Distribution pattern of flocsand and its controlling factors in a saltwater-wedge estuary:A case study of the Modaomen Estuary of the Pearl(Zhujiang)River
Flocculation of fine sediments is a key process affecting sediment transport and dispersion in estuaries,which is controlled by complex dynamic structure of estuaries,and spatial distribution of flocs in a stratification condition needs to be explored.To solve this problem,in this study,based on the hydrology and sediment cruising observation in the Modaomen Estuary of the Pearl River during the dry season in 2020,spatial and temporal distri-bution of flocs in the Modaomen Estuary was analyzed,impacts of dynamics factors were investigated,and distribu-tion pattern of flocs in a stratification condition was uncovered.The results show that median floc size in the Modaomen Estuary during the observation period ranged from 1.87 μm to 395.53 μm,and volumetric concentration of flocs ranged from 20.29 μL/L to 1 495.67 μL/L.Vertically,median floc size in the middle and surface layers was generally larger than that in the bottom layer.The plane distribution characteristic of the median floc size is that the maximum values generally occurred at the central bar and the west side.Decomposition of multimodal floc size dis-tributions indicates that the flocs in the Modaomen Estuary were composed of primary particles(Pp)and Flocculi(collectively known as Pico-flocs),microflocs(Micro),macroflocs(Macro),among which Macro was dominant.In view of vertical distribution,the volumetric concentration of Pico-flocs and Micro in the bottom layer tended to be larger than that in the surface and middle layers,while volumetric concentration of Macro in the surface and middle layers was generally larger than that in the bottom layer,which is closely related to dynamic structure in the salt wa-ter wedge estuary.Strong salinity stratification inhibited the exchange of flocs between different water layers,res-ulting in a relatively higher percentage of Macro in the surface layer than that in the middle and bottom layers.In the bottom layer flocs were affected by intensity of turbulent shear and deflocculation process was dominant.As a result,the percentage of Pico-flocs and Micro was higher than the surface and middle layers.This study is not only helpful to elucidate the flocculation mechanism of fine sediment under complex dynamics,but also provides tech-nical support for regulation of mouth bar,goverment of water and sediment,and channel dredging in the Modao-men Estuary.
the Modaomen Estuarydecomposition of particle sizespatial variationsalinity stratificationturbulence