Benthic controls of resuspension in UK shelf seas: implications for resuspension frequency
Benthic controls of resuspension in UK shelf seas: implications for resuspension frequency
In situ measurements and ship-based resuspension experiments using annular flumes are used to determine sediment stability and critical erosion thresholds for four sites with significantly different sediment characteristics, located in the Celtic Sea at water depths of 100 m. Seasonal and spatial variability of sediment characteristics and erodability is examined, and found to be the result of changes in percentage of organic carbon in the surface sediments (R2 = 0.82) and bulk density (R2 = 0.73) respectively when individual characteristic bed parameters are considered. Principal component analysis and linear regression analysis are used to determine a predictive model for erosion threshold in the Celtic Sea (R2 = 0.99), based on grain size, sorting, kurtosis, bulk density, porosity, percentage fines, organic carbon content and chlorophyll a concentration. Physical sediment characteristics were found to be more significant controls of bed stability than biological factors. Local hydrodynamic conditions are used to determine the likelihood and frequency of resuspension given these critical erosion thresholds. Resuspension is driven by tidal currents, and is common year-round, leading to a constant re-working of bed sediments in particular at the muddier sites. This is confirmed by in situ measurements of suspended sediment concentration.
CELTIC SEA, SEDIMENT TRANSPORT, RESUSPENSION, shelf sea biogeochemistry, bed stability, SEASONAL VARIABILITY
Thompson, C.E.L.
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Williams, M.E.
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Amoudry, L.
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Hull, T.
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Reynolds, S.
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Panton, A.
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Fones, G.R.
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Thompson, C.E.L.
2a304aa6-761e-4d99-b227-cedb67129bfb
Williams, M.E.
016fcf2f-ba77-45ab-8ea7-0d3ecbb317e1
Amoudry, L.
49635742-f788-4c88-b2e2-3a0f6f256d41
Hull, T.
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Reynolds, S.
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Panton, A.
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Fones, G.R.
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Thompson, C.E.L., Williams, M.E., Amoudry, L., Hull, T., Reynolds, S., Panton, A. and Fones, G.R.
(2017)
Benthic controls of resuspension in UK shelf seas: implications for resuspension frequency.
Continental Shelf Research.
(doi:10.1016/j.csr.2017.12.005).
Abstract
In situ measurements and ship-based resuspension experiments using annular flumes are used to determine sediment stability and critical erosion thresholds for four sites with significantly different sediment characteristics, located in the Celtic Sea at water depths of 100 m. Seasonal and spatial variability of sediment characteristics and erodability is examined, and found to be the result of changes in percentage of organic carbon in the surface sediments (R2 = 0.82) and bulk density (R2 = 0.73) respectively when individual characteristic bed parameters are considered. Principal component analysis and linear regression analysis are used to determine a predictive model for erosion threshold in the Celtic Sea (R2 = 0.99), based on grain size, sorting, kurtosis, bulk density, porosity, percentage fines, organic carbon content and chlorophyll a concentration. Physical sediment characteristics were found to be more significant controls of bed stability than biological factors. Local hydrodynamic conditions are used to determine the likelihood and frequency of resuspension given these critical erosion thresholds. Resuspension is driven by tidal currents, and is common year-round, leading to a constant re-working of bed sediments in particular at the muddier sites. This is confirmed by in situ measurements of suspended sediment concentration.
Text
ResuspensionPaper_Final
- Accepted Manuscript
More information
Accepted/In Press date: 9 December 2017
e-pub ahead of print date: 13 December 2017
Keywords:
CELTIC SEA, SEDIMENT TRANSPORT, RESUSPENSION, shelf sea biogeochemistry, bed stability, SEASONAL VARIABILITY
Identifiers
Local EPrints ID: 416251
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/416251
ISSN: 0278-4343
PURE UUID: db1ff285-9312-4198-9385-1fea4a73c004
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Date deposited: 11 Dec 2017 17:30
Last modified: 16 Mar 2024 06:01
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Contributors
Author:
M.E. Williams
Author:
L. Amoudry
Author:
T. Hull
Author:
S. Reynolds
Author:
G.R. Fones
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