The effect of asymmetric dune roughness on tidal asymmetry in the Weser estuary

The bed of estuaries is often characterized by ripples and dunes of varying size. Whereas smaller bedforms adapt their morphological shape to the oscillating tidal currents, large compound dunes (here: asymmetric tidal dunes) remain stable for periods longer than a tidal cycle. Bedforms constitute a form roughness, that is, hydraulic flow resistance, which has a large-scale effect on tidal asymmetry and, hence, on hydrodynamics, sediment transport, and morphodynamics of estuaries and coastal seas. Flow separation behind the dune crest and recirculation on the steep downstream side result in turbulence and energy loss. Since the energy dissipation can be related to the dune lee slope angle, asymmetric dune shapes induce variable flow resistance during ebb and flood phases. Here, a noncalibrated numerical model has been applied to analyze the large-scale effect of symmetric and asymmetric dune shapes on estuarine tidal asymmetry evaluated by residual bed load sediment transport at the Weser estuary, Germany. Scenario simulations were performed with parameterized bed roughness of symmetric and asymmetric dune shapes and without dune roughness. The spatiotemporal interaction of distinct dune shapes with the main drivers of estuarine sediment and morphodynamics, that is, river discharge and tidal energy, is shown to be complex but substantial. The contrasting effects of flood- and ebb-oriented asymmetric dunes on residual bed load transport rates and directions are estimated to be of a similar importance as the controls of seasonal changes of discharge on these net sediment fluxes at the Lower Weser estuary. This corroborates the need to consider dune-induced directional bed roughness in numerical models of estuarine and tidal environments.     

Variations of suspended sediment transport caused by changes in shoreline and bathymetry in the Zhujiang (Pearl) River Estuary in the wet season

A wave-current-sediment coupled numerical model is employed to study the responses of suspended sediment transport in the wet season to changes in shoreline and bathymetry in the Zhujiang (Pearl) River Estuary (ZRE) from 1971 to 2012. It is shown that, during the wavy period, the large wave-induced bottom stress enhances sediment resuspension, resulting in an increase in the area of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) greater than 100 mg/L by 183.4%. On one hand, in spring tide, the change in shoreline reduces the area of SSC greater than 100 mg/L by 17.8% in the west shoal (WS) but increases the SSC, owing to the closer sediment source to the offshore and the stronger residual current at the Hengmeng (HEM) and Hongqili (HQL) outlets. The eastward Eulerian transport is enhanced in the WS and west channel (WC), resulting in a higher SSC there. The reclamation of Longxue Island (LXI) increases SSC on its east side and east shoal (ES) but decreases the SSC on its west and south sides. Moreover, in the WC, the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) is located near the saltwater wedge and moves southward, which is caused by the southward movement of the maximum longitudinal Eulerian transport. In neap tide, the changes are similar but relatively weaker. On the other hand, in spring tide, the change in bathymetry makes the SSC in the WS increase, and the area of SSC greater than 100 mg/L increases by 11.4% and expands eastward and southward, which is caused by the increases in wave-induced bottom stress and eastward Eulerian transport. On the east side of the WC, the eastward Eulerian transport decreases significantly, resulting in a smaller SSC in the middle shoal (MS). In addition, in the WC, the maximum SSC is reduced, which is caused by the smaller wave-induced bottom stress and a significant increase of 109.88% in southward Eulerian transport. The results in neap tide are similar to those in spring tide but with smaller changes, and the sediment transports northward in the WC owing to the northward Eulerian transport and vertical shear transport. This study may provide some references for marine ecological environment security and coastal management in the ZRE and other estuaries worldwide affected by strong human interventions.     

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Edelvang, Karen; Larsen, Michael; Pejrup, Morten: Tidal Variation in Field Settling Velocities of Suspended Sediment in a Tidal Channel. Geografisk Tidsskrift 92:116–121. Copenhagen 1992.

Particles of silt and clay may form large, low density floes when suspended in salt water. The sediment floes have settling velocities much higher than the single small particles constituting them and therefore, the flocculation process may strongly influence the transport of cohesive sediment in estuarine environments. will be described in this paper, the field settling velocities of suspended sediment were investigated in a large tidal channel with tidal current velocities up to 1.3 m/s and depths of about 10 m. The analyses of suspended sediment were made on both bottom and surface samples. For the bottom samples, equivalent median fall diameters in the range 26–98 μm were measured. For surface samples, the range was 15–40 μm. During most of the tidal period, the occurrence of much larger settling diameters near the bottom was due to the suspension of individual sand and silt particles. For the investigated periods, high-tide was the only possible time to observe flocculation influencing the vertical distribution of finegrained sediment in the water column.     

Optimization of sample pretreatment for determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in estuarine sediments by gas chromatography

This study examined levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in estuarine sediments in Licun (Qingdao, China) by gas chromatography under optimized conditions for sample pretreatment via ultrasonic extraction, column chromatography, and thin layer chromatography. Methanol and dichloromethane (DCM)/methanol (2:1, v/v) were used in ultrasonic extraction, and DCM was used as eluate for column chromatography. The developing system consisted of n-hexane and DCM at a ratio of 9:1 (v/v), with DCM as the extraction solvent for PAHs-containing silica gel scraped off the plate. When the spiking level is 100 ng, total recoveries of spiked matrices for four target PAHs (phenanthrene, anthracene, pyrene and chrysene) were 83.7%, 76.4%, 85.8%, and 88.7%, respectively, with relative standard deviation (RSD) between 5.0% and 6.5% (n = 4). When the spiking level is 1000 ng, associated total recoveries were 78.6%, 72.7%, 82.7% and 85.3%, respectively, with RSD between 4.4% and 5.3% (n = 4). The opti-mized method was advantageous for determination of PAHs in complex matrix due to its effective sample purification.     

珠江口蕉门南水道枯季时局部高盐度区形成与机理分析

采用ROMS模型研究了珠江口蕉门南水道枯季时的局部高盐度现象。表明这一现象在大潮期发育显著,而小潮期则不明显。从动力机制上解释了这一现象的成因,揭示其形成原因为大潮期的平流输运强,涨潮时的潮程远大于凫洲水道的长度,以及大潮期径流相对较小,有利于虎门的高盐度水体输运至蕉门水道。此外,大潮期由于洪奇沥与横门来的淡水在涨潮期向北输运而导致蕉门南水道口门处盐度较低。并进一步分析了这一现象的存在对蕉门南水道水体分层、河口环流及物质输运的意义。     

河口盆地非线性地震效应及设计地震动参数

针对基岩明显起伏、土层非均匀分布的典型河口盆地场地,考虑土体非线性特征,采用黏弹性人工边界模拟无限域对地震波动的影响,建立大尺度精细化二维有限元模型,分析了盆地地表地震动幅值、频谱、持时、传递函数特征,探讨了基岩起伏土层的地震动聚集效应及盆地边缘效应。结果表明：（1）盆地近地表土层表现出不同程度的地震动放大效应,且随土层深度增加呈非单调递减特征,基岩突变处地震动聚集效应明显,盆地两侧产生较为显著的边缘效应;场地中、长周期地震动的放大作用显著;（2）多遇地震、偶遇地震和罕遇地震水平时,场地卓越周期依次介于0.35～0.65 s、0.40～0.75 s和0.50～1.05 s之间;给出了盆地地表PGA（地表峰值加速度）、卓越周期均值等值线图及地表加速度反应谱放大因子建议值,地表设计地震动参数amax（地震影响系数）与Tg（特征周期）明显大于现行《建筑抗震设计规范》取值;（3）盆地特殊位置地表地震动持时得到不同幅度增长,且与输入地震动特性相关;（4）该盆地对0.5～2.0 Hz频段基岩地震动的放大效应比较显著,对小于0.2 Hz或大于2.5 Hz的基岩地震动,该盆地地震动放大效应不明显;（5）福州城区及其邻近区域地震动放大效应普遍较大。大尺度二维非线性分析一定程度上能合理反映微地形起伏、土层分布及土体非线性对地震波传播过程的影响。     

Criteria for aging and sexing New Zealand oystercatchers

Criteria based on external characters are presented for aging and sexing the three New Zealand species of oystercatcher, Haematopus ostralegus finschi Martens, 1897, H. unicolor Forster, 1844, and H. chathamensis Hartert, 1927. Four classes are discerned: juveniles have brown dorsal plumage, a brown iris and grey legs; second‐year birds have an orange‐red iris and pale pink legs; sub‐adults have a dull red iris and pink legs; adults have a scarlet iris and bright coral pink legs. The three species can be sexed by discriminant analysis of the sexually dimorphic characters bill length (x ₁), bill length:bill depth (x ₂) and bill length:bill width (x ₃). Linear functions and discriminating values for predicting sex are :

H. ostralegus finschi 0.46x ₁+3.15x ₂+2.94x ₃, 77.41;

H. unicolor 0.12x₁+6.52x₂+2.85x₃ , 58.05; and

H. chathamemis ‐0.93x ₁+1.50x ₂+7.48x ₃, ‐20.86.

Similarly, the sexes of immature H. ostralegus finschi can be predicted :

juveniles 0.73x₁+ 5.76x ₂ + 3.10 _x3 116.57;

second‐year birds 0.57x ₁+5.12x ₂+ 0.98x ₈, 84.84; and

sub‐adults 0.55x ₁+1.88x ₂+ 1.08x ₃, 65.90.’