanism by which vertical space can be created. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This study investigates transport of fine sediment across idealized intertidal flats with emphasis on resolving processes at the tidal edge, which is defined as the very shallow region of the land–water interface. We first utilize a two-dimensional, vertical numerical model solving the non-hydrostatic Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes equations with a k–ε turbulence closure. The numerical model adopts the Volume of Fluid method to simulate the wetting and drying region of the intertidal flat. The model is demonstrated to be able to reproduce the classic theory of tidal-flat hydrodynamics of Friedrichs and Aubrey (1996) and to predict the turbidity at the tidal edge that is similar, qualitatively, to prior field observations. The Regional Ocean Modeling System (ROMS) is also utilized to simulate the same idealized tidal flat to evaluate its applicability in this environment. We demonstrate that when a small critical depth (h crit =2cm) in the wetting and drying scheme is adopted, ROMS is able to predict the main features of hydrodynamics and sediment-transport processes similar to those predicted by the RANS–VOF model. When driving the models with a symmetric tidal forcing, both models predict landward transport on the lower and upper flat and seaward transport in the subtidal region. When the very shallow region of the tidal edge is well resolved, both models predict an asymmetry of tidal velocity magnitude between the flood and the ebb that may encourage landward sediment transport on the flat. Further model simulation suggests that the predicted landward transport of sediment on the flat is mainly due to the settling-lag effect while the asymmetry of tidal velocity magnitude may add a lesser but non-negligible amount. When the bed erosion is limited by the availability of soft mud, the predicted transport direction becomes landward in both the subtidal region and on the flat. These results suggest that the tidal flow generally encourages landward transport while significant seaward transport may be caused by other mechanisms. Comparisons with field observations show similarities in the net landward transport on the flat and enhanced stresses and suspended-sediment concentrations near the very shallow region of the tidal edge. The field results also indicate significant transport of sediment occurs through the channels, as a function of three-dimensional processes, which are not incorporated in the present idealized modeling. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Tidal flats with fluvial input can have ample fine-grained sediment supply, and yet the Skagit River tidal flats remain mostly sandy. Therefore, hydrodynamic mechanisms must efficiently export mud off the flats. This study evaluates short-term deposition and long-term burial of mud on an intertidal flat and links seabed deposits to sediment-transport processes. To investigate the fine-grained sediment-transport mechanisms within the sandy Skagit River tidal flats, seabed and water-column observations were collected seasonally from 2008 to 2009 under varying river discharge conditions. Little mud was observed deposited on the seabed. Spatially, mud was most common near channels and on the seaward flat edge. Its presence was temporary, and was typically observed following high river discharge. Strongest current velocities and high suspended-sediment concentrations were measured during spring tidal cycles with peaks in the late ebb. Maximum velocities were observed within channels, permitting for rapid transport of fine-grained particles to the seaward edge of the flat and export beyond. These physical processes also act to mobilize the mostly sandy seabed, which is reworked at various frequencies: on a semi-diurnal tidal timescale, both channel and flat seabeds are reworked to 1–2cm; and over a decadal timescale, lateral channel migration acts to rework the seabed to 1–2m, making the limited mud deposits available for export. Overall, channel networks on sandy tidal flats with fluvial input not only deliver fine-grained sediment to the flat, but also aid in the export of suspended sediment at ebb tides and in the release of muddy deposits through reworking of the seabed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]