Suspended sediment transport from the Gironde estuary (France) onto the adjacent continental shelf

Current velocity and suspended sediment concentration measurements at anchor stations in the downstream extremity of the Gironde estuary indicate that during periods of high river discharge, a significant amount of suspended sediment is transported out of the estuary onto the adjacent continental shelf. The vertical profile of the residual (non-tidal) suspended sediment flux is similar to that of the residual current velocity, with a net upstream flux near the bottom and an overlying seaward-directed transport. The overall, depth-integrated result is a net seaward transport of suspended sediment out of the estuary. It appears that this net seaward transport varies directly with tidal amplitude.Aerial photography and water sampling indicate that during high river inflow, the downstream extremity of the turbidity maximum extends onto the continental shelf at ebb tide. The tidal and coastal current patterns of the inlet and inner shelf induce a northward transport of the turbid estuarine water, and at each tidal cycle, a certain amount of suspended sediment leaves the estuary; part of this sediment is deposited in a silt and clay zone on the continental shelf.     

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。     

Nepheloid layer distribution in the Benguela upwelling area offshore Namibia

The distribution of nepheloid layers across the outer shelf and upper continental slope off Namibia was studied during a cruise with R.V. Meteor in late austral summer 2003. Optical measurements, carried out with a transmissometer and a backscattering fluorometer, are correlated with suspended particulate matter (SPM) and particulate organic carbon (POC) values from water sample filtration. Conductivity-temperature-depth and oxygen data are used to relate the nepheloid layers to hydrographic structures. The particle content of surface water at the continental slope is controlled primarily by the offshore extension of highly productive upwelling filaments. A pronounced bottom nepheloid layer (BNL) covers the entire area of study with maximum intensity above the outer shelf and at the shelf break—an area where erosional forces dominate. The detachment of this BNL at the shelf break feeds a major intermediate nepheloid layer (INL) at 25.5°S. This INL is positioned at 250–400 m depth, at the lower boundary of an oxygen minimum zone, and is likely connected to the poleward flow of South Atlantic Central Water (SACW) across the shelf break. Together, these strong subsurface nepheloid layers are indicators of intensive lateral particle transport from the outer shelf towards a depocenter of organic matter on the upper continental slope.     

Temporal variation of resuspended matter for one tidal cycle in the Hiuchi-Nada area

The observed relation between the vertical distribution of suspended matter and the size distribution of bottom sediment in the Hiuchi-Nada area indicates that a turbid bottom water layer exists above the bottom when the bottom sediment is of silt size. The turbid bottom water is thought to be produced by resuspension of bottom sediment. Measurements of the temporal variation of resuspended matter and water movement near the bottom was carried out for one full tidal cycle at an anchored station. The concentration of resuspended matter reached a maximum at the time of strongest ebb and flood flow.     

Slope transport of suspended particulate matter on the Aquitanian margin of the Bay of Biscay

Spatial and temporal characteristics of the water masses and the dispersion of the suspended particulate matter were investigated using current meter, hydrographic and nephelometric observations, gathered during the ECOFER experiment (1989–1991) in the Cap-Ferret Canyon on the Aquitanian margin of the Bay of Biscay. While characteristics of the deep water masses were stable from one year to another, large hydrographic change in the upper 500 m related to winter renewal induced by poleward advection of warm and saline water along the continental slope. The slope circulation and seasonal eddy activity appear as important dynamical mechanisms that control the entrainment and the dispersion of the suspended particulate matter from the neritic domain to the deep ocean. A predominantly northward along-slope current with occasional reversal characterizes this circulation. The nephelometric structures also showed seasonal changes in the overall suspended particulate matter content, but recurrent features, such as the presence of intermediate nepheloid layers at the shelf-break depth and various depths along the slope (∼500, 1000 and 2000 m), were observed. These nepheloid layers extended off the slope to about 10–30 km, but especially laterally along the slope. Their presence indicated that suspended particulate matter exchanges between the shelf and the slope occurred mainly in the head of the canyon and along the southern open slope. The intermediate nepheloid layers around 500 m depth detached from the slope particularly in regions where the bottom slope is close to critical for the M₂ internal tide.     

舟山外钓山海岸边坡泥沙动力与冲淤演变特征

通过对研究区海域的水文泥沙进行现场测验,对比1960-1962年海图、1995年和2001年水下地形图三期地形数据和分析浅地层探测数据等方法,分析了舟山外钓山岛西海岸边坡的水动力、悬浮泥沙及冲淤特征,探讨了海岸边坡发育演变的模式与机制。研究结果表明,在基岩岬角海岸与潮流深槽的边界控制及往复潮流的作用下,舟山外钓山岛西海岸边坡演变是一个"上淤下冲"的模式,即边坡变陡至边坡土体失稳并在不定期外力触发下滑塌堆积坡脚,然后上部重新淤积、下部滑坡体不断被侵蚀的循环过程。     

Deep slope currents and suspended particle fluxes in and around the Foix submarine canyon (NW Mediterranean)

Deep slope currents and particulate matter concentrations were studied on the Barcelona continental margin in and around the Foix submarine canyon from May 1993 to April 1994. This year-long moored experiment revealed that near-bottom slope currents are strongly influenced by the bottom topography, being oriented along isobaths and along the canyon axis. The deep slope current fluctuations are controlled by the local inertial motion (18.3 h) and also by low-frequency oscillations at periods of 6–10 days, related to the passage of atmospheric pressure cells. Particulate matter concentrations recorded during the experiment do not show a clear seasonal variability, except outside the canyon, where significant peaks of particulate matter concentrations were recorded only during the winter-fall deployment. In addition, the temporal evolution of suspended particulate matter concentration is not linked to changes in the cross-slope or along-slope current components and did not show a clear relationship with river avenues or wave storm events. This suggests that suspended particulate matter exported from the shelf is dispersed on the slope by advective processes, which attenuate the signal of the shelf-slope sediment transfer. Mean particulate matter concentrations differed among sampling sites, but the magnitude of the mean horizontal suspended particle flux reflects a quite similar value in the whole study area, ranging from 2.53 to 4.05 mg m⁻² s⁻¹. These horizontal suspended particle fluxes are 27 (canyon head) to 360 (open slope) times higher than the settling particle fluxes measured at the same sampling sites, indicating that the suspended particulate transport on the Barcelona continental slope dominates over the settling particle fluxes, even inside the Foix submarine canyon.     

冬、夏季东海北部悬浮体分布及海流对悬浮体输运的阻隔作用

依据1987年6月、1996年12月、1997年2月和1998年7月在东海北部所取得的悬浮体、温度和盐度资料就该区冬季和夏季的悬浮体分布、影响因素和输运进行了研究,结果表明该区悬浮体分布具有明显的季节性变化,在中、外陆架区悬浮体含量冬季明显高于夏季.悬浮体的分布及输运受到东海环流、风暴和潮流等的影响,其中东海环流的季节性变化是主要影响因素.受台湾暖流的阻隔,冬季和夏季长江入海泥沙在东海基本不能越过124°00'E以东海域.黄海沿岸流携带着老黄河口水下三角洲的再悬浮沉积物向陆架东南扩散,其搬运的量和在中、外陆架区的扩散范围冬季显著大于夏季.在黄海暖流的阻隔下,陆架悬浮体冬季和夏季在32°N断面很少能扩散至126°30'E以东海域.台湾暖流和黑潮爬升水的阻隔作用使得冬季和夏季陆架悬浮体在P-N断面也基本不能扩散至陆架边缘.冬季在东海北部可有部分陆架悬浮体输送到冲绳海槽,但有区域性,其输送的可能位置是在P-N断面以北、32°N断面以南之黄海沿岸流向东南延伸的陆架边缘;夏季陆架悬浮体基本滞留在陆架区.     

NotesBenthic foraminiferal distribution in surface sediments along continental slope of the southern Okinawa Trough: dependance on water masses and food supply

Benthic foraminiferal analysis of 29 samples in surface sediments from the southern Okinawa Trough is carried out. The results indicate that benthic foraminiferal abundance decreases rapidly with increasing water depth. Percentage frequencies of agglutinated foraminifera further confirm the modern shallow carbonate lysocline in the southern Okinawa Trough. From continental shelf edge to the bottom of Okinawa Trough, benthic foraminiferal fauna in the surface sediments can be divided into 5 assemblages: (1) Continental shelf break assemblage, dominated by Cibicides pseudoungerianus, corresponds to subsurface water mass of the Kuroshio Current; (2) upper continental slope assemblage, dominated by Cassidulina carinata , Globocassidulina subglobosa, corresponds to intermediate water mass of the Kuroshio Current; (3) intermediate continental slope assemblage, dominated by Uvigerina hispi-da, corresponds to the Okinawa Trough deep water mass above the carbonate lysocline; (4) lower continental slope- trough b     

M2 tidal currents near the continental shelf margin in the East China Sea

Time series of velocity and water temperature were measured at three stations on the continental shelf, on the shelf margin and on the slope off the northwest Tokunoshima in December 1980 to study influences of the slope on tides.Tidal currents with semidiurnal periods were dominant at the stations on the shelf and shelf margin. However, semidiurnal components in temperature fluctuations were dominant at the stations on the shelf margin and the slope. We estimated horizontal currents due to semidiurnal internal tides from the vertical distribution of water density and temperature, assuming that the temperature fluctuations were caused by the vertical displacement of water particles due to semidiurnal internal tides. The tidal ellipses at the station on the shelf and the phase relation of the tidal currents between the two stations on the shelf and shelf margin indicated that the M₂ surface tide on the shelf was a Sverdrup wave propagating to the northwest.Semidiurnal tidal currents on the slope were also caused by tides of surface and internal modes. Furthermore, the axis of the tidal ellipse was not perpendicular to the co-tidal line estimated by Ogura (1934) but rather parallel to the isobaths on the slope, which shows a striking effect of the bottom topography on the tidal currents.     

黄、东海毗邻海域悬浮体与水团的对应关系及影响因素

对黄、东海毗邻海域由陆架到深海的悬浮体进行了大量加密取样,获得了较准确的结果。给出了悬浮体含量及其三维分布,确定它们与水团及其边界有良好的对应关系。并从物源、动力和成因等解释了这种对应,提出了水团对悬浮体研究的重要意义。研究表明黑潮次—中层混合爬升水及其混合水形成悬浮体含量最低值区,横亘在陆架与深海之间,形成阻隔含有大部分悬浮体的陆架中、下层水体向深海输送的洁净“水障”,台湾暖流北上的顶托也起类似作用,并分析了影响悬浮体含量的各种因素及有关机制。     

Periodic Intrusion of Cold Water from the Pacific Ocean into the Bottom Layer of the Bungo Channel in Japan

A cold-water intrusion, called a “bottom intrusion”, occurs in the lower layer of the Bungo Channel in Japan. It is an intrusion from the shelf slope region of the Pacific Ocean margin in the south of the channel. In order to reveal the fundamental characteristics of the bottom intrusion, we conducted long-term observations of water temperature at the surface and bottom layers of the channel and 15-day current observations at the bottom of the shelf-break region. The long-term water temperature data indicated that the bottom intrusion occurs repeatedly between early summer and late autumn, and its reiteration between early and mid-summer causes a local minimum of water temperature in the lower layer in mid-summer. Moreover, the data revealed that most of the bottom intrusions occurred in neap tidal periods. The current meter recorded a bottom intrusion with a speed of approximately 15 cm⋅s⁻¹. The current meter also revealed that the intruded cold water slowly retreated back to the shelf slope region after the intrusion. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Episodic outflow of suspended sediments from the Kii Channel to the Pacific Ocean in winter

Episodic outflow of suspended sediments from the Kii Channel to the Pacific Ocean in winter was observed by the sediment traps experiment above the shelf slope. When the current speed was weak and its direction was south or southwestward above the shelf slope the sinking sediment flux was nearly zero but the sinking sediment flux increased to 22g m^–2 day^–1 after the current speed was strong, its direction changed to south-west or westward and water temperature fell. Such intermitten sinking sediment flux above the shelf slope is considered to be related to the intermittent intrusion of the turbid and cold shelf water into the sub-surface layer of the transparent and warm slope water. Such episodic events may play a very important role in the material transport from the coastal sea to the open ocean.     

南海北部陆架陆坡区海流观测研究

针对2006-2009年期间,南海北部陆架陆坡区3个站ADCP海流连续观测资料,采用功率谱分析、潮流调和分析方法,重点分析了陆架陆坡区100 m,200 m和1 200 m水深海域海流的垂向结构,探讨了环流的季节变化和空间分布特征,特别讨论了南海暖流和北陆坡流的时空变化特征。结果表明,陆架陆坡区潮流类型属于不规则日潮,深水站点中层表现为正规全日潮类型,垂向为"三层结构",甚至更加复杂。O₁,K₁,M₂,S₂等分潮总体上为顺时针旋转,在深水站点,基本表现为西北－东南走向的往复流形态。从能量角度看,表层和底层海流中,潮流所占份额较大,分别占30%~40%和40%~50%,中层较小,约为20%。对东沙群岛西南陆架陆坡区环流,观测计算结果证实了西向强流的存在,且垂向结构具有显著的季节变化,在200 m水深处没有明显的南海暖流,只是10~30 m以上层次存在逆风海流。海南岛以东海域连续15个月表层环流的结果表明,冬季明显受到南海暖流的影响,存在东北向的逆风海流,夏秋季的环流表现为西南向,流速较强,夏季也存在逆风情况,造成上述情形的原因可能是该地南海暖流的流轴具有季节性变化——冬季偏南,夏季偏北。     

Benthic foraminiferal distribution in surface sediments along continental slope of the southern Okinawa Trough: dependance on water masses and food supply

Benthic foraminiferal analysis of 29 samples in surface sediments from the southern Okinawa Trough is carried out.The results indicate that benthic foraminiferal abundance decreases rapidly with increasing water depth.Percentage frequencies of agglutinated foraminifera further confirm the modern shallow carbonate lysocline in the southern Okinawa Trough.From continental shelf edge to the bottom of Okinawa Trough,benthic foraminiferal fauna in the surface sediments can be divided into 5 assemblages:(1) Continental shelf break assemblage,dominated by Cibicides pseudoungerianus,corresponds to subsurface water mass of the Kuroshio Current;(2) upper continental slope assemblage,dominated by Cassidulina carinata,Globocassidulina subglobosa,corresponds to intermediate water mass of the Kuroshio Current;(3) intermediate continental slope assemblage,dominated by Uvigerina hispida,corresponds to the Okinawa Trough deep water mass above the carbonate lysocline.     

Breaking of a tidal internal wave on a steep shelf as inferred from temperature measurements

The structure, evolution, and breaking of a tidal internal wave on a steep shelf are discussed on the basis of the data of temperature measurements. The bottom slope at the measurement site is close to the critical slope for a tidal wave. The tidal wave and other waves are inclined coastward. The tidal-wave amplitude increases monotonically with increasing horizon depth. The tidal wave is nonlinear in amplitude and turns over on the outer shelf. On the inner shelf, the internal wave is close in shape to rectangular and generates harmonics of its own. The harmonics make the tidal wave steeper and form solitary rises similar to bilateral bores. All these features ensure a more rapid sink for the internal-tide energy.     

龙口近岸海域潮流作用下悬浮泥沙时空分布特征及输运机制

根据2015年1月与2017年5月两期大潮期27小时海流连续同步观测及悬浮泥沙资料,利用Morlet 小波分析与单宽悬沙通量机制分解法,结合潮流场特征,分析了龙口湾海域悬浮泥沙的时空分布特征,研究了潮流作用下的悬沙输运机制。结果表明,平面上,悬沙浓度在龙口湾内较低,湾口、湾外海域的的悬沙浓度相对较高;垂向上,研究区整体表现为悬沙浓度由底层向表层递减。潮周期尺度上,悬浮泥沙浓度峰值较流速峰值存在0.5～2 h的时间滞后;悬浮泥沙浓度在时间上的变化以12～16 h尺度为主要周期。季节尺度上,1月悬沙浓度远远大于5月。研究区内单宽输沙通量为1.21～239.77 g·s−1·m−1,整体上悬沙通量呈现出湾口最高、湾外开阔海域其次、湾内最低的分布格局。平流输运项（T1+T2）在悬沙输移中占绝对优势,潮致余流在悬沙输运起主要作用。季节上,1月份单宽输沙通量远远高于5月份,整体呈现出夏季落淤储沙而冬季再悬浮输沙的季节性输运特征。湾外海域悬浮泥沙大致向SW、S向输运,屺坶岛以北海域沿W、SW向屺坶岛头输运,进入湾内后,悬浮泥沙的输运沿人工岛北侧和西侧分为两支。研究区内,在海流、地形等的综合作用下,整体表现为由渤海向莱州湾的净输沙趋势。     

Bulk particulate organic carbon in the East China Sea: Tidal influence and bottom transport

Five oceanographic surveys were carried out in the East China Sea (ECS) and Yellow Sea from 1999 to 2003. In all, seven different sections were surveyed, but one section (the PN section) was observed on every cruise. Two time-series stations were also surveyed, one located at the Changjiang River mouth, the other over the continental shelf in the PN section.We identified biogeochemical characteristics for waters close to the Changjiang Estuary and in the Kuroshio waters (KW), respectively. Resuspension is a strong feature near bottom over the ECS continental shelf, with suspended matter values 13 times higher than that for the surface. A model of particulate organic carbon (POC) dynamics based on a rectangle equation reveals that POC concentration close to the Changjiang Estuary varies with a semidiurnal period of ∼13 h, coinciding with the tidal period. The upper limit for POC residence times in the seasons we covered over the shelf are estimated to be on the order of weeks and generally increase seaward from near the Changjiang Estuary to the KW. Short POC residence times suggest that POC in the ECS is rapidly exported from euphotic waters.A nepheloid layer, observed as elevated suspended matter in near the bottom of the water column, is important in particle transfer over the shelf, especially in winter when the residual current flows mainly eastward. Cross-shelf transport of POC via the nepheloid layer is estimated to be 0.22 × 10¹² g yr⁻¹. Comparison with other work indicates that POC transport is ∼2% of the Changjiang POC input.     

Role of the climatological and current variability on shelf-slope exchanges of particulate matter: Evidence from the Rhône continental margin (NW Mediterranean)

Climatological, current and particulate flux data were gathered in the Grand-Rhône canyon on the Gulf of Lions continental margin for one year (Jan. 1988–Jan 1989). Time series were analyzed to determine the influence of physical exchange processes on particulate matter at the shelf-edge, with a special emphasis on the Northern Current variability.The synoptic variability of the Northern Current was linked to meanders of 2–5 day period. Its meso-scale activity presented a seasonal signal with maximum values in early spring. Peaks of particulate fluxes in the upper traps were little affected by large river and atmospheric inputs, but rather by enhanced shelf-slope exchanges at the shelf edge due to intense cross-slope fluctuations of the Northern Current. These fluctuations caused cross-isobath flows near the bottom, which appeared to be a potential mechanism in transporting particles off the shelf. At 900 m depth, high-flux events measured by sediment traps were primarily linked to periods of higher cross-slope current oscillations. This correlation suggests that vertical motions caused by these oscillations contribute to the suspended particulate matter transport through the process of bringing higher suspended material concentrations from above to greater depths. Vertical velocity estimates were derived through temperature fluctuations combined with vertical temperature gradient and from the kinematic boundary condition. A simple diffusion model indicates that the vertical turbulent mixing of suspended particulate matter, induced by the cross-slope current oscillations, yields downward fluxes of particles comparable to those collected by sediment traps.     

Heavy metals in particulate matter and sediments in the southern Barcelona sedimentation system (North-western Mediterranean)

Concentrations of selected heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) from surface sediments, suspended particulate matter and settling particles in the southern Barcelona continental margin were studied in order to evaluate the environmental impact of the anthropogenic metals discharged by the Llobregat River in this Mediterranean area. The temporal variation of heavy metals discharged by this river onto the continental shelf is clearly related to the river water flow. Part of the fine sediment and associated heavy metals transported by the Llobregat River during periods of low river flow accumulate on the river bed, and they are totally removed and discharged onto the Barcelona continental shelf during sporadic river water flow increases. Metals produce significant anomalies of chromium (×2.5), copper (×3.4) and zinc (×3.7) in the surface sediments of the Llobregat prodelta and tend to be transported along the continental shelf following the mean flow. Metals associated with the finest suspended flocs transferred to the slope are controlled by the shelf-slope density front and are transported along slope by the general geostrophic current, instead of accumulating and becoming concentrated in the slope bottom sediments. Settling particulate matter collected in sediment traps on the Barcelona continental slope offshore of the shelf-slope front shows low heavy metal concentrations except in a few sediment trap samples that are significantly metal-enriched in chromium (×4.5) and zinc (×6.8). This enrichment is associated with very short and sporadic river flow increases and is only recorded inside the Foix submarine canyon, which acts as a preferential conduit for the shelf-slope sediment transfer.