The sedimentary characteristics and formation mechanism of shell ridges along the southwest coast of Bohai Bay

The present paper studies the sedimentary characteristics and mechanism of the shell ridges on the southwestern coast of Bohai Bay, which are the largest and have the highest shell (or shell fragment) content in the world. These shell ridges are composed of two sedimentary subfacies: the ridge subfacies and the ridge infill subfacies with different inner textures and sedimentary structures. The ridge subfacies primarily consists of fresh shells and/or shell fragments with parallel beddings and high-angle oblique beddings. The ridge infill subfacies consists of finer shell fragments and silty sand with parallel beddings oblique to land. The evolution of the shell ridge is controlled by the accumulation of substantial shell material, the relative slow erosion of shoreline, storm waves, winds and the shift of river routes. Wind tunnel tests indicate that the critical movement velocity of shell is lower than that of quartz sand of the same grain size. Deltaic progradation alternates with shell ridge growth. While the Yellow River empties into the sea through this area, accompanied by deltaic progradat-ing, the shell material is scarce, which is unfavorable to the growth of the shell ridge. Conversely, erosion occurs along an abandoned delta coast where a shell ridge may develop, e.g. the shell ridge on the southwest of Bohai Bay.