Abstract
The Jiaojiang Estuary is a macro-tidal estuary with high turbidity and funnel-shaped geomorphology. Estuarine geomorphology and shipping are highly affected by sediments and heavy coastal engineering. Based on observed data and numerical simulation results, we studied the characteristics of the suspended sediments and fluid mud in the estuary. By considering two-way coupling of water–sediment density and the process of fine sediment flocculation, a three-dimensional sediment model of the Jiaojiang Estuary was established and effectively calibrated using the measured data on tides, currents, and suspended sediment concentration (SSC). Field data analysis indicated that SSC and sediment transport rate in both the main tidal channel and shoals were positively correlated with the flow velocity in the low-frequency part during both the spring and neap tides. The model results revealed that the net sediment flux is controlled by advection and moves landward upstream of the main tidal channel. Fluid mud is formed near Haimen station, with tides influencing the spatial and temporal variations in its thickness and speed. Sediment is actively exchanged among fluid mud-water-seabed, with sink and source processes dominating near the bay mouth and the Haimen station, respectively. Sediments weaken the seaward residual currents slightly by changing their viscosity and the von Karman constant, and the stratification process is affected by changes in water density. The findings of this study provide a foundation for the study of material transportation in an estuarine ecosystem.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China (2020YFD0900803), the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41976157, 42076177), and the Zhejiang Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (2020C03012, 2022C03044, U1709204).
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Li, L., Wang, J., Zheng, Y. et al. Fluid Mud Dynamics and Its Correlation to Hydrodynamics in Jiaojiang River Estuary, China. Ocean Sci. J. 58, 8 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12601-023-00102-5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12601-023-00102-5