Turbid bottom water layer and bottom sediment in the Seto Inland Sea

Measurement of the vertical distribution of total suspended matter (TSM) was carried out during summer throughout the Seto Inland Sea. TSM concentration near the bottom is influenced significantly by water movement and turbid bottom water is observed in all areas where median grain size (Md) of the bottom sediment is more than 47gf. The high concentration of TSM near the bottom may be due to resuspension of the surface layer of bottom sediments. Comparison of the organic content of the resuspended matter with that of the bottom sediment shows that the resuspended matter contains more organic matter with a lower C : N ratio than the bottom sediment. The C : N ratio of the resuspended matter is similar to that of TSM in the surface layer of the water column. It is thought that TSM in surface waters sinks and settles on the surface of the bottom sediment. This deposited material is then easily resuspended in the water column by tidal currents before becoming permanently incorporated into the bottom sediment.     

Entrainment of bottom sediment in the Seto Inland Sea in summer

Time series of the vertical distribution of resuspended matter and bottom current were collected concurrently during summer at a few anchored stations in the Seto Inland Sea. The vertical distribution of resuspended matter was measured every hour for about one tidal cycle and the three components of current fluctuation were obtained at each sampling station. Current data at each sampling station show that the bottom is hydraulically smooth.Assuming that the averaged vertical distribution of resuspended matter for one tidal cycle shows a steady state distribution, the settling velocityWs of resuspended matter is estimated to be in the range of 1.2×10^–2 to 5.7×10^–2 cm sec^–1 from analysis of the averaged distributions.The relation between the erosion rate and the bottom shear stress for this study area is investigated and is compared with that for other areas. The results show that the erosion of sediment in the Seto Inland Sea during summer occurs even due to the low bottom shear stress which is considered as almost smooth hydraulically.     

Transport mechanism of suspended matter above the shelf slope at the mouth of Tokyo Bay

Transport mechanism of suspended matter above the shelf slope is investigated with the use of the moorings of time-series sediment trap, current meter and nephelometer at three stations at the mouth of Tokyo Bay, Japan during 21 to 25 August 1993. Tidal pump mechanism is effective for the transport of suspended matter at the shelf edge, but the boring-like flood tidal current resuspends the settled suspended matter, on the bottom of shelf slope and the resuspended matter is resulted to be moved upslope in one tidal cycle at 10 m above the bottom of shelf slope.     

Ocean Color Satellite Imagery and Shipboard Measurements of Chlorophyll a and Suspended Particulate Matter Distribution in the East China Sea

Satellite-derived ocean color data of Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) on board the Nimbus-7 and Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner (OCTS) on board the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite (ADEOS) are jointly used with historical in situ data to examine seasonal and spatial distributions of chlorophyll a (Chl-a) and suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentrations in the East China Sea. Ocean color imagery showed that Chl-a concentrations on the continental shelf were higher than those of the Kuroshio area throughout the year. Satellite-derived Chl-a concentrations are generally in good accordance with historical in situ values during spring through autumn (although no shipboard in situ measurement was conducted at nearshore areas). In contrast, ocean color imagery in winter indicated high Chl-a concentrations (4–10 mg m^–3) on the continental shelf where bottom depth was less than 50 m when surface water was turbid (2–72 g m^–3 of SPM at surface), while historical in situ values were usually less than 1 mg m^–3. This suggests that resuspended bottom sediment due to wind-driven mixing and winter cooling is responsible for the noticeable overestimation of satellite-derived Chl-a concentrations. The algorithm for ocean color needs to be improved urgently for turbid water.     

悬浮体粒度特征所反映的南黄海辐射沙脊群泥沙扩散趋势

基于大量的悬浮体现场粒度和浓度数据,借助细颗粒悬浮体作为示踪物,分析了潮流作用下南黄海辐射沙脊群海底沉积物的再悬浮和扩散特征,并探讨了沙辐射沙脊群以北泥质区的形成机制。研究结果表明：（1）在辐射沙脊群以北,近岸悬沙在离岸方向上的扩散受到限制,向南又被辐射沙脊群中心浅滩所阻挡,只能在辐射沙脊群与废黄河口之间形成沿岸分布的高浓度浑水团。（2）辐射沙脊群以北的往复潮流对海底沉积物有分选作用,倾向于把海底沉积物中的粗颗粒分选搬运至沙脊群,把细颗粒沉积物向北输送,从而在沙脊群以北形成泥质区。（3）在正常海况下,沙脊表层沉积物再悬浮作用十分微弱,沙脊上覆水体中的悬沙主要来自于临近沟槽海底沉积物的水平扩散。     

Vertical diffusion in coastal areas—I

The suspended matter in seawater near the bottom is distributed by the effects of sinking and diffusion. The author developed a method of estimation of the vertical eddy diffusivity near the sea bottom and the particle size distribution of bottom sediment, in the case of equilibrium state. This estimation was made by the comparison of measured and computed vertical distribution of beam attenuation. The parameters which were used for the computation were (1) median of the particle size distribution of bottom sediment, assuming that the particle size was a log-normal distribution, and (2) the proportional constant of vertical eddy diffusivity which was proportional to the height from the bottom.As the suspended matter in seawater contains particles of different sizes, the computation of the diffusion and beam attenuation was made for each particle size, and summarizing the results, the vertical distribution of beam attenuation coefficient was computed.In order to estimate the beam attenuation in high particle concentration, an equation by which the effect of overlapping of particle shadow in the light beam was eliminated, was used.     

Characteristics of resuspended sediment from Georges Bank collected with a sediment trap

A sediment trap was deployed 3 m from the bottom at a water depth of 62 m on the southern flank of Georges Bank (41°02·2′N, 67°33·5′W) from 30 September 1978 to 10 March 1979 to qualitatively determine the size of sediments resuspended from the bottom by winter storms and to determine if seasonal changes in the phytoplankton could be observed in the trapped sediment.Bulk X-ray analyses of the trapped sediment showed layers of distinctly different textures preserved in the collection vessel. The median grain size of sampled layers ranged from 2·7 to 6·5 φ (fine sand to silt), but all layers contained a pronounced mode in the 3 φ (fine sand) range. Nine layers containing relatively large amounts of sand were present. The sand content was 75% in the coarest layers and about 32% in the fine layers. The median grain size of bottom sediments at the deployment site was considerably coarser than the trap samples, although the dominant grain size was also 3 φ.Average bottom-current speeds during the deployment period were about 30 cm s^?1 with a range of 10 to 50 cm s^?1. Bottom stress, computed from the observed currents and waves, suggest that 11 storms caused sufficient stress to resuspend 3 φ-sized sediments, in good agreement with the nine layers of relatively coarse sediments collected in the trap. Surface waves had to be included in the calculation of bottom stress because the bottom currents alone were insufficient to cause the resuspension of 3 φ-sized sediment.The trapped sediments contain numerous diatoms and coccoliths that are typical of late fall and winter assemblages. No clear seasonal difference in the flora was noted among sampled layers, probably due to the large influx of resuspended material and a reduced primary flux during this period. An undescribed species of Thalassiosira (G. Fryxell, personal communication), and siliceous scales of unknown systematic position were observed at all levels.     

Sedimentation of terrigenous red soils in coastal area adjacent to an estuary and coral reefs,the Okkubi River estuary,Okinawa Island,Japan

Sedimentation process of fine-grained terrigenous red soils was observed on the seafloor by coral reefs near an estuary using a paired mooring of turbidity meter and sediment trap or a mooring of sediment trap and current meter. Silty clays contained in the bottom calcareous sands were mainly resuspended and trapped in both surface and bottom layer traps, at noncatastrophic normal sedimentation periods. In addition, silty clays were supplied to this mooring site by inflowing river. Turbidity and the flux rate determined by sediment traps show certain relationship accompanied with the coefficient, which is changed by precipitation, current, and other conditions. Resuspension process caused by a typhoon was recorded as both core sequence of sediment trap and time-series data of bottom current. Maximum velocity of 49.5 cm/s was recorded from bottom currents resulting from the passing of attyphoon at the mooring site. A graded sand layer is interbedded in dark-gray, silty clay and considered to be a resuspended sediment resulting from the passing of the typhoon. Flux of the resuspended sediments by the typhoon was estimated from this core sequence and compared to the flux observed at the normal sedimentation.     

Factors controlling aggregate formation in the benthic boundary layer of the Mecklenburg Bight (western Baltic Sea)

Studies on aggregate formation and size distribution in relation to bottom water composition and flow regime were carried out in November 1994 at two transects in the inner and outer Mecklenburg Bight (Baltic Sea). The bottom water sampler ‘BIOPROBE' (BWS) was used to collect 10-dm³ water samples at 5, 10, 20 and 40 cm above the seabed. The outer transect samples tended to be more influenced by the open western Baltic Sea, whereas the inner transect samples were more affected by the coastal hydrography. Aggregate size distribution was investigated using a newly developed particle camera allowing identification of particles down to 150 μm size. Increasing concentrations of total particulate matter (TPM), particulate organic carbon (POC) and chlorophyll pigment equivalents (CPE) towards the seafloor together with a low proportion of POC/TPM (<5%) implied that the material was of resuspended origin. Aggregate size in both transects was positively correlated with TPM, transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) and bacterial cell abundance. Higher particle concentrations and aggregate numbers in the outer transect indicated a higher resuspension frequency, or lateral advection processes. The higher concentration of aggregates at the outer transect may reflect the larger amount of near-bottom transported material.     

Enzyme activities in the Delaware Estuary affected by elevated suspended sediment load

Extracellular enzyme activities were compared among surface water, bottom water, and sediments of the Delaware Estuary using six fluorescently labeled, structurally distinct polysaccharides to determine the effects of suspended sediment transport on water column hydrolytic activities. Potential hydrolysis rates in surface waters were also measured for the nearby shelf. Samples were taken in December 2006, 6 months after a major flood event in the Delaware Basin that was followed by high freshwater run-off throughout the fall of 2006. All substrates were hydrolyzed in sediments and in the water column, including two (pullulan and fucoidan) that previously were not hydrolyzed in surface waters of the Delaware estuary. At the time of sampling, total particulate matter (TPM) in surface waters at the lower bay, bay mouth, and shelf ranged between 31 mg l⁻¹ and 48 mg l⁻¹ and were 2 to 20 times higher than previously reported. The presence of easily resuspended sediments at the lower bay and bay mouth indicated enhanced suspended sediment transport in the estuary prior to our sampling. Bottom water hydrolysis rates at the two sites affected by sediment resuspension were generally higher than those in surface waters from the same site. Most notably, fucoidan and pullulan hydrolysis rates in bay mouth bottom waters were 22.6 and 6.2 nM monomer h⁻¹, respectively, and thus three and five times higher than surface water rates. Our data suggest that enhanced mixing processes between the sediment and the overlying water broadened the spectrum of water column hydrolases activity, improving the efficiency of enzymatic degradation of high molecular weight organic matter in the water with consequences for organic matter cycling in the Delaware estuary.     

Turbidity of waters over the Northwest Iberian continental margin

In OMEX-II-II, 9 cruises gathered optical data, principally by transmissometer. The distribution of optical turbidity caused by concentration of particulate matter (PMC) in the water column over the northern Iberian margin shows several features related to hydrography. It is concluded that a signal of PMC seen in Mediterranean Water (MW) found north of 42°N is not carried from its source at the Gibraltar Sill and Gulf of Cadiz because it is shown, using intermediate stations, that this turbid plume decays, mainly by fall out but also partly by mixing, to very low levels around southern Portugal. PMC maxima sometimes seen in MW on the northern Iberian margin are thus most likely to result from intermittent local resuspension by MW interacting with slope sediments. The highest turbidity is found over the upper slope and is the result of (i) shelf edge resuspension and off-shelf flow of turbid plumes, mainly between 100 and 300 m depth, and (ii) resuspension under the slope current aided by internal waves, in the depth range 500–800 m where the density gradient between ENACW and MW is maximal. Below the MW, flows are generally slow, and turbidity is low. The bottom nepheloid layer in deep water is also weak with PMC values <100 mg m-3. The focus of resuspension activity on the upper slope means that the region is an efficient exporter to the ocean of sediment that either escapes from the shelf or sinks to the bed from surface production. This accounts for upper slope sediments recorded in other studies as sandy or in places as rocky bottom.     

The interaction of tidal currents on a disturbed intertidal bottom with a resulting change in particulate matter quantity,texture and food quality

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if clam digging had an effect on the suspended sediment texture and composition in the intertidal zone. Surface sediment and suspended particulate samples were collected prior to and after bottom perturbation similar to clam digging. The results indicated that the dug bottom sediments became coarser and contained lower amounts of organic matter. The coarser texture was due to increased winnowing on the ‘rough’ bottom created in the digging process.Suspended sediment concentrations also increased after perturbation, especially over finer-textured areas. The resuspended particulates were well sorted with relatively low organic content. Resuspended bottom sediments contributed virtually no protein to the particulates brought in by the estuarine waters. Recovery rate both of the bottom sediments and the suspended particulates was slow, and seemed dependent on the microtopographic relief which could take weeks to months to return to normal.     

南黄海海水中悬浮体跃层及底部浑水层

南黄海海水中悬浮体含量垂向分布中常见有跃层现象,它们是在海浪和潮流综合作用下,由海底表层沉积物的再悬浮产生的。南黄海冷水团促进了浑水层和悬浮体跃层的发育。 浑水层能够改变光、声波在海水中传播的性质,增大海水的浮力,增强对海底的侵蚀力。     

Examples of spatial and temporal variations of some fine-grained suspended particle characteristics in two Danish coastal water bodies

In June and September of 1999, a LISST-100 in situ laser diffraction particle sizer was used to analyse the temporal and spatial variation of the beam attenuation coefficient, the in situ median particle (aggregate) diameter and the median volume concentration of suspended matter in two Danish coastal water bodies. One of the study sites was generally exposed to wind, while the other was quite sheltered. Measurements of the mass concentration of total suspended matter and chl a were made simultaneously. The in situ median effective density, settling velocity and vertical flux of the suspended matter are computed. Results demonstrate that in September, the in situ median aggregate diameter, settling velocity and vertical flux was smaller (by a factor of up to 16) and the concentration higher (by a factor of up to almost two) than in June. This is attributed to varying degrees of turbulence in the water in the weeks preceding the field work, causing aggregates to break up (lowering in situ aggregate diameter and settling velocity) and sediment to be resuspended (increasing concentration) in September. The fractal dimension of the suspended aggregates is estimated. The fractal dimension is found to increase from June to September at both study sites, supporting the notion of aggregate break-up in September due to turbulence in the upper part of the water column. An algae bloom occurred at the sheltered study site in September. In situ particle size spectra from this site demonstrated increasing aggregate sizes towards the bottom. It is suggested, that the increase in size is due to biologically induced aggregation, causing large aggregates to settle out of the upper part of the water column, leaving finer particles and aggregates behind.     

Neighboring cage fish farming affecting water and seabed quality of the jordanian northern gulf of aqaba, red sea

Environmental qualities of coastal water and bottom sediment were assessed at Jordan's northernmost tip of Gulf of Aqaba to evaluate possible impacts of the bordering fish pen cages in Eilat. Results showed significant differences between surface and bottom water in the chemical and physical variables in the different months of the year (2004-2005). Chlorophyll a was also significantly higher in bottom water when compared to that of the offshore water. Nitrate and ammonia were significantly higher in bottom water than the surface water at each individual station. The upper 2 cm of sediment sample recorded higher values of total phosphorus and organic matter. Seasonality affected the content of total phosphorus, organic matter, redox potential and color especially at the sediment layer below 3 cm of the sediment core. The present investigation showed slight modification of water and sediment qualities but no clear sign of eutrophication was observed. However, to maintain sustainability of healthy environmental conditions at the northern tip of Gulf of Aqaba potentials of any possible environmental risks arising from the fish farms or any other coastal investment should be carefully considered.     

珠江口洪季最大浑浊带的大小潮变化与机制分析*

基于ROMS三维模型, 模拟了珠江口洪季最大浑浊带的轴、侧向分布和大、小潮变化。模拟结果表明, 珠江口伶仃洋最大浑浊带的轴向位置在22.3°—22.45°N之间, 并随着潮流变化而周期性上下游迁移。控制最大浑浊带形成的主要因素是余流作用下的底层泥沙辐聚, 决定最大浑浊带位置的主要因素是水平对流输沙, 泥沙来源主要是上游浅滩沉积物的再悬浮。小潮期间堆积在浅滩的细颗粒沉积物在大潮期间被悬浮, 搬运到下游的滞流点位置, 在中滩南部和西滩外缘落淤。“潮泵”作用在大潮期间将泥沙向下游输运, 在小潮期间向上游输运; 垂向剪切作用则有利于悬浮泥沙的陆向输运; 二者共同作用产生泥沙辐聚, 形成最大浑浊带。大、小潮期间余流结构差异不大, 主要由密度差和潮汐混合不对称共同导致, 其中前者贡献更大。     

胶州湾对虾标志放流回捕率分析

根据在胶州湾东北部，红石崖和黄岛后湾标志放流虾的回捕情况的明显不同，联系到海域的环境特点和幼鲈鱼的分布及中国对虾的习性，讨论了制约放流虾回捕率差异的主要因素；提出了中国对虾放流点应选择在河口，混水，软底质海域。     

海洋雾状层的成因及其对海洋碳循环过程的影响

海洋雾状层既是陆源物质进入海底的输送通道,又是海洋水体中沉降颗粒及底部再悬浮颗粒物的停留场所。雾状层物质来源主要有陆源、生源以及海底表层沉积物的再悬浮,不同海区、不同层位的雾状层的物质来源有所差异;雾状层的成因具有复杂性,既有物理作用,又有生物及化学作用,大量研究表明,海底洋流、内波(潮)等物理作用是雾状层形成的主要控制因素。雾状层中碳的存在形态主要有颗粒有机碳(POC)、溶解有机碳(DOC)、胶体有机碳(COC)以及无机碳,雾状层与其上下海水之间、雾状层与海底表层沉积物之间不同形态碳在生物-化学-物理动力系统作用下不断发生物质交换与迁移,对海洋碳循环生物地球化学过程起重要的控制作用,是整个海洋碳循环的一个不可忽视的环节。     

Suspended matter regime in the Yellow Sea

Winter and summer oceanographic conditions in the Yellow Sea produce distinctly different distributions and compositions of suspended particles within the water column. During the winter, strong northwest winds cool and mix the local water column and generate surface waves which resuspend bottom sediment in the north Yellow Sea and in the shoal regions of the western Yellow Sea near Jiangsu Province, and transport it southwards. Wintertime suspended particle concentrations in nearbottom waters can exceed 500 mg/l in nearshore areas and 20 mg/l in offshore waters.During the summer, light southerly winds and a strongly stratified water column localize the distribution of resuspended sediments. Nearbottom concentrations of suspended particulates are generally less than 10 mg/l. Nearsurface concentrations generally are not dissimilar from those seen during the winter, but the particles are primarily biogenic rather than resuspended mineral grains.     

Fluorescence characteristics of organic matter released from coastal sediments during resuspension

Excitation–emission matrix (EEM) fluorescence spectroscopy was employed to study the chemical nature of organic matter readily released into solution from sediment particles during episodes of resuspension. Surface sediment samples collected from five locations within the Hudson River Estuary and the Inner New York Bight were resuspended in their respective bottom waters for periods ranging from 30 s to 2 h. In most cases, fluorescence characteristics of the sample after resuspension differed from those predicted by conservative mixing of bottom and pore waters. Examination of excitation–emission matrices revealed that resuspension resulted in: (1) more intense humic-like fluorescence (Ex/Em 310/420 nm), and (2) greater fluorescence in the longer wavelength region of the spectrum (Ex/Em 330–388/440–480 nm) relative to the predicted values. Trends in the positions of excitation–emission maxima reported in the literature strongly suggest that fluorophores emitting at longer wavelengths are associated with increasingly degraded and/or aged organic matter. Thus, the data imply that resuspension of estuarine and coastal marine surface sediments releases degraded and/or aged, mineral-bound organic matter from the sediment matrix to the surrounding bottom waters.