Stochastic analysis of estuarine hydraulics

A new methodology is presented for the solution of the stochastic hydraulic equations characterizing steady, one-dimensional estuarine flow. The methodology is predicated on quasi-linearization, perturbation methods, and the finite difference approximation of the stochastic differential operators. Assuming Manning's roughness coefficient is the principal source of uncertainty in the model, stochastic equations are presented for the water depths and flow rates in the estuarine system. Moment equations are developed for the mean and variance of the water depths. The moment equations are compared with the results of Monte Carlo simulation experiments. The results confirm that for any spatial location in the estuary that (1) as the uncertainty in the channel roughness increases, the uncertainty in mean depth increases, and (2) the predicted mean depth will decrease with increasing uncertainty in Manning'sn. The quasi-analytical approach requires significantly less computer time than Monte Carlo simulations and provides explicit     

磨刀门河口近期演变及其排洪效应

通过分析珠江磨刀门分流河口水动力结构及拦门沙的走向变化,解析磨刀门河口近期演变,并从河口的结构和功能的角度,分析磨刀门河口的排洪功能和行为。结论认为:(1)磨刀门河口正由径流优势型向河流—波浪型转变,波浪成为改造和修饰口门地形的重要动力;(2)磨刀门河口的动力、地貌变化,使得河口对淡水的防御性增强而渗透性减弱,其排洪潜力有限;(3)强径流河口发育支汊是河口延伸中的基本规律,在今后磨刀门的治理开发过程(尤其是排洪)中应注意支汊的保护利用。     

On the stability relationships between tidal asymmetry and morphologies of tidal basins and estuaries

Simple stability relationships are practically useful to provide a rapid assessment of coastal and estuarine landforms in response to human interventions and long‐term climate change. In this contribution, we review a variety of simple stability relationships which are based on the analysis of tidal asymmetry (TA). Most of the existing TA‐based stability relationships are derived using the one‐dimensional tidal flow equations assuming a certain regular shape of the tidal channel cross‐sections. To facilitate analytical solutions, specific assumptions inevitably need to be made, for example by linearizing the friction term and dropping some negligible terms in the tidal flow equations. We find that three major types of TA‐based stability relationships have been proposed between three non‐dimensional channel geometric ratios (represented by the ratio of channel widths, ratio of wet surface areas and ratio of storage volumes) and the tide‐related parameter a/h (i.e. the ratio between tidal amplitude and mean water depth). Based on established geometric relations, we use these non‐dimensional ratios to restate the existing relationships so that they are directly comparable. Available datasets are further extended to examine the utility of these TA‐based relationships. Although a certain agreement is shown for these relationships, we also observe a large scatter of data points which are collected in different types of landscape, hydrodynamic and sedimentological settings over the world. We discuss in detail the potential reasons for this large scatter and subsequently elaborate on the limited applicability of the various TA‐based stability relationships for practical use. We highlight the need to delve further into what constitutes equilibrium and what is needed to develop more robust measures to determine the morphological state of these systems. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Do the shallow‐water habitats of a hypersaline tropical estuary act as nursery grounds for fishes?

Fish assemblages were studied in a hypersaline tropical estuary in Northeastern Brazil. A total of 104 species were collected by beach seine during the dry and rainy seasons of 2012. Two families, Atherinopsidae and Gerreidae, were numerically dominant in all zones of the estuary; juveniles of Atherinella brasiliensis, Eucinostomus argenteus, Lile piquitinga, Ulaema lefroyi, Lutjanus analis and Sphoeroides greeleyi contributed 77% of the total catch. The factors that best explained the fish abundance pattern were salinity and depth, which were related to spatial segregation. Species richness was lowest in the upper zone, an area with high salinity and shallow depth. The distinct roles of structurally different habitats (submerged macrophyte beds and mangrove prop‐roots) and the influence of physicochemical conditions in the middle zone of the estuary may influence taxonomic diversity. The middle zone of the estuary is the one most attractive to juveniles of reef species (Lutjanidae and Serranidae). The fish assemblages are clearly dominated by marine estuarine dependent species, highlighting the importance of the ecosystem as a nursery ground for marine species of the Brazilian coast.     

Sediment critical shear stress and geotechnical properties along the modern Yellow River Delta,China

A geological engineering study was undertaken to determine the spatial distribution of sediment critical shear stress in the modern Yellow River Delta and to determine the influence of sediment erodibility on sediment erosion and microtopography formation. The critical shear stress was tested using a cohesive sediment meter for sediments along lines running perpendicular to the coast in different sedimentary lobes of the delta, where the geotechnical properties of sediments were also determined. The results demonstrate that significant differences in critical shear stress exist among high, middle, and low tidal flats, which are influenced by biodisturbation in the different sedimentary lobes. Regional characteristics of the modern Yellow River Delta show that critical shear stress levels are the lowest in the northern area (0.11–0.4?Pa), are the highest in the eastern area (2.8–4.55?Pa), and are significantly heterogeneous in the northeastern area. The critical shear stress is found to be more nonuniform and levels of antierosion strength are relatively lower than values found for other estuarine deltas around the world.     

Threshold sediment flux for the formation of river deltas in Hainan Island,southern China

Journal of Geographical Sciences - The knowledge of geomorphological evolution from an estuary to a river delta is necessary to form the formulation of comprehensive land-ocean interaction...     

长江口邻近海域氮同位素的周日变化特征及其对营养盐过程的指示

长江口邻近海域的氮循环过程一直是近海富营养化研究领域的热点问题, 然而目前较少有针对短周期的调查研究。本文调查了该区域氮、磷、硅等主要营养盐及多种形态的氮稳定同位素的在潮周期周日变化特征。结果显示, NO_3~-、NH_4~+、PO_4~(3-)和SiO_3~(2-)的浓度范围分别为 14.09—55.85、0.21—2.26、0.82—1.08 和 16.80—33.85μmol/L, 而δ~(15)N-NO_3~-、δ~(18)O-NO_3~-、δ~(15)N_P和δ~(13)C_P 等的分布范围分别为 4.7‰—11.1‰、-2.0‰—7.8‰、-1.2‰—7.9‰和-22.9‰— -14.7‰。NO_3~-、PO_4~(3-)和SiO_2~(3-)均与盐度呈现明显的负相关特征, 说明三者的主要来源为长江冲淡水; 4NH(10)则随盐度升高而浓度增加, 且在底层高浓度出现时刻与高盐水团输入时刻一致, 说明外海输入是该区域铵盐的主要来源。另一方面, 氮稳定同位素(δ~(15)N-NO_2~-和δ~(15)N_P)未表现出随盐度的变化规律, 而δ~(18)3O-NO_3~-和δ~(13)C_P 则随盐度升高而增加, 说明淡水输入的同位素值低于海洋水平。通过对比中、高浓度叶绿素水体中NO_3~-、δ~(15)N-NO_3~-、δ~(18)O-NO_3~-的变化特征可以看出, 随NO_3~-浓度降低, δ~(15)N-NO_3~-值升高, 且呈现 6.2‰的分馏系数, 且氧同位素也随之增大, 指示水体中浮游植物对硝酸盐的同化吸收作用。而另一方面, 两种同位素的增加差值表现出△δ~(18)O︰△δ~(15)N1 , 说明硝酸盐在被消耗的同时还发生着补充作用。在较高盐度的水体中, 发现4NH(10)呈现出向硝酸盐的转化趋势并引起δ~(15)N-NO_3~-降低, 指示了底部明显的硝化过程, 与此前的研究结果一致。本文结果以期丰富对河口区氮循环和迁移转化的认知。     

典型入海口海岸带生态环境质量遥感评价研究——以宝山区为例

为了研究入海口海岸带生态环境质量状况,基于遥感信息技术,从土地利用的角度,构建入海口海岸带生态环境遥感评价体系,通过层次分析法并结合专家咨询法,以上海市宝山区岸线向陆5 km区域为例进行评价,得到各区域综合评价值。结果表明,宝山区入海口海岸带以工矿仓储用地为主,该区域生态环境质量自西向东逐渐下降,在练祁河和马路河之间区域到达最低点,向东开始回升,总体生态环境质量呈较差状态。     

长江口南汇边滩冲淤变化规律与机制

根据1842—2004年海图资料分析发现,南汇边滩存在近百年尺度的强烈冲刷—淤积旋回。长江主泓走南港或北港是造成冲刷期"北滩、东滩淤积,南滩、过渡带冲刷"或淤积期冲淤态势反相的主要原因;冲刷期内风暴强度和频数明显多于淤积期,造成冲刷期滩面叠置记忆的是暴风浪成因的"高滩冲刷、低滩淤积"的冲淤态势,而淤积期保存的是弱风浪成因的"高滩淤积、低滩冲刷"叠置增强的剖面特征。尽管三角洲整体冲淤态势的转变主要受流域来沙量的控制,但不同岸段受河口河势分水分沙作用、潮流和波浪等共同作用,明显存在此冲彼淤、冲淤动态调整等特征。已有的入海泥沙含量阈值研究以点代面或以局部代整体,这是造成阈值估算偏高的主要原因。2003年三峡水库开始蓄水后平均年输沙量154 Mt/a已低于低阈值184 Mt/a,但三角洲尚未如预测那样发生由净淤积向净侵蚀的转变。已有的河口水文观察资料显示,水体含沙量也未发生明显下降,这可能是潮控型三角洲潮流对泥沙在河口的再分配起主导作用,并可能由此延长三角洲冲淤转变对入海泥沙量减少的滞后。今后需进一步加强潮控型河口复杂过程的综合研究,提高对泥沙含量阈值估算和应对可能面临的海岸侵蚀及其相关的环境地质灾害的能力。     

In vitro simulation of oxic/suboxic diagenesis in an estuarine fluid mud subjected to redox oscillations

Estuarine turbidity maxima (ETMs) are sites of intense mineralisation of land-derived particulate organic matter (OM), which occurs under oxic/suboxic oscillating conditions owing to repetitive sedimentation and resuspension cycles at tidal and neap-spring time scales. To investigate the biogeochemical processes involved in OM mineralisation in ETMs, an experimental set up was developed to simulate in vitro oxic/anoxic oscillations in turbid waters and to follow the short timescale changes in oxygen, carbon, nitrogen, and manganese concentration and speciation. We present here the results of a 27-day experiment (three oxic periods and two anoxic periods) with an estuarine fluid mud from the Gironde estuary. Time courses of chemical species throughout the experiment evidenced the occurrence of four distinct characteristic periods with very different properties. Steady oxic conditions were characterised by oxygen consumption rates between 10 and 40 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹, dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) production of 9–12 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹, very low NH₄⁺ and Mn²⁺ concentrations, and constant NO₃⁻ production rates (0.4 - 0.7 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹) due to coupled ammonification and nitrification. The beginning of anoxic periods (24 h following oxic to anoxic switches) showed DIC production rates of 2.5–8.6 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹ and very fast NO₃⁻ consumption (5.6–6.3 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹) and NH₄⁺ production (1.4–1.5 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹). The latter rates were positively correlated to NO₃⁻ concentration and were apparently caused by the predominance of denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonia. Steady anoxic periods were characterised by constant and low NO₃⁻ concentrations and DIC and NH₄⁺ productions of less than 1.3 and 0.1 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively. Mn²⁺ and CH₄ were produced at constant rates (respectively 0.3 and 0.015 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹) throughout the whole anoxic periods and in the presence of nitrate. Finally, reoxidation periods (24–36 h following anoxic to oxic switches) showed rapid NH₄⁺ and Mn²⁺ decreases to zero (1.6 and 0.8–2 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹, respectively) and very fast NO₃⁻ production (3 μmol L⁻¹ h⁻¹). This NO₃⁻ production, together with marked transient peaks of dissolved organic carbon a few hours after anoxic to oxic switches, suggested that particulate OM mineralisation was enhanced during these transient reoxidation periods. An analysis based on C and N mass balance suggested that redox oscillation on short time scales (day to week) enhanced OM mineralisation relative to both steady oxic and steady anoxic conditions, making ETMs efficient biogeochemical reactors for the mineralisation of refractory terrestrial OM at the land-sea interface.