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.     

Measurements of suspended particulate matter with laser in-situ scattering and transmissometry in the Jiaozhou Bay in China

1 IntroductionKnowledge of suspended particle size and distri-bution is the key elements for better understandingthe sediment transport processes ( Wang et al.,2004), primary production (Ning et al., 2004),water quality controlling and pollution predictio…     

Entropy analysis of in situ particle size spectra

Entropy analysis has been used to classify in situ particle (floc) size spectra of suspended particles into groups based on similar distribution characteristics. Results revealed that the in situ spectra sorted into groups that reflected different forcing conditions (e.g. variations in turbulence). The different forcing conditions were not necessarily reflected in other commonly used distribution measures such as median floc diameter. This suggests that entropy analysis may be an effective approach for investigating the effect of changes in forcing conditions on floc size. It is hypothesized that it may be possible to derive the average shape of floc size spectra from measurement of the forcing conditions alone and subsequently derive parameters such as floc fraction, floc density, floc settling velocity and the optical properties of the water column from the average spectra.     

Suspended particles near the bottom in Osaka Bay

The vertical distributions of suspended particles in Osaka Bay were measured by using anin situ beam attenuation meter. The concentration of suspended particles near the bottom increases rapidly toward the bottom where size of sediment is in a range of silt. The settling velocity of suspended particles near the bottom was measured with the use of a settling tower in the laboratory. The settling velocity of the suspended particles with diameter from 10 to 100m is 2×10^–3cm s^–1 to 5×10^–2cm s^–1. The density of the particles ranges from 2.0 to 1.1 and decreases with increasing particle diameter.     

Properties of coarse particles in suspended particulate matter of the North Yellow Sea during summer

Fine particles in seawater commonly form large porous aggregates. Aggregate density and settling velocity determine the behavior of this suspended particulate matter(SPM) within the water column.However, few studies of aggregate particles over a continental shelf have been undertaken. In our case study, properties of aggregate particles, including size and composition, over the continental shelf of the North Yellow Sea were investigated. During a scienti?c cruise in July 2016, in situ ef fective particle size distributions of SPM at 10 stations were measured, while temperature and turbidity measurements and samples of water were obtained from surface, middle, and bottom layers. Dispersed and inorganic particle size distributions were determined in the laboratory. The in situ SPM was divided into(1) small particles(<32 μm),(2) medium particles(32–256 μm) and(3) large particles(>256 μm). Large particles and medium particles dominated the total volume concentrations(VCs) of in situ SPM. After dispersion, the VCs of medium particles decreased to low values(<0.1 μL/L). The VCs of large particles in the surface and middle layers also decreased markedly, although they had higher peak values(0.1–1 μL/L). This suggests that almost all in situ medium particles and some large particles were aggregated, while other large particles were single particles. Correlation analysis showed that primary particles <32 μm in?uenced the formation of these aggregates. Microscopic examination revealed that these aggregates consisted of both organic and inorganic ?ne particles, while large particles were mucus-bound organic aggregates or individual plankton.The vertical distribution of coarser particles was clearly related to water strati?cation. Generally, medium aggregate particles were dominant in SPM of the bottom layer. A thermocline blocked resuspension of?ne material into upper layers, yielding low VCs of medium-sized aggregate particles in the surface layer.Abundant large biogenic particles were present in both surface and middle layers.     

深海采矿细颗粒羽状流数值模拟研究

深海采矿尾矿排放产生的细颗粒羽状流会对海底生态环境造成影响,预测尾矿排放羽状流行为及其对环境影响具有工程意义。基于欧拉多相流方法,采用欧拉双流体模型对深海采矿细颗粒羽状流开展数值模拟研究,分析近海底排放的羽状流演化和发展过程,探究羽状流初始排放质量浓度、排放速度对羽状流扩散过程的影响。结果表明：初始排放条件对羽状流演化性质有重要影响。主射流区被稀释的程度随着初始入射速度的增大而减小,随着入射质量浓度的增大而增大;初始羽状流入射速度和质量浓度越大,撞击海底后的水平方向流动速度越快,影响区域越广;水平速度的峰值随着初始入射速度的增大呈对数增长;当初始质量浓度和速度高于50 g/L和 0.5 m/s 时可能会导致颗粒在海底撞击点附近堆积成坡状,影响底流的后续发展。研究结果可以为深海采矿尾矿排放参数选择提供参考。     

Settling velocity and porosity of large suspended particle

The settling velocity of large suspended particles which were formed in turbid water due to re-coagulation was measured in the laboratory, and the relation to the particle diameter which was taken as that of a sphere with the same volume, was obtained. This is, however, different from Stokes' law in regard to the relation to the particle diameter, though the Reynolds numbers are almost in the region of Stokes' law. This may be caused by the change of apparent density with the particle diameter. Stokes' law for a porous particle was applied to the settling velocity and the diameter found was compared with the real diameter to obtain an expression for the porosity. From the result, it is considered that the large suspended particles of “marine snow” have a porosity of above 90 %.     

珠江口磨刀门泥沙絮凝特征

本文利用激光粒度仪实测得到珠江口磨刀门河口2013年夏季悬浮泥沙现场絮凝及絮凝体特征,同时对比悬沙分散粒径和含沙量,研究表明:悬沙分散粒径平均值为27.9μm,现场实测絮团粒径平均值为91.6μm,表明磨刀门口外的悬浮泥沙絮凝现象显著;实测絮团平均粒径变化范围为13.0~273.8μm,小潮期间絮团粒径平均值为131.5μm,大于大潮平均值76.9μm;絮凝体粒径在垂向上的变化表现为由表及底先变大再变小。絮团体积浓度、沉速与粒径的关系在不同情况下有差异,体积浓度和絮团粒径在表层和中层有明显正相关关系,絮团沉速在大潮时刻随着粒径的增大而增大。综合分析影响絮凝的因素,得知在珠江口盐度对于絮团大小影响不明显;而流速大小的差异是影响大小潮之间絮团大小不同的主要因素。研究结果有助于了解珠江口细颗粒泥沙输移特性和相关生物化学过程。     

长江口及其邻近海域悬浮颗粒物浓度和粒径的时空变化特征

长江口是典型的高浊度河口,长江口及其邻近海域悬浮颗粒物（suspended particulate matter,SPM）浓度跨度大,泥沙过程活跃、复杂。2015年7月9-20日（洪季）和2016年3月7-19日（枯季）,使用OBS和LISST分别测定了该区域99个和89个站位的SPM浊度、光衰减系数、总体积浓度、平均粒径和粒径谱等参数;同时通过现场过滤测定了各站位表、中、底3层的SPM质量浓度以及典型站位SPM中颗粒有机碳（particulate organic carbon,POC）的δ13C、颗粒氮（particulate nitrogen,PN）的δ15N以及POC/PN摩尔比值。结果表明,浊度、光衰减系数、总体积浓度等3个参数均与SPM质量浓度显示出了显著的正相关关系。研究区域SPM平均粒径一般表层大于底层、枯季大于洪季;长江淡水端元输出的SPM粒径枯季也明显大于洪季。具有相似粒径谱特征的SPM可以通过测定δ13C和δ15N值来进一步区分其来源和组成。SPM质量浓度和总体积浓度等参数结合还可以计算SPM有效密度,用以了解研究区域SPM的沉降过程。结果表明两个季节SPM有效密度和粒径之间显示出了显著的负相关关系,说明枯季长江输出的SPM由于粒径大、密度小、沉降速度低,加之强烈的垂直混合和口门拦门沙附近的再悬浮,随着环流可能到达研究区域北部的最东端;而洪季长江输出的SPM由于粒径小、密度大、沉降速度高,在口门附近快速沉降。     

Experimental study on settling velocity of soil particles in dredged slurry

Studying sedimentation and consolidation of dredged slurry has significant implications to the design of storage yard and subsequent ground improvement. In this study, settling velocity of soil particles in dredged slurry during sedimentation and consolidation processes was investigated using an improved multilayer extraction sampling (MES) method. A series of sedimentation column tests were performed on dredged slurry with three different initial water contents. Distributions of volume of soil particles and density of dredged slurry were first obtained by the MES method, settling velocity of soil particles was then calculated by volume flux function approach. It was found that the density and velocity inflection points can be used to distinguish the settling zone and the consolidation zone. The experimental results reveal that the velocity of soil particles was quite low and monotonically decreased with sedimentation height at low initial water content throughout the whole test period, whereas it was increased at 0–1 hours and almost remained constant at 1–7 hours in the settling zone at high initial water content. The effects of initial water content on sedimentation and consolidation mode of dredged slurry and the settling velocity of soil particles were discussed. The relationship between settling velocity of soil particles and particle diameter was also studied. It is indicated that the measured velocity of soil particles was much lower than that calculated by the Stokes equation, and it was related to 0.4881–0.5906 order of particle diameter at 0–1 hours and 0.1117–0.1825 order of particle diameter at 1–7 hours for the test slurries.     

伶仃洋河口泥沙絮凝特征及影响因素研究

泥沙絮凝对河口细颗粒泥沙运动过程起着极其重要的作用。本文通过LISST-100激光粒度仪等仪器实测伶仃洋河口2013年洪季悬浮泥沙絮凝体现场粒径及水动力、泥沙条件,结合实验室悬沙粒径分析,研究大小潮期间伶仃洋河口泥沙絮凝特征,探讨紊动剪切强度、含沙量、盐度分层及波浪等因素对伶仃洋河口泥沙絮凝的影响。结果表明:伶仃洋河口水体中现场粒径平均值为148.53 μm,大于实验室悬沙分散粒径36.74 μm,河口絮凝现象明显;沉速与有效密度、粒径呈正相关,絮团平均有效密度为153.49 kg/m3,平均沉速达1.13 mm/s;小潮时絮团平均粒径大于大潮,垂向上表底层絮团粒径小、中层大,中底层絮团沉速大于表层。伶仃洋河口水动力、泥沙条件是影响其泥沙絮凝的重要因素,低剪切强度（小于5 s-1）、低含沙量（小于50 mg/L）及高体积浓度有利于细颗粒泥沙之间的相互碰撞,促进絮凝作用;当剪切强度与颗粒间碰撞强度高于絮团所能承受的强度时,絮团易破碎分解成小絮团或更细的泥沙颗粒;伶仃洋河口盐度层化引起的泥沙捕获现象增大中层泥沙体积浓度,有利于中层絮凝体的发育;观测期相对较大的波浪增强水体紊动,增大了水体细颗粒泥沙的碰撞几率,表层絮团粒径随波高峰值的出现而增大。     

基于声学仪器与粒径分析仪研究东海浮游动物昼夜垂直迁移过程

浮游动物的昼夜迁移活动与其种群变动和摄食节律紧密联系,浮游动物昼夜移动的研究已经成为种群动力学研究的一个重要组成部分。2013年夏季在浙江东部近海,结合声学多普勒流速剖面仪(ADCP)和激光粒径分析仪(LISST-100)等仪器进行了一次定点周日连续观测。通过声学反演方法,得到后向散射强度剖面的时间变化,结合LISST-100得到的水体悬浮物粒径谱,研究了浮游动物垂直迁移及其习性。分析发现了可能是精致真刺水蚤的一次昼夜垂直迁移过程,其在夜间进入跃层附近进食,白天蛰伏于底层低温高盐的台湾暖流水中,垂向迁移速度达到了0.05 m/s。LISST-100观测还发现在夜间跃层边界处大粒径颗粒聚集和100～150 μm大小的颗粒物的减少,水体中不同粒径的悬浮颗粒物有明显的昼夜变化节律,推测水体中不同层次生物群落结构存在昼夜差异。     

Numerical modeling of hyperpycnal flows in an idealized river mouth

Numerical experiments in an idealized river mouth are conducted using a three-dimensional hydrodynamics model (EFDC model) to examine the impacts of suspended sediment concentration (SSC), settling velocity of sediment and tidal mixing on the formation and maintenance of estuarine hyperpycnal flows. The standard experiment presents an illustrative view of hyperpycnal flows that carry high-concentrated sediment and low-salinity water in the bottom layer (>1.0 m in thickness) along the subaqueous slope. The structure and intra-tidal variation of the simulated hyperpycnal flows are quite similar to those previously observed off the Huanghe (Yellow River) mouth. Results from the three control experiments show that SSC of river effluents is the most important parameter to the formation of hyperpycnal flows. High SSC will increase the bulk density of river effluents and thus offset the density difference between freshwater and seawater. Low SSC of river effluents will produce a surface river plume, as commonly observed in most large estuaries. Both the settling velocity of sediment particles and the tidal mixing play an important role in maintaining the hyperpycnal flows. Increasing settling velocity enhances the deposition of sediment from the hyperpycnal layer and thus accelerates the attenuation of hyperpycnal flows, whereas increasing tidal mixing destroys the stratification of water column and therefore makes the hyperpycnal flows less evident. Our results from numerical experiments are of importance to understand the initiation and maintenance of hyperpycnal flows in estuaries and provide a reference to the rapidly decaying hyperpycnal flows off the Huanghe river mouth due to climatic and anthropogenic forcing over the past several decades.     

Sampling the vertical particle flux in the upper water column using a large diameter free-drifting NetTrap adapted to an Indented Rotating Sphere sediment trap

Further development of the large, surface-tethered sediment trap (NetTrap) employed as part of the MedFlux program is described whereby the large collection capacity of the NetTrap is combined with an Indented Rotating Sphere/Sample Carousel (IRSC) sediment trap (IRSC–NT). This trap is capable of collecting particle flux either in a time series or settling velocity mode; settling velocity mode allows the collection of particles that fall within discrete settling velocity intervals. During short field deployments in the Mediterranean Sea the IRSC–NT configured in the settling velocity mode successfully collected unpoisoned samples for chemical and microbiological experiments. In addition to the development of the IRSC–NT, particle-settling behavior above and below the swimmer-excluding IRS valve was tested during on-deck experiments using a specially constructed water-tight trap. Chemical analyses of settling materials (published elsewhere) suggested that separation of particles by settling velocity was achieved. However, due to the motion of the ship, it was not possible to directly measure particle-settling velocities within the trap. Particle release from the IRS did not bias the apparent settling velocity spectrum. Rotation of the IRS did not engender turbulence at the surface of the sphere or within the skewed funnel below. Tests of different ball designs over the course of the MedFlux program showed that a “ridge and saddle” pattern was optimal for efficiently transferring particles under the IRS seal while still reducing swimmer entrance to the collection funnel. The large size of the IRSC–NT did not prevent it from drifting effectively with the current. Several modifications of the present design are proposed that should improve the accuracy of the settling velocity measurements.     

The small volume particle microsampler (SVPM): a new approach to particle size distribution and composition

The characterization of trophically and geochemically important suspended particulate matter (SPM) has traditionally relied on bottle sampling and subsequent analysis with Coulter Multisizers and other instruments, which are not sufficient in preserving the in situ size, shape and composition of aggregated particles. The small volume particle microsampler (SVPM) is a sampling device that captures individual particles on filters with minimal disturbance for microscope image analysis of size distribution and composition. Sand grains, microalga (Dunaliella tertiolecta) and laboratory cultivated flocs were used to test the SVPM's ability to determine particle size. For statistical analysis of the SVPM's capabilities, sand grain and algal size distribution, calculated as equivalent spherical diameter (ESD), were compared to Multisizer data while video images provided a comparison for the flocs. Non-aggregated sand particles sampled by the SVPM showed a size distribution that was similar to that of the Multisizer. Aggregated D. tertiolecta flocs were broken up by the Multisizer, and SVPM data indicated a significantly greater mean ESD. The SVPM showed significantly smaller mean ESDs than the video images because of the higher resolution of the sampler for small particles. In terms of particle concentration, the microsampler measured values similar to those of the Multisizer and video camera. The most important feature of the SVPM is its ability to capture aggregates for the analysis of composition, by histological stains or other means. The SVPM is an alternative method of sampling that is more effective in preserving aggregates for laboratory analyses and is less complicated and expensive than in situ optical sampling techniques, especially in documenting the lower end of the particle size spectrum.     

Discharge and surface plume measurements during manganese nodule mining tests in the north equatorial pacific

Rates, concentrations, and composition of mining discharge and the size and structure of the ensuing surface plumes were examined during North Pacific tests of scaled manganese nodule mining systems. Discharge was composed principally of bottom water and pelagic silts and clays, although nodule fragments with diameters less than 1 mm were also discharged at widely varying rates. Average flow rates of the discharge varied from 95 to 160 litres/s, with the solid fraction varying from 550 to approximately 2000g/s. The plume, as determined by particulate concentrations in excess of ambient oceanic conditions, extended approximately 5 km from the mining ship and had a width of about 1 km. Fe and Mn signatures allowed detection of the plume nearly 35 km from the source. The plume provided evidence of settling more rapidly than expected of silt and clay-size particles: a mean settling velocity of 6 × 10^?2 cm/s for the particulates in the plume and a mixed layer vertical turbulent eddy diffusivity of 1 × 10^?2m²/s have been inferred from the data. Field and laboratory data together suggest that the rapid settling was due to flocculation of the discharge particulates.     

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.     

Laboratory observation of boundary layer flow under spilling breakers in surf zone using particle image velocimetry

A boundary layer flow under spilling breakers in a laboratory surf zone with a smooth bottom is investigated using a high resolution particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. By cross-correlating the images, oscillatory velocity profiles within a viscous boundary layer of O(1) mm in thickness are resolved over ten points. Using PIV measurements taken for an earlier study and the present study, flow properties in the wave bottom boundary layer (WBBL) over the laboratory surf zone are obtained, including the mean velocities, turbulence intensity, Reynolds stresses, and intermittency of coherent events. The data are then used to estimate the boundary layer thickness, phase variation, and bottom shear stress. It is found that while the time averaged mass transport inside the WBBL is onshore in the outer surf zone, it changes to offshore in the inner surf zone. The zero Eulerian mass transport occurs at h/h_b ≈ 0.92 in the outer surf zone. The maximum overshoot of the streamwise velocity and boundary layer thickness are not constant across the surf zone. The bottom shear stress is mainly contributed by the viscous stress through mean velocity gradient while the Reynolds stress is small and negligible. The turbulence level is higher in the inner surf zone than that in the outer surf zone, although only a slight increase of turbulent intensity is observed inside the WBBL from the outer surf zone to the inner surf zone. The variation of phase inside and outside the WBBL was examined through the spatial velocity distribution. It is found the phase lead is not constant and its value is significantly smaller than previous thought. By analyzing instantaneous velocity and vorticity fields, a remarkable number of intermittent turbulent eddies are observed to penetrate into the WBBL in the inner surf zone. The size of the observed large eddies is about 0.11 to 0.16 times the local water depth. Its energy spectra follow the − 5/3 slope in the inertial subrange and decay exponentially in the dissipation subrange.     

Movement of heavy particles in tornadoes

The horizontal movement of inertial particles in the intensive vortices, where the centrifugal force can be substantially higher than the gravity, is studied analytically. A similar problem was studied earlier for small (Stokes) particles at low Reynolds number, which allow one to be limited to the linear resistance law. It is shown that the previous results to a great extent can be extrapolated to the case of considerably heavier particles (e.g., water droplets with a diameter up to 1 mm at Reynolds numbers up to 10³). The nonlinear nature of the resistance, i.e., its dependence on the particle velocity relative to the medium, should be taken into account for such particles. Some general laws are established for particle dynamics. In particular, their tangential velocity is close to the velocity of the medium, while the radial velocity is substantially lower (it is close on the order of magnitude to the geometric mean of the particle tangential velocity and the difference between the latter and the tangential velocity of the medium). The limits of applicability of the results are found, i.e., the restrictions to the size and mass/density of particles.     

颗粒形状对珊瑚砂和石英砂沉降影响的试验研究

在研究海岸侵蚀的过程中,泥沙沉速是一个重要参数,对于侵淤量的计算非常重要。近些年来,由于工程活动、海洋动力和气候等因素变化的影响,珊瑚砂海岸的侵蚀冲刷问题已不容忽视。考虑到珊瑚砂与石英砂在形状、比重上的不同会对其沉速造成影响,套用现有石英砂的沉速公式进行计算并不合适。本文针对珊瑚砂和石英砂进行沉降试验,分析形状对珊瑚砂沉速的影响。结果显示,在小粒径(d 0.5 mm)下形状对珊瑚砂沉速的影响并不明显,在大粒径(d 0.5 mm)下明显减缓了珊瑚砂的沉降速度,套用石英砂的沉降公式计算出的珊瑚砂沉速明显偏大。故通过提出动力形状因子这一参数来表征形状对沉降的影响,推导出考虑了形状影响的沉降公式,能够较为准确地计算砂粒的沉速范围,计算精度随着黏度的增大而提升。