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Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water Erosion and Sediment Transport".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 June 2017) | Viewed by 122083

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Guest Editor
French National Research Institute for Sustainable Development (IRD), LEGOS, Université de Toulouse, 14 avenue E. Belin, 31400 Toulouse, France
Interests: sediment dynamics; sediment processes; watershed; estuaries; coastal oceanography; effects of climate change and human activity on sediment budget; ocean color in coastal waters and applications; numerical modeling
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Globally, while land erosion has increased in the last decades, sediment input to the ocean has decreased. Sediment transport and distribution at the land-ocean interface has huge impacts on morphodynamics of estuaries, deltas and coastal zones, on water quality (and related issues such as aquaculture), on navigation and harbor capability, on recreation areas, etc. Scientific objectives must be achieved to deepen our knowledge on processes based on field surveys, modeling, space observation or experiments in laboratory, to refine the sediment budget (bedload and suspension) between compartments, and to improve our observation and modelling capacities. Sediment transport which is mainly driven by varying dynamical forcings (currents, tides, wind, waves, turbulence, stratification, density currents, etc.) in the estuary, in the ROFI zone, on the shelf or in canyons may also be affected by chemical and biological processes. In this Special Issue, we invite scientists working on different aspects of sediment transport, in muddy, sandy or mixed environments, to share their most recent results and give reviews or examples encompassing different aspects of sediment transport in coastal zones at different scales. Papers may deal with water and sediment analysis (including Particle Size Distribution), modeling, and remote sensing.

Dr. Sylvain Ouillon
Guest Editor

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Keywords

  • sediment transport processes
  • sediment budget
  • suspension
  • bed load
  • estuaries
  • coastal zones
  • river plume
  • nearshore processes
  • numerical modeling
  • remote sensing

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Published Papers (13 papers)

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Editorial

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34 pages, 2802 KiB  
Editorial
Why and How Do We Study Sediment Transport? Focus on Coastal Zones and Ongoing Methods
by Sylvain Ouillon
Water 2018, 10(4), 390; https://doi.org/10.3390/w10040390 - 27 Mar 2018
Cited by 59 | Viewed by 18192
Abstract
Scientific research on sediment dynamics in the coastal zone and along the littoral zone has evolved considerably over the last four decades. It benefits from a technological revolution that provides the community with cheaper or free tools for in situ study (e.g., sensors, [...] Read more.
Scientific research on sediment dynamics in the coastal zone and along the littoral zone has evolved considerably over the last four decades. It benefits from a technological revolution that provides the community with cheaper or free tools for in situ study (e.g., sensors, gliders), remote sensing (satellite data, video cameras, drones) or modelling (open source models). These changes favour the transfer of developed methods to monitoring and management services. On the other hand, scientific research is increasingly targeted by public authorities towards finalized studies in relation to societal issues. Shoreline vulnerability is an object of concern that grows after each marine submersion or intense erosion event. Thus, during the last four decades, the production of knowledge on coastal sediment dynamics has evolved considerably, and is in tune with the needs of society. This editorial aims at synthesizing the current revolution in the scientific research related to coastal and littoral hydrosedimentary dynamics, putting into perspective connections between coasts and other geomorphological entities concerned by sediment transport, showing the links between many fragmented approaches of the topic, and introducing the papers published in the special issue of Water on “Sediment transport in coastal waters”. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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Research

Jump to: Editorial

8474 KiB  
Article
Application of the Support Vector Regression Method for Turbidity Assessment with MODIS on a Shallow Coral Reef Lagoon (Voh-Koné-Pouembout, New Caledonia)
by Guillaume Wattelez, Cécile Dupouy, Jérôme Lefèvre, Sylvain Ouillon, Jean-Michel Fernandez and Farid Juillot
Water 2017, 9(10), 737; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9100737 - 27 Sep 2017
Cited by 11 | Viewed by 5677
Abstract
Particle transport by erosion from ultramafic lands in pristine tropical lagoons is a crucial problem, especially for the benthic and pelagic biodiversity associated with coral reefs. Satellite imagery is useful for assessing particle transport from land to sea. However, in the oligotrophic and [...] Read more.
Particle transport by erosion from ultramafic lands in pristine tropical lagoons is a crucial problem, especially for the benthic and pelagic biodiversity associated with coral reefs. Satellite imagery is useful for assessing particle transport from land to sea. However, in the oligotrophic and shallow waters of tropical lagoons, the bottom reflection of downwelling light usually hampers the use of classical optical algorithms. In order to address this issue, a Support Vector Regression (SVR) model was developed and tested. The proposed application concerns the lagoon of New Caledonia—the second longest continuous coral reef in the world—which is frequently exposed to river plumes from ultramafic watersheds. The SVR model is based on a large training sample of in-situ turbidity values representative of the annual variability in the Voh-Koné-Pouembout lagoon (Western Coast of New Caledonia) during the 2014–2015 period and on coincident satellite reflectance values from MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). It was trained with reflectance and two other explanatory parameters—bathymetry and bottom colour. This approach significantly improved the model’s capacity for retrieving the in-situ turbidity range from MODIS images, as compared with algorithms dedicated to deep oligotrophic or turbid waters, which were shown to be inadequate. This SVR model is applicable to the whole shallow lagoon waters from the Western Coast of New Caledonia and it is now ready to be tested over other oligotrophic shallow lagoon waters worldwide. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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3589 KiB  
Article
Spatial and Seasonal Variation of Biomineral Suspended Particulate Matter Properties in High-Turbid Nearshore and Low-Turbid Offshore Zones
by Michael Fettweis and Byung Joon Lee
Water 2017, 9(9), 694; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9090694 - 12 Sep 2017
Cited by 35 | Viewed by 5671
Abstract
Suspended particulate matter (SPM) is abundant and essential in marine and coastal waters, and comprises a wide variety of biomineral particles, which are practically grouped into organic biomass and inorganic sediments. Such biomass and sediments interact with each other and build large biomineral [...] Read more.
Suspended particulate matter (SPM) is abundant and essential in marine and coastal waters, and comprises a wide variety of biomineral particles, which are practically grouped into organic biomass and inorganic sediments. Such biomass and sediments interact with each other and build large biomineral aggregates via flocculation, therefore controlling the fate and transport of SPM in marine and coastal waters. Despite its importance, flocculation mediated by biomass-sediment interactions is not fully understood. Thus, the aim of this research was to explain biologically mediated flocculation and SPM dynamics in different locations and seasons in marine and coastal waters. Field measurement campaigns followed by physical and biochemical analyses had been carried out from 2004 to 2011 in the Belgian coastal area to investigate bio-mediated flocculation and SPM dynamics. Although SPM had the same mineralogical composition, it encountered different fates in the turbidity maximum zone (TMZ) and in the offshore zone (OSZ), regarding bio-mediated flocculation. SPM in the TMZ built sediment-enriched, dense, and settleable biomineral aggregates, whereas SPM in the OSZ composed biomass-enriched, less dense, and less settleable marine snow. Biological proliferation, such as an algal bloom, was also found to facilitate SPM in building biomass-enriched marine snow, even in the TMZ. In short, bio-mediated flocculation and SPM dynamics varied spatially and seasonally, owing to biomass-sediment interactions and bio-mediated flocculation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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10583 KiB  
Article
Spatiotemporal Variation of Turbidity Based on Landsat 8 OLI in Cam Ranh Bay and Thuy Trieu Lagoon, Vietnam
by Nguyen Hao Quang, Jun Sasaki, Hiroto Higa and Nguyen Huu Huan
Water 2017, 9(8), 570; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9080570 - 8 Aug 2017
Cited by 75 | Viewed by 8964
Abstract
In recent years, seagrass beds in Cam Ranh Bay and Thuy Trieu Lagoon have declined from 800 to 550 hectares, resulting insignificantly reducing the number of fish catch. This phenomenon is due to the effect of the degradation of water environment. Turbidity is [...] Read more.
In recent years, seagrass beds in Cam Ranh Bay and Thuy Trieu Lagoon have declined from 800 to 550 hectares, resulting insignificantly reducing the number of fish catch. This phenomenon is due to the effect of the degradation of water environment. Turbidity is one of the most important water quality parameters directly related to underwater light penetration which affects the primary productivity. This study aims to investigate spatiotemporal variation of turbidity in the waters with major factors affecting its patterns using remote sensing data. An algorithm for turbidity retrieval was developed based on the correlation between in situ measurements and a red band of Landsat 8 OLI with R2 = 0.84 (p < 0.05). Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) model was used to compute bed shear stress, a major factor affecting turbidity in shallow waters. In addition, the relationships between turbidity and rainfall, and bed shear stress induced by wind were analyzed. It was found that: (1) In the dry season, turbidity was low at the middle of the bay while it was high in shallow waters nearby coastlines. Resuspension of bed sediment was a major factor controlling turbidity during time with no rainfall. (2) In the rainy season or for a short time after rainfall in the dry season, turbidity was high due to a large amount of runoff entering into the study area. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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7056 KiB  
Article
Modelling Fine Sediment Dynamics: Towards a Common Erosion Law for Fine Sand, Mud and Mixtures
by Baptiste Mengual, Pierre Le Hir, Florence Cayocca and Thierry Garlan
Water 2017, 9(8), 564; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9080564 - 27 Jul 2017
Cited by 33 | Viewed by 7430
Abstract
This study describes the building of a common erosion law for fine sand and mud, mixed or not, in the case of a typical continental shelf environment, the Bay of Biscay shelf, characterized by slightly energetic conditions and a seabed mainly composed of [...] Read more.
This study describes the building of a common erosion law for fine sand and mud, mixed or not, in the case of a typical continental shelf environment, the Bay of Biscay shelf, characterized by slightly energetic conditions and a seabed mainly composed of fine sand and muddy sediments. A 3D realistic hydro-sedimentary model was used to assess the influence of the erosion law setting on sediment dynamics (turbidity, seabed evolution). A pure sand erosion law was applied when the mud fraction in the surficial sediment was lower than a first critical value, and a pure mud erosion law above a second critical value. Both sand and mud erosion laws are formulated similarly, with different parameters (erodibility parameter, critical shear stress and power of the excess shear stress). Several transition trends (linear or exponential) describing variations in these erosion-related parameters between the two critical mud fractions were tested. Suspended sediment concentrations obtained from simulations were compared to measurements taken on the Bay of Biscay shelf with an acoustic profiler over the entire water column. On the one hand, results show that defining an abrupt exponential transition improves model results regarding measurements. On the other hand, they underline the need to define a first critical mud fraction of 10 to 20%, corresponding to a critical clay content of 3–6%, below which pure sand erosion should be prescribed. Both conclusions agree with results of experimental studies reported in the literature mentioning a drastic change in erosion mode above a critical clay content of 2–10% in the mixture. Results also provide evidence for the importance of considering advection in this kind of validation with in situ observations, which is likely to considerably influence both water column and seabed sediment dynamics. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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2637 KiB  
Article
Beach Response to Wave Forcing from Event to Inter-Annual Time Scales at Grand Popo, Benin (Gulf of Guinea)
by Grégoire Abessolo Ondoa, Frédéric Bonou, Folly Serge Tomety, Yves Du Penhoat, Clément Perret, Cossi Georges Epiphane Degbe and Rafael Almar
Water 2017, 9(6), 447; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9060447 - 21 Jun 2017
Cited by 27 | Viewed by 5683
Abstract
This paper assesses the morphological storm-event impact, seasonal cycles, trends of wave forcing, and beach’s response at the coastal area of Grand Popo, Benin. Three and a half years’ worth of data were collected from 2013 to 2016, using a video system calibrated [...] Read more.
This paper assesses the morphological storm-event impact, seasonal cycles, trends of wave forcing, and beach’s response at the coastal area of Grand Popo, Benin. Three and a half years’ worth of data were collected from 2013 to 2016, using a video system calibrated with field data collected during a 10 day experiment. A comparison was carried out with Wavewatch III IOWAGA wave hindcast data. The along-shore-averaged shoreline position exhibited a seasonal pattern, which was related more to the average wave height than the average storm intensity. Storms occur in austral winter (June, July, August, and September). Based on 12 storms, the results revealed that the average storm duration was 1.6 days, with a mean erosion of 3.1 m. The average post-storm beach recovery duration was 15 days, and the average recovery rate was 0.4 m/day. The impact of storms was more or less amplified depending on the eroding and accreting periods of the wave climate. There was an inter-annual eroding trend of about −1.6 m/year, but the causes of this trend could not be explained. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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658 KiB  
Article
Shoreline Response to a Sequence of Typhoon and Monsoon Events
by Rafael Almar, Patrick Marchesiello, Luis Pedro Almeida, Duong Hai Thuan, Hitoshi Tanaka and Nguyen Trung Viet
Water 2017, 9(6), 364; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9060364 - 23 May 2017
Cited by 20 | Viewed by 5933
Abstract
Shoreline continuously adapts to changing multi-scale wave forcing. This study investigates the shoreline evolution of tropical beaches exposed to monsoon events and storms with a case study in Vietnam, facing the South China Sea, over the particularly active 2013–2014 season, including the Cat-5 [...] Read more.
Shoreline continuously adapts to changing multi-scale wave forcing. This study investigates the shoreline evolution of tropical beaches exposed to monsoon events and storms with a case study in Vietnam, facing the South China Sea, over the particularly active 2013–2014 season, including the Cat-5 Haiyan typhoon. Our continuous video observations show for the first time that long-lasting monsoon events have more persistent impact (longer beach recovery phase) than typhoons. Using a shoreline equilibrium model, we estimate that the seasonal shoreline behavior is driven by the envelope of intra-seasonal events rather than monthly-averaged waves. Finally, the study suggests that the interplay between intra-seasonal event intensity and duration on the one hand and recovery conditions on the other might be of key significance. Their evolution in a variable or changing climate should be considered. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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6100 KiB  
Article
Shoreline Changes on the Wave-Influenced Senegal River Delta, West Africa: The Roles of Natural Processes and Human Interventions
by Mamadou Sadio, Edward J. Anthony, Amadou Tahirou Diaw, Philippe Dussouillez, Jules T. Fleury, Alioune Kane, Rafael Almar and Elodie Kestenare
Water 2017, 9(5), 357; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9050357 - 19 May 2017
Cited by 44 | Viewed by 10976
Abstract
The Senegal River delta in West Africa, one of the finest examples of “wave-influenced” deltas, is bounded by a spit periodically breached by waves, each breach then acting as a shifting mouth of the Senegal River. Using European Re-Analysis (ERA) hindcast wave data [...] Read more.
The Senegal River delta in West Africa, one of the finest examples of “wave-influenced” deltas, is bounded by a spit periodically breached by waves, each breach then acting as a shifting mouth of the Senegal River. Using European Re-Analysis (ERA) hindcast wave data from 1984 to 2015 generated by the Wave Atmospheric Model (WAM) of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF), we calculated longshore sediment transport rates along the spit. We also analysed spit width, spit migration rates, and changes in the position and width of the river mouth from aerial photographs and satellite images between 1954 and 2015. In 2003, an artificial breach was cut through the spit to prevent river flooding of the historic city of St. Louis. Analysis of past spit growth rates and of the breaching length scale associated with maximum spit elongation, and a reported increase in the frequency of high flood water levels between 1994 and 2003, suggest, together, that an impending natural breach was likely to have occurred close to the time frame of the artificial 2003 breach. Following this breach, the new river mouth was widened rapidly by flood discharge evacuation, but stabilised to its usual hydraulic width of <2 km. In 2012, severe erosion of the residual spit downdrift of the mouth may have been due to a significant drop (~15%) in the longshore sand transport volume and to a lower sediment bypassing fraction across the river mouth. This wave erosion of the residual spit led to rapid exceptional widening of the mouth to ~5 km that has not been compensated by updrift spit elongation. This wider mouth may now be acting as a large depocentre for sand transported alongshore from updrift, and has contributed to an increase in the tidal influence affecting the lower delta. Wave erosion of the residual spit has led to the destruction of villages, tourist facilities and infrastructure. This erosion of the spit has also exposed part of the delta plain directly to waves, and reinforced the saline intrusion within the Senegal delta. Understanding the mechanisms and processes behind these changes is important in planning of future shoreline management and decision-making regarding the articulations between coastal protection offered by the wave-built spit and flooding of the lower delta plain of the Senegal River. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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9969 KiB  
Article
Dynamics of Suspended Sediments during a Dry Season and Their Consequences on Metal Transportation in a Coral Reef Lagoon Impacted by Mining Activities, New Caledonia
by Jean-Michel Fernandez, Jean-Dominique Meunier, Sylvain Ouillon, Benjamin Moreton, Pascal Douillet and Olivier Grauby
Water 2017, 9(5), 338; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9050338 - 10 May 2017
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 5958
Abstract
Coral reef lagoons of New Caledonia form the second longest barrier reef in the world. The island of New Caledonia is also one of the main producers of nickel (Ni) worldwide. Therefore, understanding the fate of metals in its lagoon waters generated from [...] Read more.
Coral reef lagoons of New Caledonia form the second longest barrier reef in the world. The island of New Caledonia is also one of the main producers of nickel (Ni) worldwide. Therefore, understanding the fate of metals in its lagoon waters generated from mining production is essential to improving the management of the mining activities and to preserve the ecosystems. In this paper, the vertical fluxes of suspended particulate matter (SPM) and metals were quantified in three bays during a dry season. The vertical particulate flux (on average 37.70 ± 14.60 g·m2·d−1) showed fractions rich in fine particles. In Boulari Bay (moderately impacted by the mining activities), fluxes were mostly influenced by winds and SPM loads. In the highly impacted bay of St Vincent and in the weakly impacted bay of Dumbéa, tide cycles clearly constrained the SPM and metal dynamics. Metals were associated with clay and iron minerals transported by rivers and lagoonal minerals, such as carbonates, and possibly neoformed clay as suggested by an unusually Ni-rich serpentine. Particle aggregation phenomena led to a reduction in the metal concentrations in the SPM, as identified by the decline in the metal distribution constants (Kd). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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5409 KiB  
Article
Modelling Hydrology and Sediment Transport in a Semi-Arid and Anthropized Catchment Using the SWAT Model: The Case of the Tafna River (Northwest Algeria)
by Amin Zettam, Amina Taleb, Sabine Sauvage, Laurie Boithias, Nouria Belaidi and José Miguel Sánchez-Pérez
Water 2017, 9(3), 216; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9030216 - 14 Mar 2017
Cited by 72 | Viewed by 11668
Abstract
Sediment deposits in North African catchments contribute to around 2%–5% of the yearly loss in the water storage capacity of dams. Despite its semi-arid climate, the Tafna River plays an important role in Algeria’s water self-sufficiency. There is continuous pressure on the Tafna’s [...] Read more.
Sediment deposits in North African catchments contribute to around 2%–5% of the yearly loss in the water storage capacity of dams. Despite its semi-arid climate, the Tafna River plays an important role in Algeria’s water self-sufficiency. There is continuous pressure on the Tafna’s dams to respond to the demand for water. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was used to evaluate the contribution of different compartments in the basin to surface water and the dams’ impact on water and sediment storage and its flux to the sea in order to develop reservoir management. The hydrological modelling fitted well with the observed data (Nash varying between 0.42 and 0.75 and R2 varying between 0.25 and 0.84). A large proportion of the surface water came from surface runoff (59%) and lateral flow (40%), while the contribution of groundwater was insignificant (1%). SWAT was used to predict sediments in all the gauging stations. Tafna River carries an average annual quantity of 2942 t·yr−1 to the Mediterranean Sea. A large amount of water was stored in reservoirs (49%), which affected the irrigated agricultural zone downstream of the basin. As the dams contain a large amount of sediment, in excess of 27,000 t·yr−1 (90% of the sediment transported by Tafna), storage of sediment reduces the lifetime of reservoirs. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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16394 KiB  
Article
The June 2016 Australian East Coast Low: Importance of Wave Direction for Coastal Erosion Assessment
by Thomas R. Mortlock, Ian D. Goodwin, John K. McAneney and Kevin Roche
Water 2017, 9(2), 121; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9020121 - 14 Feb 2017
Cited by 47 | Viewed by 14937
Abstract
In June 2016, an unusual East Coast Low storm affected some 2000 km of the eastern seaboard of Australia bringing heavy rain, strong winds and powerful wave conditions. While wave heights offshore of Sydney were not exceptional, nearshore wave conditions were such that [...] Read more.
In June 2016, an unusual East Coast Low storm affected some 2000 km of the eastern seaboard of Australia bringing heavy rain, strong winds and powerful wave conditions. While wave heights offshore of Sydney were not exceptional, nearshore wave conditions were such that beaches experienced some of the worst erosion in 40 years. Hydrodynamic modelling of wave and current behaviour as well as contemporaneous sand transport shows the east to north-east storm wave direction to be the major determinant of erosion magnitude. This arises because of reduced energy attenuation across the continental shelf and the focussing of wave energy on coastal sections not equilibrated with such wave exposure under the prevailing south-easterly wave climate. Narrabeen–Collaroy, a well-known erosion hot spot on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, is shown to be particularly vulnerable to storms from this direction because the destructive erosion potential is amplified by the influence of the local embayment geometry. We demonstrate the magnified erosion response that occurs when there is bi-directionality between an extreme wave event and preceding modal conditions and the importance of considering wave direction in extreme value analyses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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4344 KiB  
Article
Statistical Analysis of the Spatial Distribution of Multi-Elements in an Island Arc Region: Complicating Factors and Transfer by Water Currents
by Atsuyuki Ohta, Noboru Imai, Yoshiko Tachibana and Ken Ikehara
Water 2017, 9(1), 37; https://doi.org/10.3390/w9010037 - 10 Jan 2017
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 6111
Abstract
The compositions and transfer processes affecting coastal sea sediments from the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean are examined through the construction of comprehensive terrestrial and marine geochemical maps for western Japan. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) suggests that the elemental concentrations [...] Read more.
The compositions and transfer processes affecting coastal sea sediments from the Seto Inland Sea and the Pacific Ocean are examined through the construction of comprehensive terrestrial and marine geochemical maps for western Japan. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) suggests that the elemental concentrations of marine sediments vary with particle size, and that this has a greater effect than the regional provenance of the terrestrial material. Cluster analysis is employed to reveal similarities and differences in the geochemistry of coastal sea and stream sediments. This analysis suggests that the geochemical features of fine sands and silts in the marine environment reflect those of stream sediments in the adjacent terrestrial areas. However, gravels and coarse sands do not show this direct relationship, which is likely a result of mineral segregation by strong tidal currents and the denudation of old basement rocks. Finally, the transport processes for the fine-grained sediments are discussed, using the spatial distribution patterns of outliers for those elements enriched in silt and clay. Silty and clayey sediments are found to be transported and dispersed widely by a periodic current in the inner sea, and are selectively deposited at the boundary of different water masses in the outer sea. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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5155 KiB  
Article
Numerical Simulations of Suspended Sediment Dynamics Due to Seasonal Forcing in the Mekong Coastal Area
by Vu Duy Vinh, Sylvain Ouillon, Nguyen Van Thao and Nguyen Ngoc Tien
Water 2016, 8(6), 255; https://doi.org/10.3390/w8060255 - 16 Jun 2016
Cited by 32 | Viewed by 12444
Abstract
The Mekong River is ranked as the 8th in terms of water discharge and as the 10th in terms of sediment load in the world. During the last 4500 years, its delta prograded more than 250 km to the south due to a [...] Read more.
The Mekong River is ranked as the 8th in terms of water discharge and as the 10th in terms of sediment load in the world. During the last 4500 years, its delta prograded more than 250 km to the south due to a tremendous amount of sediments deposited, and turned from a “tide-dominated” delta into a “wave-and-tide dominated” delta. This study aims at completing our knowledge on the fate of sediments that may be stored in estuarine or coastal systems, or dispersed over the continental shelf and slope. Sediment transport in the Mekong River Delta (MRD) coastal area was studied by numerical simulations using the Delft3D model. The model configuration was calibrated and validated from data collected in situ during 4 periods from 2012 to 2014. Then, 50 scenarios corresponding to different wave conditions (derived from the wave climate) and river discharge values typical of low flow and flood seasons enabled us to quantify the dispersal patterns of fluvial sediments close to the mouths and along the coast. Sediments mostly settled in the estuary and close to the mouths under calm conditions, and suspended sediment with higher concentrations extend further offshore with higher waves. Waves from the Southeast enhanced the concentration all along the MRD coastal zone. Waves from the South and Southwest induced coastal erosion, higher suspended sediment concentrations in front of the southern delta, and a net transport towards the Northeast of the delta. Because of episodes of Southern and Southwestern waves during the low flow season, the net alongshore suspended sediment transport is oriented Northeastward and decreases from the Southwestern part of the coastal zone (~960 × 103 t yr−1) to the Northeastern part (~650 × 103 t yr−1). Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sediment Transport in Coastal Waters)
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