Abstract
The dynamics of sediment transport in the East Frisian Wadden Sea are important for the coastal zone and for ecosystem functioning. The tidal inlets between the East Frisian islands connect the back-barrier intertidal flats to the North Sea. Here, concentrations of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in the water column are highly variable, depending on weather conditions and tides. In order to estimate the nature and quantity of sediment transport, in situ measurements were carried out at a Time Series Station in the tidal inlet between the islands of Spiekeroog and Langeoog. This study shows the suitability of multispectral transmissometry (MST) for obtaining long-term SPM measurements with high resolution. The comparability of this technique to the standard filter method and the laser diffraction method [laser in situ scattering and transmissometry (LISST)] is demonstrated. In addition, the Junge coefficients derived from both MST and LISST measurements are compared. A time series of SPM data covering nearly 4 months is presented. As a major result, the data reveal that a single storm surge can have less impact on SPM dynamics than longer-lasting gales. This high-resolution long-term data set is very valuable for modelling suspended matter flux. It also provides background information for studying the influence of SPM dynamics on coastal sediments.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Agrawal Y, Pottsmith H (2000) Instruments for particle size and settling velocity observations in sediment transport. Mar Geol 168:89–114
Agrawal YC (2005) The optical volume scattering function: temporal and vertical variability in the water column off the New Jersey coast. Limnol Oceanogr 50(5):1787–1794
Agrawal YC, Whitemire A, Mikkelsen OA, Pottsmith HC (2008) Light scattering by random shaped particle and consequences on measuring suspended sediments by laser diffraction. J Geophys Res 113(C04023):1–11
Astoreca R, Ruddick K, Rousseau V, Mol BV, Parent JY, Lancelot C (2006) Variability of the inherent and apparent optical properties in a highly turbid coastal area: impact on the calibration of remote sensing algorithms. EARSeL eProc 5(1):1–17
Austin R, Petzold T (1977) Considerations in the design and evaluation of oceanographic transmissometers. In: Tyler JE (ed) Light in the sea. Dowden, Hutchinson and Ross, Stroudsburg, pp 104–120
Barth H, Grisard K, Holtsch K, Reuter R, Stute U (1997) Polychromatic transmissometer for in situ measurements of suspended particles and gelbstoff in water. Atmos-Ocean 36(30):7919–7928
Barth H, Reuter R, Schröder M (2000) Measurement and simulation of substance specific contributions of phytoplankton, gelbstoff, and mineral particles to the underwater light field in coastal waters. EARSeL eProc (1):165–174
Bartholdy J, Aagaard T (2001) Storm surge effects on a back-barrier tidal flat of the Danish Wadden Sea. Geo Mar Lett 20:133–141
Bartholomä A, Kubicki A, Badewien TH, Flemming B (2009) Suspended sediment transport in the German Wadden Sea—seasonal variations and extreme events. Ocean Dyn (in press)
Bricaud A, Morel A, Prieur L (1981) Absorption by dissolved organic matter of the sea (yellow substance) in the UV visible domains. Limnol Oceanogr 26(1):43–53
Burchard H, Flöser G, Staneva J, Badewien TH, Riethmüller R (2008) Impact of density gradients on net sediment transport into the Wadden Sea. J Phys Oceanogr 38:566–587
Dellwig O, Beck M, Lemke A, Lunau M, Kolditz K, Schnetger B, Brumsack HJ (2007) Non-conservative behaviour of molybdenum in coastal waters: coupling geochemical, biological, and sedimentological processes. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 71(11):2745–2761
Diehl P, Haardt H (1980) Measurement of the spectral attenuation to support biological research in a “plankton tube” experiment. Oceanol Acta 3(1):89–96
Gemein N, Stanev E, Brink-Spalink G, Wolff JO, Reuter R (2006) Patterns of suspended matter in the East Frisian Wadden Sea: comparison of numerical simulations with MERIS observations. EARSeL eProc 2(5):180–198
Grabemann I, Krause G (2007) On different time scales of suspended matter dynamics in the Weser estuary. Estuaries 218:1–16
Lane A, Riethmüller R, Herbers D, Rybaczok P, Günther H, Baumert H (2000) Observational data sets for model development. Coast Eng 41:125–153
Lettmann K, Wolff JO, Badewien TH (2009) Impact of wind generated surface gravity waves and extreme events on sediment dynamics of an intertidal flat system in the East Frisian Wadden Sea (southern North Sea, Germany). Ocean Dyn (in press)
Lumborg U, Pejrup M (2005) Modelling of cohesive sediment transport in a tidal lagoon an annual budget. Mar Geol 24(5):688–698
Lunau M, Lemke A, Dellwig O, Simon M (2006) Physical and biogeochemical controls of microaggregate dynamics in a tidally affected ecosystem. Limnol Oceanogr 51(2):847–859
Mehrtens C, Badewien T, Reuter R (2009) Airborne digital imagery for suspended matter detection in the East Frisian Wadden Sea, Germany. EARSeL eProc (in press)
Puncken O, Badewien TH, Reuter R (2006) MOSES (measuring system for the oberservation of sea surfaces): Lagrangian drift experiments in the East Frisian Wadden Sea. In: Marcal A (ed) Global developments in environmental earth observation from space. Millpress, Rotterdam, pp 697–706
Reuter R (1980) Characterization of marine particle suspensions by light scattering II. Experimental results. Oceanol Acta 3(3):325–332
Reuter R, Badewien TH, Bartholomä A, Braun A, Lübben A, Rullkötter J (2009) A hydrographic time-series station in the Wadden Sea (southern North Sea. Ocean Dyn (in press)
Santamarina CP, Flemming B (2000) Quantifying the concentration and flux of suspended particulate matter through a tidal inlet of the East Frisian Wadden Sea by acoustic doppler current profiling. In: Flemming BWMTD, Liebezeit G (eds) Muddy coast dynamics and resource management. Elsevier Science, Amsterdam, pp 39–52
Stanev EV, Flöser G, Wolff JO (2003a) Dynamical control on water exchanges between tidal basins and the open ocean. A case study for the East Frisian Wadden Sea. Ocean Dyn 53:146–165
Stanev EV, Wolff JO, Brink-Spalink G (2006) On the sensitivity of the sedimentary system in the East Frisian Wadden Sea to sea-level rise and wave-induced bed shear stress. Ocean Dyn 56:266–283
Stanev EV, Wolff JO, Burchard H, Bolding K, Flöser G (2003b) On the circulation in the East Frisian Wadden Sea: numerical modelling and data analysis. Ocean Dyn 53:27–51
Staneva J, Stanev E, Wolff JO, Badewien TH, Reuter R, Flemming B, Bartholomä A, Bolding K (2009) Dynamics and sediment dynamics in the German Bight. A focus on observations and numerical modelling in the East Frisian Wadden Sea. Continental Shelf Res 29(1):302–319
Winter C, Becker M, Ernstsen VB, Hebbeln D, Port A, Bartholomä A, Flemming B, Lunau M (2007) In-situ observation of aggregate dynamics in a tidal channel using acoustics, laser diffraction and optics. J Coast Res SI(50):1173–1177
Wolff JO, Reuter R et al (2009) High resolution modelling of hydro- and sediment dynamics in the East Frisian Wadden Sea (southern North Sea). Ocean Dyn (in press)
Acknowledgements
We are grateful to Axel Braun and Ingo Oetken for their skilful technical assistance and for the maintenance of the scientific instruments. We further thank the captain and crew of FK Senckenberg for their support and good spirits even under difficult conditions. We gratefully acknowledge the valuable comments of two anonymous reviewers and thank Constanze Böttcher for fruitful discussions of the manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Responsible Editor: Jörg-Olaf Wolff
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Badewien, T.H., Zimmer, E., Bartholomä, A. et al. Towards continuous long-term measurements of suspended particulate matter (SPM) in turbid coastal waters. Ocean Dynamics 59, 227–238 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-009-0183-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10236-009-0183-8