长江口泥质区的季节性沉积效应

1IntroductionThe continental shelf of the East China Sea (ECS) is one of the widest shelves in the world. There are several mud areas distributing like patches on a background of widespread coarser ambient sediments of silt and sand on the continental shelf of the ECS. The coastal mud area can be divided into two parts, namely, the Changjiang Estuary mud area (CEMA) in the north and Zhejiang coastal mud area in the south. Between these two parts there is a silt area (Figure 1). The CE…

Seasonal variation of sedimentation in the Changjiang Estuary mud area

Seasonal distributions of suspended matter and their sedimentary effect on the Changjiang Estuary mud area of the East China Sea were discussed, based on three cruise data of total suspended matter, temperature and salinity collected from the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent area in summer and winter. The results show that the basic pattern of distributions of suspended matter in the study area is almost the same in winter and in summer. Sediments from Changjiang (Yangtze River) to the sea are chiefly trapped to the west of 123 o 15'E due to a strong obstruction of the Taiwan Warm Current. This suggests that these sediments are mainly transported and deposited in the inner shelf. The sediment supply, Taiwan Warm Current, and Zhejiang Coastal Current show a strong seasonal variation, which results in a strong seasonal variation of the sedimentary effect on this mud area. This mud area is a "sink" of the Changjiang's sediment discharge to the sea and its sedimentation is stronger in summer and weaker in winter.