- Published:
Tidal variation in the settling diameters of suspended matter on a tidal mud flat
Helgoländer Meeresuntersuchungen volume 51, pages 269–279 (1997)
Abstract
During one tidal period, measurements of the variation of current velocities, suspended sediment concentration and settling velocities of the suspended matter were carried out on a tidal mud flat 1.8 km west of Ballum Sluse in the northern part of the Lister Dyb tidal basin. The settling velocities have been converted to equivalent settling diameters. Current velocities follow a variation pattern well-known from other parts of the Wadden Sea. Variations in current velocities are responsible for the variation in suspended sediment concentration and thereby indirectly control the equivalent particle sizes, because high suspended sediment concentration favours the formation of flocs. Maximum concentrations of up to 532 mg/l were recorded at the beginning of the flood period and at the end of the ebb period, when current velocities are high. This is reflected in the median equivalent settling diameters, which show corresponding high values of 83 μm at the beginning of the flood period and 96 μm at the end of the ebb period.
Literature Cited
Bale, A. J., Barrett, C. D., West, J. R. & Oduyemi, K. O. K., 1989. Use of in-situ laser diffraction particles sizing for particle transport studies in estuaries. In: Developments in estuarine and coastal study techniques. Ed. by J. McManus & M. Elliot. Olsen & Olsen, Fredensborg, 133–138.
Burt, T. N., 1986. Field settling velocities of estuary muds. In: Estuarine cohesive sediment dynamics. Ed by A. J. Mehta. Springer, Berlin, 126–150.
Dyer, K. R., 1986. Coastal and estuarine sediment dynamics. Wiley, Chichester, 342 pp.
Edelvang, K., 1995. The significance of flocculation in the estuarine environment. PhD-thesis, Univ. of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, 111 pp.
Edelvang, K. & Austen, I., 1997. The temporal variation of flocs and fecal pellets in a tidal channel.—Estuar. Coast. Shelf Sci.44, 361–367.
Edelvang, K. & Larsen, M., 1995. The flocculation of fine-grained sediment in the estuary of Ho Bugt, Denmark.—Folia geogr. dan.22, 1–120.
Eisma, D., Chen, S. & Li, A., 1994. Tidal variation in suspended matter floc size in the Elbe river and Dollard estuaries.—Neth. aquat. Ecol.28, 267–274.
Fennessy, M. J., Dyer, K. R. & Huntley, D. A., 1994. INSSEV: An instrument to measure the size and settling velocity of flocs in situ.—Mar. Geol.117, 107–117.
Kranck, K., 1975. Sediment deposition from flocculated suspensions.—Sedimentology22, 111–123.
Krone, R. B., 1978. Aggregation of suspended particles in estuaries. In: Estuarine transport processes. Ed. by B. Kjerfve. Univ. South Carolina Press, Columbia, 177–190.
Lackschewitz, D., 1995. Besiedlungsmuster des Makrobenthos im Sylt-Römö-Wattenmeer. SWAP Teilprojekt 2.2/2.3/3.2. Bundesministerium für Forschung und Technologie, Bonn, 52 pp.
McCave, I. N., 1984. Size spectra and aggregation of suspended particles in the deep ocean.—Deep Sea Res.31, 329–352.
Pejrup, M., 1988a. Flocculated suspended sediment in a micro-tidal environment.—Sediment. Geol.57, 249–256.
Pejrup, M., 1988b. Suspended sediment transport across a tidal flat.—Mar. Geol.82, 187–198.
Sternberg, R. W., 1971. Measurements of incipient motion of sediment particles in the marine environment.—Mar. Geol.10, 113–119.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Edelvang, K. Tidal variation in the settling diameters of suspended matter on a tidal mud flat. Helgoländer Meeresunters. 51, 269–279 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02908715
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02908715