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The process of flocculation in dredge plumes was investigated by field measurements using Laser In-Situ Scattering and Transmissometry (LISST), Optical Back Scatter (OBS) sensors and an Acoustic Current Doppler Profiler (ADCP) during dredging campaigns in Port Curtis, Queensland (Australia). Suspended sediment characteristics differed significantly between natural ambient suspended sediment and sediment suspended by dredging as well as between sediment suspended by mechanical and hydraulic dredgers. LISST measurements enabled distinction of the suspended sediment by origin and showed that the majority of sediment particles naturally in suspension were aggregated flocs made up of multiple smaller particles. Primary particles in natural suspended sediment had a median particle size (d 50) of 8 to 14 μm, while in-situ flocs had a d 50 of 52 to 99 μm. There were both microflocs and macroflocs present in the natural suspended sediment, with the microflocs being dominant (representing 67%–80% of the flocs). Mechanical dredging resulted in the release of individual particles, microflocs and macroflocs, with the potential for a comparable percentage of macroflocs as in natural suspended sediment (11%–27% compared to 20%–33% in natural suspended sediment). Macroflocs released by mechanical dredging were likely to have originated from the seabed. During overflow from the hopper, the suspended sediment released from the hydraulic dredger had smaller flocs compared to the natural suspended sediment, with a reduction in the d 50 of in-situ flocs from 91 to 67 μm and a reduction in the proportion of macroflocs from 32% to 24%. These results indicate that larger macroflocs present on the seabed had been broken up by the hydraulic dredging, with most of the suspended sediment remaining in the form of smaller microflocs, suggesting that the flocs were not completely disaggregated by the shear-stress generated during hydraulic dredging. Ongoing aggregation of suspended sediment was shown to occur in the sediment suspended by both dredging methods within 20–25 min of the plumes being generated. This study demonstrates the importance of considering flocculation in predictive dredge plume modelling studies to prevent significantly underestimating the settling velocity and substantially over-estimating the extent and intensity of dredge plumes if flocculation is not accounted for. • Flocculation occurs in plumes generated by both mechanical and hydraulic dredging • Flocs released by mechanical dredging were comparable to natural flocs • Flocs from hydraulic dredging were smaller than natural flocs • Ongoing aggregation of flocs occurred in the plume for both dredge types [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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]

In situ measurements and ship-based resuspension experiments using annular flumes are used to determine sediment stability and critical erosion thresholds for four sites with significantly different sediment characteristics, located in the Celtic Sea at water depths of 100 m. Seasonal and spatial variability of sediment characteristics and erodability is examined, and found to be the result of changes in percentage of organic carbon in the surface sediments (R2 = 0.82) and bulk density (R2 = 0.73) respectively when individual characteristic bed parameters are considered. Principal component analysis and linear regression analysis are used to determine a predictive model for erosion threshold in the Celtic Sea (R2 = 0.99), based on grain size, sorting, kurtosis, bulk density, porosity, percentage fines, organic carbon content and chlorophyll a concentration. Physical sediment characteristics were found to be more significant controls of bed stability than biological factors. Local hydrodynamic conditions are used to determine the likelihood and frequency of resuspension given these critical erosion thresholds. Resuspension is driven by tidal currents, and is common year-round, leading to a constant re-working of bed sediments in particular at the muddier sites. This is confirmed by in situ measurements of suspended sediment concentration. • Bed erodibility in the Celtic Sea a function of organic carbon and bulk density. • Predicting erosion threshold requires emphasis on physical sediment characteristics. • Bed sediments re-worked year round by tidal resuspension, enhanced by winter waves. [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]

A model is proposed to determine the sediment transport rate generated by the combined action of sea waves and tidal currents, the latter being modelled as a sequence of steady currents because of the large values of the Keulegan-Carpenter number of the tidal flows, which allow to neglect inertial effects in their modelling. The hydrodynamic module solves Reynolds-averaged momentum equations by introducing a two-equation turbulence model, which considers also the flow in the region closest to the sea bottom and enforces the no-slip condition and the vanishing of the turbulent kinetic energy at the bottom without the need to assume the existence of a logarithmic velocity profile and to fix the normal derivative of the turbulent kinetic energy close to the sea bed. Hence, the evaluation of the velocity profile in the near-bed region turns out to be accurate. The sediment transport module determines the sediment concentration and sediment transport for a mixture of non-cohesive and cohesive sediments. To validate the model, its predictions are compared with laboratory measurements and field data collected over rippled beds at two different tidal estuaries. Then, results are obtained for values of the parameters chosen to mimic a site close to Punta Umbría (Huelva, Spain) and considering different hydrodynamic conditions and different sediment mixtures. The influence of the waves on the suspended sediment concentration is lower for the cohesive fraction than for the non-cohesive fraction. For all the sediment mixtures, it turns out that the cohesive fraction is well mixed over the whole water depth, meanwhile the concentration of the non-cohesive fraction has significant values only near the bottom, thus showing that an accurate description of turbulence dynamics in the buffer layer and viscous sublayer (if it exists) is important to quantify the sediment transport rate. • Sediment transport module that reproduces the concentration of cohesive fraction is presented. • Tidal current is modelled as a sequence of steady-currents due to the large values of the Keulegan-Carpenter number. • Menter's turbulence model to predict the turbulence structure both in the wave bottom boundary layer and in the core region. • Turbulence dynamics description in the buffer layer and viscous sublayer is important to quantify the sediment transport. • Applicable to any type of sediment mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Lower Mekong Delta Coastal Zone (LMDCZ) is emblematic of the coastal erosion problem facing many tropical deltas. Over the last 3500 years, large river sediment fluxes expanded the delta seaward, and waves and currents formed the Ca Mau Peninsula to the southwest. Since the middle of the 20th century, the LMDCZ is affected by various human activities that include reduction of river fluxes due to damming and sand mining, land subsidence due to groundwater extraction, and reduction of protective coastal mangroves in favor of agriculture and aquaculture. Coastal erosion is observed along many sections of the delta, with a rate of up to 50 m per year in some areas. However, the role of human activities remains difficult to assess because of its complexity. The present modeling study is designed to sort out the contribution of natural hydrodynamic redistribution of sediments from man-induced erosion. The modeling system used is based on CROCO, forced by global reanalyses at the boundaries and at the surface, including wave statistics (required by the sediment transport model). Tides and realistic river forcing are also included. Calibration and validation relies on a combination of in situ and remotely-sensed observations, and laboratory experiments. Once validated, coastal dynamics are investigated by performing sensitivity experiments for both the hydro- and sediment dynamics. The results suggest that while wind is the main factor driving the coastal currents, the sediment dynamics is essentially the result of re-suspension due to wave-induced bed shear stress. The suspended sediments are then redistributed by coastal currents that are not limited to the nearshore zone. Strong seasonality of the process is observed with the northeast winter monsoon being the season of strongest re-suspension and sediment redistribution. The annual sediment budget is characterized by important local disequilibrium, with alongshore patterns that are in agreement with the observed shoreline evolution. The effect of a decrease in river sediment supply is difficult to evaluate because the estuarine zone is still in accretion, apart from the particular case of Go Cong shores. Far from the estuarine zone, subsidence is an additional strong candidate to explain erosion in areas that should naturally be accreting. Synthesizing these results, the study proposes a first attempt at a "taxonomy and geography" of processes along the coastal Mekong delta that can explain the recent observations of shoreline changes and help design protection measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Gulf of Alaska is a biologically productive ocean region surrounded by coastal mountains with high seasonal runoff from rivers and glaciers. In this complex environment, we measured the concentrations and size distributions of 2.5 µm–27 mm marine particles using the Laser in situ Scattering and Transmissometry device (LISST-DEEP) and the Underwater Vision Profiler 5 (UVP) during summer 2015. We analyzed the spatial distribution of particles across a wide range of size classes to determine the probable drivers. Spatially, total particle concentrations surpassed 1000 µl/l nearshore in the northeasternmost entrances and in the outflow of Cook Inlet, as well as offshore past the shelf break. These dual maxima suggest high lithogenic inputs nearshore and high biological production at and beyond the shelf break. Most large particles (> 0.5 mm) imaged by the UVP were detrital aggregates. In nearshore surface waters near river inputs, size distributions revealed small size classes (< 100 µm) to be most influential. At the shelf break, size distributions revealed a dual peak in both small (< 100 µm) and very large (> 2 mm) size classes. This study highlights the importance of lithogenic inputs from a mountainous margin to the coastal ocean and their potential to enhance sinking of biological material produced at the shelf break. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulating cross-shore sediment transport and associated sandbar migration is still a challenging task for phase-averaged coastal morphological models. Numerical studies have mostly relied on beach morphology prediction for calibration and validation, without examining in much detail the underlying hydrodynamics, sediment concentrations and transport rates. This paper reports on a new three-dimensional coastal morphodynamic model based on the hydrodynamic model of Zheng et al. (2017), combined with an advection-diffusion type suspended sediment transport model and the extended SANTOSS near-bed sediment transport formula of Van der A et al. (2013), to represent the key cross-shore transport mechanisms. The model is are calibrated based on comprehensive measurements from a large-scale laboratory experiment involving regular plunging breaking waves over an evolving sandbar, covering detailed comparisons on hydrodynamics, sediment suspension, transport rates, and bed level evolution. Separate validation using large scale wave flume experiments were also conducted to confirm the model's performance on different conditions. Good agreements are obtained between measurements and model results, which demonstrates the model's ability to reproduce cross-shore sediment transport processes under breaking waves correctly, given that the appropriate parameterizations for intra-wave processes are included. Model results also reveal the onshore near-bed transport is related to wave-induced near-bed streaming, wave skewness and asymmetry, and bed slope effects at different locations across the beach surface. Wave breaking-induced turbulence enhances the near-bed transport within the bed boundary layer which needs to be taken into account in order to achieve good model prediction skills. • A new phase-averaged morphodynamic model is developed to represent cross-shore sediment transport and beach morphology. • The model is calibrated based on comprehensive measurements to ensure good representation of all physical processes. • Model validation demonstrate the effectiveness of the model parameters for the related sediment transport processes. • Wave asymmetry and breaking turbulence to the near bed sediment onshore transport and resuspension is very important. • Detailed modelling of near bed process to include breaking turbulence to the sediment transport predictions is required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estuarine turbidity maxima (ETMs) are of sedimentological, geomorphological and ecological significance. In this study, a well-validated and process-based sediment transport model was used to investigate the response of ETM dynamics in the Yangtze Estuary (YE) to construction of the Three Gorges Dam (TGD) and morphological evolution of the YE. The model results demonstrated that the ETM dynamics change in the upper estuary was controlled by the TGD construction. After the TGD construction, the ETM area decreased by 22% (from 1116 to 874 km2) and the ETM center location moved landward 7 km during the flood season. The estuarine morphological evolution played a key role in the ETM dynamics change of the mid-lower estuary. The ETM area decreased by 55% (from 1478 to 658 km2) and 15% (from 658 to 562 km2) due to the estuarine morphological evolution from 1998 to 2010 and from 2010 to 2018, respectively. Meanwhile, the ETM center location moved landward 38 km and 7 km during the periods 1998–2010 and 2010–2018, respectively. Overall, both the TGD construction and estuarine morphological evolution induced decreased suspended sediment concentrations in the estuary. Furthermore, the effect of TGD construction was dominant in the upper estuary, whereas the effect of estuarine morphological evolution became dominant in the mid-lower estuary. These findings provide implications for management of the YE and other similar estuaries. • Estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) decreased by 22% and moved landward 7 km after Three Gorges Dam (TGD) construction. • Estuarine morphological evolution induced ETM to decrease by 15–55% and move landward 7–38 km. • TGD construction and morphological evolution dominated ETM changes in upper and mid-lower estuaries, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macro-tidal estuaries with mountain streams are typical estuarine systems in southeastern China. Suspended sediment transport and turbidity maxima are sensitive to changes in the tidal and fluvial regimes of estuaries. To improve our understanding of river-ocean interactions and thus improve estuarine forecasts for biogeochemical processes, we developed a high-resolution hydrodynamic and sediment transport coupled model to investigate the suspended sediment transport and estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) in the Oujiang Estuary. This estuary is characterized as a macro-tidal estuarine system with a large tidal range and drastic fluctuations in freshwater and sediment discharge. The results led to the following conclusions: (1) the ETM occurred during spring tides due to strong tidal resuspension. In contrast, it was not formed during the neap tide because of weak bottom shear stress. The ETM moves upstream to Yanmen during low river discharge and migrates downstream to the river mouth during high river discharge, causing sediment deposition in the nearshore region. (2) Owing to the characteristics of mountain streams and upstream anthropogenic reservoirs, the ETM is strengthened during low river discharge (∼100 m3 s−1) even during the wet season, which supplements the fact that the ETM is more prevalent during the dry season and withers during the wet season. The suspended sediment forming the ETM mainly originates from shallow offshore shoals owing to tidal resuspension. Owing to the weak vertical exchange flow near the river mouth, the ETM is related to the exchange flow during the low water flow. (3) The ETM excursion shows semi-diurnal variability with different transport distance for high and low river discharges. Tidal pumping dominates the suspended sediment flux in the core of the ETM, which is mainly maintained by two components of the Euler and Stokes fluxes as the tidal energy depletes during the flood tide. • Estuarine modeling was conducted to study suspended sediment dynamics. • ETM excursion occurs for high and low river. • Decomposing sediment fluxes reveals ETM mechanisms. • River discharge and tidal pumping play roles on ETM formations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A 3D sediment transport model based on the modified environmental fluid dynamics code (EFDC) and the nearshore waves simulation model (SWAN) is developed to study the change of suspended sediment concentration and bottom shear stress under the actions of pure current and wave-current. After being validated by the field measured data, the proposed sediment transport model is applied in the Oujiang River Estuary, China. The results show that the ratios of both bottom shear stress and suspended sediment concentration of pure current to those of wave-current show a gradually increase from shallow nearshore water to deep open sea. The results also show that the proportion of wave contributions on bottom shear stress and sediment concentration are above 60%, approximately 20-30% and less than 10% for the water depth of less than 5 m, 5-10 m and more than 20 m, respectively. For the waters among islands, the proportion of wave contribution to bottom shear stress and sediment concentration is reduced to 10-20% for -5 m water depth and this is more obvious for the waves of large amplitude. The bottom stress and suspended sediment concentration between islands are mainly controlled by tidal current, and the effect of wave is not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Predicting net suspended sediment fluxes in coastal regions is important for promoting good water quality, maritime transport and marine industries. Aggregation and disaggregation of suspended particulate matter responding to spatial and temporal variations in turbulence can control particle size and hence settling speed; little is currently known about how this influences the net suspended sediment flux. A tidal strait, in which the flux is confined to be in one of two directions, makes a good site for observing the effect of changes in particle size on the suspended sediment flux. The Menai Strait in North Wales is a narrow tidal strait in which the flow speeds increase to a maximum in the narrowest central region, the Swellies. Observations at sites on either side of the Swellies show that the median size of suspended particles varies with the speed of the tidal current, but also depends on the direction of the flow, with the smallest particles seen when the current is flowing out of the Swellies. The implication (supported by model results) is that the strong currents in the centre of the strait tear up flocs into small pieces which are then carried out towards both ends of the strait by the tide. Averaged over a tidal cycle, there is a net flux of larger particles into the Swellies and a net flux of small particles out. These results are relevant to the formation of isolated turbidity maxima around a region of strong turbulence. • We present observations of current velocity, suspended particle concentration and size at two locations in a tidal strait. • The size of the particles varies over a tidal cycle and is smallest when the flow is directed from the centre of the strait towards the observing site. • There is a net flux (averaged over a tide) of larger particles from both ends of the strait towards the centre and a net flux of small particles in the opposite direction. • A simple model of suspended particle transport in a tidal strait has been constructed to help interpret these observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A laboratory experiment was carried out to study sediment transport dynamics occurring in the swash zone of a coarse-sandy beach built in a large-scale wave flume. Hydro- and morpho-dynamic as well as sediment transport data were collected using sensors mounted on a scaffold rig deployed in the lower swash zone close to the moving bed. The high resolution of near-bed data permitted quantitative evaluation of suspended and sheet flow contributions to the total sediment transport. Although sheet flow sediment fluxes were higher than suspended fluxes, the vertically integrated suspended sediment load overcame the sheet flow load during uprush and it was on the same order of magnitude during backwash. The observed cumulative sediment transport was generally larger than the morphological changes occurring shoreward of the rig location implying either an underestimation of the offshore sediment transport or an overestimation of the onshore fluxes obtained from concentration and velocity profile data. Low correlations were found between net swash profile changes and runup parameters suggesting that local hydrodynamic parameters provide little or no predictability of accretion and erosion of an upper beach which is near equilibrium. The balance between erosion and deposition induced by individual swash events brought a dynamic equilibrium with small differences between the profiles measured at the start and at the end of the run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The processes of sediment entrainment. transport and deposition over bedforms are highly dynamic and temporally and spatially variable. However, most measurements of these processes tend to be collected in a vertical line at one spatial location above the bed; one dimensional in the vertical 1D-V. Such measurements capture the temporal signature, and, to a lesser degree, the spatial variability when bedforms migrate, and they have contributed greatly to our understanding of sediment transport processes. It is generally acknowledged, however, that such 1D-V systems provide a limited description of the spatially three dimensional processes occurring at the turbulent and intra-wave time scales. It would undoubtedly facilitate the interpretation of fundamental sediment processes above bedforms if other spatial dimensions could be simultaneously interrogated. To this end a multi-frequency acoustic array lias been developed to measure suspended sediments and bedforms over a horizontal transect of the bed in the vertical providing two dimensional observations in the vertical and lwrizontal, 2D-HV. This new acoustic instrument, the BASS I; Bedform And Suspended Sediment Imager, has been deployed in the River Dee tidal estuary in the UK. The design of the BASS1 and results from the deployment are presented and its performance assessed against more conventional instrumentation. Measurements and images of 2D-HV suspended sediments and bedforms are provided to illustrate the capability anp future use of the BASSI for the investigation of sediment transport processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method is introduced for estimating suspended sediment concentration and grain size from acoustic backscatter observations, incorporating techniques from linearized statistical inverse theory and data assimilation. A series of laboratory experiments with a sediment-laden jet were conducted for the purposes of demonstrating the method. The inversion results show improvements in stability compared to existing methods, in cases with highly attenuating suspensions. These improvements are due to the use of statistical regularizing assumptions, which act to mitigate issues associated with poor conditioning and nonlinearity in the inverse problem. The new method is also more computationally efficient than existing methods, owing to the use of linearization. Matlab code is provided implementing the new method, see Appendix A . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-distance transport of Yellow River sediments has formed an omega-shaped ('Ω') distal muddy deposit in the Yellow Sea. Numerous studies have investigated the sediment dynamics and sedimentary evolution of the deposit, but several key questions remain unanswered due to insufficient observations. To reveal the mechanisms of sediment dynamics and quantify sediment transport and deposition processes, this study collected field datasets in the depocenter of the muddy deposit off the Shandong Peninsula. Bottom mounted tripods were deployed from August 18 to 27, 2017, and from February 23 to March 2, 2018, during which two strong wind events with speeds of over 10.8 m/s occurred. The results showed that near-bed suspended sediment concentration responded directly to varying hydrodynamic conditions, and significant differences in suspended sediment concentration between two wind events could be ascribed to a number of factors (e.g., tidal current, wave periods, wind stress, turbulence). The harmonic analysis demonstrated that suspended sediment variations during the spring tide were directed mainly by resuspension, while resuspension and advection contributed equally at neap tide. The variations in background suspended sediment concentration can be ascribed to the residual current. Furthermore, the sediment transport pattern is similar to the pattern of water circulation. Generally, the along-shore suspended sediment flux is about one order of magnitude higher than the cross-shore flux. In summer, the suspended sediment was transported mainly downcoast. In winter, sediment was transported downcoast during wavy periods and upcoast during calm periods. Advection dominated sediment flux in most cases, except during wavy periods when local resuspension increased significantly, and the contribution of resuspension term to along-shore flux was up to 87%. Meanwhile, cross-shore flux also increased significantly under strong winds, which was simultaneously modulated by downcoast and offshore winds. After statistical analysis, we found that offshore winds controlled the cross-shore sediment transport in winter. Using parameterized calculation and statistical analysis, the average accumulation rate of the study site was estimated to be 0.6 cm/yr. During calm periods, lower background sediment concentration in summer led to lower deposition rates than in winter. In addition, the frequent strong wind events in winter cause extremely high erosion rates. This study provides new perspectives on quantitative variations in suspended sediment transport and regional erosion/deposition from synoptic to seasonal variations in the distal mud deposit. • In-situ observations at the bottom boundary layer were conducted in summer and winter on the muddy deposit off the Shandong Peninsula. • The advection dominates sediment flux in most cases, except for during wind gusts when local resuspension increases significantly. • Combining parameterized method and observational data, the accumulation rate is estimated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vertical distribution of longshore sediment transport was measured on sandy macrotidal barred beaches of Northern France under low to moderate wave energy conditions, using streamer traps collecting sand at different elevations above the bed. Longshore sediment flux measurements and wave and current data were collected at several locations along cross-shore transects in order to analyse the relation between the vertical patterns of suspended sand transport and the forcing hydrodynamics across the bar-trough topography. Suspended sediment fluxes generally showed a typical upward decrease in longshore transport, revealing that near-bed transport represents the major transport mode on these macrotidal beaches, notably over the bars where the highest rates of sediment transport were measured. Conversely to previous studies in which the shape of the vertical distribution was either independent of the location in the surf zone or which showed an increase in suspended transport over intertidal bars, our results revealed a strong upward decrease in longshore sediment transport over bars, especially under higher wave energy conditions, whereas more uniform vertical distributions were observed in troughs. These differences in the vertical distribution of longshore sediment flux can be explained by spatially variable wave breaking and surf zone processes over the bar-trough topography and by the distribution of small-scale bedforms across the intertidal zone, which influence sand resuspension processes and control the shape of the vertical profiles of sediment transport. Larger longshore sediment fluxes over bars can be explained by the action of breaking waves that are responsible for increased sediment remobilization, but the dominance of spilling breakers on the studied beaches likely results in significant turbulence dissipation, leading to limited sand resuspension in the water column. Comparatively, landward propagating surf bores over bars favour an increase in sediment concentration at higher elevations above the bottom in the adjacent trough. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Distribution of suspended sediment in the Bohai Sea and its seasonal variability were investigated based on the datasets obtained from four cruises carried out in different seasons in 2010 and 2012. The results indicate that the spatial distribution of suspended sediment in the Bohai Sea was dominated by the river input and coastal resuspension that depends on the type of local surface sediment and hydrodynamics. The suspended sediment was mostly concentrated in the southern Bohai Sea particularly around the Yellow River Delta in the summer season as impacted by the river plume but confined within a very limited area near the river mouth, whereas in winter–spring seasons sediment concentration became much higher as a result of active coastal resuspension induced by energetic wave actions in the shallow water. High sediment concentration was found in Liaodong Bay in winter–spring seasons when dynamics become strong but decrease significantly in summer seasons. The sediment concentration in the southern Bohai Strait was much higher than that in the northern part, suggesting evident sediment export to the Yellow Sea particularly in the winter–spring seasons. Strong seasonal variability of suspended sediment distribution in the Bohai Sea was consistent with the monsoon activity and associated wave actions and coastal currents that are varying seasonally. The dominance of seasonal monsoon signal and associated wave dynamics make the subaqueous Yellow River delta to be a major sink for the terrestrial sediment in the summer seasons, but transiting to a primary source in winter–spring seasons for sediment redistribution in the Bohai Sea and sediment export to the Yellow Sea. The seasonal patterns of suspended sediment distribution in the Bohai Sea and the dominance of monsoon activities may provide a good reference to understanding the sediment transport in the China Shelf Seas where sediment resuspension and coastal circulation are evidently driven by monsoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vertical distribution of suspended sediment in continental shelf waters has significant implications for water quality, aquatic ecology, and sediment transport. Nevertheless, there have been relatively few systematic field studies aimed at determining whether a general vertical trend in suspended sediment concentration (SSC) exists, or how any such vertical trend can be expressed mathematically. In this study, based on 402 individual SSC profiles measured hourly during 16 dual-tide voyages at 8 stations in the outer Yangtze Estuary, we found that SSC followed an average depth profile that was smoothly concave-up. This average profile, and the relationship between SSC and height above the seabed, was exponential ( R 2 >0.99). In comparison, the traditional Rouse equation based on hydrodynamics describes the measured average SSC profile poorly, in that the greater the distance from the near-bed height (where the reference SSC is taken), the greater the deviation of the simulated SSC from the measured SSC. However, in this study, a new approach was developed to overcome this flaw in the Rouse equation, which divides the equation into two parts. One part uses a reference SSC from a near-bed level, and an upwards decreasing coefficient, in the same way as the conventional Rouse equation. Conversely, the other part uses a reference SSC from at the water surface, and a downwards decreasing coefficient. Our modified hydrodynamics-based equation expresses the measured SSC well, with an R 2 between the simulated and measured SSCs exceeding 0.99. According to the average SSC profiles, the near-bed SSC was 2.8 times greater than the SSC at the water surface (close to the value of 3 suggested for modeling studies in the absence of empirical data), and the depth-averaged SSC was 1.8 times greater than the SSC at the water surface. We also found that the average SSC profile showed a uniform (from water surface to seabed) decline in SSC (25%) in response to the dramatic decline in the suspended sediment load supplied by the Yangtze River over the past three decades. However, the shape and vertical ratio of the average SSC profile have changed little, which suggests that the general form of the SSC profile is determined mainly by local hydrodynamics and sediment properties, and not by fluvial sediment supply. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of a theoretical description of how sound interacts with flocculating sediments has been lacking and this deficiency has impeded sound being used to extract quantitative suspended sediment parameters in suspensions containing flocs. As a step towards theoretically examining this problem a relatively simple heuristic approach has been adopted to provide a description of the interaction of sound with suspensions that undergo flocculation. A model is presented for the interpretation of acoustic scattering from suspensions of fine sediments as they transition from primary particles, through an intermediate regime, to the case where low density flocs dominate the acoustic scattering. The approach is based on modified spherical elastic solid and elastic fluid scatterers and a combination of both. To evaluate the model the variation of density and compressional velocity within the flocs as they form and grow in size is required. The density can be estimated from previous studies; however, the velocity is unknown and is formulated here using a fluid mixture approach. Uncertainties in these parameters can have a significant effect on the predicted scattering characteristics and are therefore investigated in the present study. Furthermore, to assess the proposed model, outputs are compared with recently published laboratory observations of acoustic scattering by flocculating cohesive suspensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Sediment trapping by the halocline of a river plume was investigated over a spring-neap tidal cycle in the 2010 dry season in the Pearl River Estuary. Benthic tripod observations and concurrent shipboard measurements were conducted to examine mean and turbulent flows, and sediment distributions. The field observations showed that suspended particles are apparently concentrated on the halocline of the river plume, forming a patchy high-concentration suspension with larger floc sizes. This sediment trapping occurred only on the neap tide when the estuary was highly stratified. An estimation of the gradient Richardson number indicates that stratification suppression is dominant below the halocline, whereas shear-induced instability occurs above the halocline. The turbulent kinetic energy balance demonstrates that the buoyancy flux dominates over viscous dissipation in turbulence destruction. Therefore, the trapping of suspended sediment with large floc sizes on the halocline is induced by both salinity stratification and buoyancy-induced instability. This finding can explain the role of salinity stratification in the mechanism for estuarine turbidity maxima and long-distance transportation of suspended sediment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Typhoon Mangkhut, in 2018, was one of the worst typhoons in recent history that has made landfall in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) China. It swept along the coast of Guangdong Province, causing severe damage to many areas and affecting more than one million people. To study the hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics in different sub-regions of the PRE during the typhoon, we implemented a 3D wave-current-sediment coupled ocean model based on the Semi-implicit Cross-scale Hydroscience Integrated System Model (SCHISM). A series of numerical experiments were conducted to study the variation in suspended sediment concentration (SSC) under different external forcing mechanisms, including tides, waves, river discharges and strong winds. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) images, collected after the typhoon landed, were used to assess the simulation results. We found that in the area where the water depth was shallower than 20 m, the increased total suspended sediment concentration was dominated by the regional erosion of fine sediment which was caused by near-bottom wave orbital velocity and bottom shear stress, especially at the four western outlets and along the western coast of the PRE. For the deeper coastal zone, at depths between 20 and 30 m offshore of the western coast, the high total SSC resulted from the contribution of fine sediment transported from the upper and middle estuaries by southwestward advection. A small amount of sand eroded and migrated locally, owing to the corresponding increase in the bottom shear stress. The variation in SSC during the typhoon had a time lag compared with other dynamic conditions, resulting in a maximum 1 h delayed response after the typhoon made landfall. Based on the results of the sensitivity experiments under the same typhoon conditions, we found that, as a result of wave-enhanced bottom shear stress, the SSC values associated with wave-current interaction were significantly higher, by as much as 1.5 and 1.3 times those of simulations without the waves at the surface and near-bottom layers, respectively. This indicated that the sediment resuspension induced by waves was important during typhoon landfall. However, the strong wind-induced current was weakened owing to the joint effect of wave radiation stress and enhanced bottom stress; thus, considering wave effects, the magnitude of the resulting sediment transport rate was smaller than that without considering wave effects, especially in shallow waters. During the approach, landfall and retreat of Typhoon Mangkhut, Lingding Bay experienced two transitions from a slight state of sediment loss to a relatively high state of sediment gain, followed by an even greater state of sediment loss. During an M 2 tidal cycle after Typhoon Mangkhut made landfall, the net seaward suspended load sediment transport in Lingding Bay reached 0.37 megatonnes. For the typhoon period covering three M 2 tidal cycles, the overall state of suspended load sediment transport in Lingding Bay was sediment loss, with the magnitude of sediment loss on the west side being larger than that of sediment gain on the east side. The magnitude of the overall sediment loss in Lingding Bay would be enlarged unrealistically by approximately 73% if the wave effects were excluded. In each period, the extent of sediment transport between the two sides of the bay was strengthened by the wave-current interaction under typhoon conditions. We determined that the net effect of wave-current interaction and strong wind-induced currents under typhoon conditions was a key factor for erosion, which resulted in SSC-influenced areas being approximately 8.7 and 4.4 times as large as those under normal weather conditions for the surface and near-bottom layers, respectively. The turbidity maximum moved from the West Shoal of Lingding Bay under normal weather to the Modaomen Estuary, which was the most affected area during the typhoon when wave effects were considered. We also showed that the relative location of the typhoon path with respect to the estuary had a more significant effect on erosion than the intensity of the typhoon. ● A 3D wave-current-sediment coupled ocean model was set up and validated to simulate sediment transport during Typhoon Mangkhut. ● Waves were primarily responsible for resuspension of both fine sediment and sand during the event. ● Strong wind-induced currents were weakened owing to the joint effect of wave radiation stress and enhanced bottom stress. ● Turbidity maximum moved westward along the path of the typhoon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen and spores of terrestrial plants found in marine sediments are excellent proxies for paleovegetation and paleoclimate reconstructions of surrounding areas. Ascertaining the pollen transport mechanism from terrestrial to oceanic environments is crucial for the interpretation of pollen data from marine sediments. In this study, we present the distribution of suspended sediments and pollen from 59 surface ocean water samples collected during September and October of 2013, in the northern South China Sea (SCS). The results suggest that there is a difference between the transmission mechanisms of suspended sediment and pollen/spores. Suspended sediment (silt, coarse sand, and gravel) settle quickly in nearshore and continental shelf waters due to their density. Alternately, small, light-weight pollen grains can be carried over long distances in a marine setting. The density of suspended sediment has a high correlation with the concentrations of Pinus , evergreen Quercus , Poaceae and Cyperaceae pollen as well as fern spores (e.g., Dicranopteris), but no correlation with total pollen concentration. This finding will broaden the understanding of the relationships between suspended sediments and pollen in the northern SCS and help to better interpret pollen records extracted from marine sediment cores from the SCS. • 59 sea surface water pollen samples in the northern South China Sea were investigated. • Close relationship between the densities of suspended sediment and the percentages of Pinus , evergreen Quercus , Poaceae and Cyperaceae pollen and spores. • Relatively low values of Pinus , Podocarpus and the evergreen Quercus pollen seem to be correlated with the flowering season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, an improved numerical scheme is developed to estimate the initial conditions (ICs) based on a three-dimensional suspended sediment transport model (3D SSTM) with adjoint data assimilation, and the method is then applied to Hangzhou Bay as an example. Specifically, the ICs are estimated by assimilating artificial observations in twin experiments and suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) retrieved from the Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI) in practical experiments. In the twin experiments, the sensitivity of the estimated ICs to several influential factors is discussed. The results demonstrate that the conjugate descent algorithm of Fletcher is proven to be better than the steepest descent, finite memory BFGS, and five other conjugate gradient algorithms in estimating the ICs; the estimated ICs are sensitive to initial guess values, and appropriate initial values are necessary for improving the efficiency of convergence and obtaining good results. Additionally, the errors of observations can significantly influence the estimated results. In contrast, the estimated results are not very sensitive to cloud coverage, errors in the background flow field, and length of the assimilation time window. In practical experiments, according to the conclusions of twin experiments, an improved 3D SSTM with the adjoint method is developed for Hangzhou Bay, and the surface GOCI-retrieved SSCs during typical neap and spring tidal cycles are assimilated to estimate the practical ICs. The experimental results imply that with the present estimation method, more accurate ICs can be obtained, which indicates that the adjoint method is effective in the estimation of the ICs in SSTMs. Furthermore, this study verifies that accurate ICs are critical for the numerical modeling of SSCs on the tidal cycle scale. This study is not only useful for further improving the accuracy of ICs in SSTMs but also suggestive for the initialization schemes of other matter transport models. • Initial conditions are critical for simulating suspended sediment concentrations over tidal cycles. • The adjoint method is effective in estimating initial conditions. • Data assimilation can compensate for information in areas of missing satellite data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the equilibrium profile of a sandy beach is important to evaluate the beach response to natural forces. Empirical or semi-empirical relationships among beach states, wave climates and sediments properties have been established in various studies. In this study, detailed physical insights of hydrodynamics and sediment transport patterns on a quasi-equilibrium beach profile are provided using a process-based model. Model results show that during the beach profile transition to equilibrium, both the magnitude and the cross-shore gradient of sediment transport rate decrease. The total net sediment transport in surfzone is mainly affected by the balance/imbalance between offshore-directed current-related suspended sediment transport and onshore-directed bedload transport, both of which showing a decreasing tendency during the transition to equilibrium. The former is due to the decreasing undertow velocity and sediment concentration, and the latter is due to the decrease of peak bedload transport rate near the intra-wave crest phase. The wave-related suspended sediment transport is relatively small compared to the other two transport components. Based on the entropy concept, a dimensionless parameter representing the spatial uniformity of wave energy dissipation rate is proposed as an indicator of the equilibrium degree of a beach profile. Results suggest that a quantitative relationship can be established between this parameter and the overall characteristics of sediment transport on a beach profile. • Beach profile evolutions are reproduced by a process-based numerical model. • Analysis of hydrodynamics and sediment transport on a quasi-equilibrium profile. • Each sediment transport component decreases during transition to equilibrium. • Retrieving sediment transport into an intra-wave time scale. • An entropy paramter is proposed to reflect the equilibrium degree of a beach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boat traffic and resulting wakes are among the major human-mediated stressors on coastal ecosystems. Modulation of sediment transport by wakes and tides in an intertidal waterway with boat traffic is studied here. The hypothesis that boat wakes cause significant increases in sediment transport in intertidal settings is tested. Field observations of tides, currents, boat wakes and turbidity were collected on a transect within the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway in Northeast Florida, USA. Hydrodynamic and sediment processes were evaluated by analyzing this field data set. A daily average of 60 wake events of varying energies were identified in the observations using time-frequency analysis methods. Due to differences in sediment suspension in response to each wake and unpredictable evolution of the bed state, decomposition of the effects of each individual wake on sediment is not possible. Therefore, the sediment dynamics during the periods of boat activity were compared in their entirety with the sediment dynamics during the periods of boat inactivity. Throughout the experiment, all periods of boat activity had consistently greater suspended sediment concentration near the bed compared to their preceding and succeeding periods of boat inactivity. In the first eight days of the experiment where tidal forcing was relatively similar between boat activity and inactivity periods, sediment transport rates were estimated as 0.048 m3/m/hr and 0.043 m3/m/hr during boat activity and inactivity, respectively, indicating a 12% increase in sediment transport due to boat traffic. A larger increase in sediment transport rates during boat activity compared to boat inactivity occurred over the last three days of the experiment. Volumes of sediment transported in low-tide, mid-tide and high-tide during boat activity were greater than their low-tide, mid-tide and high-tide counterparts during boat inactivity. Therefore, the results confirm the earlier mentioned hypothesis. • Boat traffic increased sediment transport rate by 12%. • Sediment transport in low-tide, mid-tide, and high-tide during boat activity were greater than their low-tide, mid-tide, and high-tide counterparts during boat inactivity. • Boat wakes must be considered to manage wetland stability in high-traffic estuaries. [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]

Morphological evolution of large river deltas is highly vulnerable to extreme storm events due to insufficient sediment supply. As an abandoned delta lobe, the coasts along the northern Yellow River Delta (YRD) and Gudong Oil Field have recently suffered serious erosion due to extreme storm events and become increasingly vulnerable. In this study, a well validated and tested Delft 3D module by the observing hydrodynamic and sediment data to simulate the hydrodynamics and seabed erosion during a storm event in the littoral area of YRD. Observed wave, current and sediment data under both fair-weather and storm conditions were collected in the study area and used to validate the model. The results indicated that the model can reproduce well the hydrodynamic and sediment transport processes. A series of numerical experiments were carried out to examine the hydrodynamic changes and sediment transports. In the numerical experiment of normal condition, there is hardly any sediment transport off the YRD. The numerical experiment of storm condition showed that storms enhanced tidal residual currents, weakened tidal shear front, and significant wave heights up to 2 m, considerably intensified the sediment resuspension and dispersal. The local sediment resuspension due to the increased wave-induced bottom stress promoted the sediment plume to expand to the central area of Laizhou Bay, which seemed to provide sediment source for offshore and southward transport. During the storm, the active nearshore sediment resuspension provided sediment source for offshore and southward transport. The intensive dynamics and sediment transport under storm conditions caused significant changes in seabed erosion and siltation. The main erosion occurred off the Gudong and northern YRD, while the main siltation appeared in the central area of Laizhou Bay. No significant recovery after a storm and frequent strong winds have an accumulative effect on the erosion, which is very likely to dominate the erosive states of the YRD coast in the future. • Storm-induced energetic hydrodynamic forces intensify sediment resuspension and dispersal significantly. • Wave-induced bottom stress promotes sediment plume and enhances local resuspension. • Storms increase suspended sediment concentration and offshore sediment transport. • Storm-induced accumulative effect on seabed scour tends to cause long-term erosion. [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]

The processes associated with infragravity waves (IGW) and their role on the hydro-sedimentary dynamics of a wave-dominated inlet are investigated using field observations collected at the Albufeira Lagoon (Portugal) during storm Leslie in October 2018. During the storm, significant IGW heights reached up to 1.0 m in the surf zone and 0.4 m inside the lagoon. IGW frequencies were blocked by ebb currents at the flood-delta and this effect was stronger for higher IGW frequencies. Therefore, low-frequency IGW were able to propagate further into the inner lagoon. The application of a 1D energy balance equation suggests that depth-induced breaking and bottom friction contributed equally to dissipate IGW energy at the flood-delta and that this dissipation was stronger during the flood than during the ebb. Large horizontal velocities under IGW crests increased the instantaneous suspended sediment transport rate by up to two orders of magnitude during flood at the flood-delta. The net suspended sediment transport rate and its variability, associated with the wave motion, was positive (landward) during flood and negligible during ebb. These positive values were associated with large wave-induced orbital velocities, suggesting that waves were more effective than tidal currents in inducing suspended sediment transport. The oscillatory suspended sediment transport rate was directed towards the lagoon and dominated by IGW frequencies. The observed sediment accretion of the northern channel occurred during the most energetic IGW. The measurements presented in this study and their analyses demonstrate how IGW play a major role in the sedimentary dynamics of wave-dominated inlets during storm conditions. • Water levels, velocities, sediment concentrations and topography measured in a wave-dominated inlet under storm conditions. • Ebb currents blocked high infragravity wave (IGW) frequencies and low IGW frequencies were able to propagate into the lagoon. • Suspended sediment transport and its variability were dominated by IGW frequencies. • The net sediment transport was landward during flood and negligible during ebb. • Sediment accretion of the inlet's north channel coincided with the most energetic IGW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]