Constraints on Characteristics and Distribution of Gas Hydrate and Free Gas Using Broad-Band Processing of Three-Dimensional Seismic Data

Gas hydrate drilling expeditions in the Pearl River Mouth Basin,South China Sea,have identified concentrated gas hydrates with variable thickness.Moreover,free gas and the coexistence of gas hydrate and free gas have been confirmed by logging,coring,and production tests in the foraminifera-rich silty sediments with complex bottom-simulating reflectors(BSRs).The broad-band processing is conducted on conventional three-dimensional(3D)seismic data to improve the image and detection accuracy of gas hydratebearing layers and delineate the saturation and thickness of gas hydrate-and free gas-bearing sediments.Several geophysical attributes extracted along the base of the gas hydrate stability zone are used to demonstrate the variable distribution and the controlling factors for the differential enrichment of gas hydrate.The inverted gas hydrate saturation at the production zone is over 40% with a thickness of 90 m,showing the interbedded distribution with different boundaries between gas hydrate-and free gas-bearing layers.However,the gas hydrate saturation value at the adjacent canyon is 70%,with 30-m-thick patches and linear features.The lithological and fault controls on gas hydrate and free gas distributions are demonstrated by tracing each gas hydrate-bearing layer.Moreover,the BSR depths based on broad-band reprocessed 3D seismic data not only exhibit variations due to small-scale topographic changes caused by seafloor sedimentation and erosion but also show the upward shift of BSR and the blocky distribution of the coexistence of gas hydrate and free gas in the Pearl River Mouth Basin.

Influence of Cathode Modification by Chitosan and Fe^(3+)on the Electrochemical Performance of Marine Sediment Microbial Fuel Cell

The electrochemical performances of cathode play a key role in the marine sediment microbial fuel cells(MSMFCs)as a long lasting power source to drive instruments,especially when the dissolved oxygen concentration is very low in seawater.A CTS-Fe^(3+)modified cathode is prepared here by grafting chitosan(CTS)on a carbon fiber surface and then chelating Fe^(3+)through the coordination process.The electrochemical performance in seawater and the output power of the assembled MSMFCs are both studied.The results show that the exchange current densities of CTS and the CTS-Fe^(3+)group are 5.5 and 6.2 times higher than that of the blank group,respectively.The potential of the CTS-Fe^(3+)modified cathode increases by 138 mV.The output power of the fuel cell(613.0 mW m^(-2))assembled with CTS-Fe^(3+)is 54 times larger than that of the blank group(11.4 mW m^(-2))and the current output corresponding with the maximum power output also increases by 56 times.Due to the valence conversion between Fe^(3+)and Fe^(2+)on the modified cathode,the kinetic activity of the dissolved oxygen reduction is accelerated and the depolarization capability of the cathode is enhanced,resulting higher cell power.On the basis of this study,the new cathode materials will be encouraged to design with the complex of iron ion in natural seawater as the catalysis for oxygen reduction to improve the cell power in deep sea.

Origin of submarine canyon-channel systems along the middle segment of West Mariana Ridge,Philippine Sea

Submarine canyon-channel systems have been documented in the Parece Vela Basin,West Mariana Ridge;however,the mechanism of the formation and controlling factors remain poorly understood.Based on high-resolution multibeam bathymetric data and two-dimensional(2D)seismic profiles,we identified and mapped the submarine canyon-channel system along the middle segment of West Mariana Ridge in the Philippine Sea.These submarine canyon-channels show a main W-E orientation at depth of 2000–4500 m.They are approximately 72–128 km in length and 1.3–15 km in width,and their canyon heads are adjacent to the seamounts with several branches.The upper reaches of submarine canyon-channels are characterized by deeply incised,narrow,V-shaped thalwegs,suggesting the powerful erosion of gravity flows.The distinguished sediment waves are suggested to be resulted from the interaction of turbidity currents and seafloor.Our observations demonstrate that gravity flows originated from the collapses of seamount flanks plays a vital role in developing the submarine canyonchannel system along the West Mariana Ridge.This work provides better understanding of erosion,transport,and deposition of sediments from subducting ridges to deep-water basins,and also new insights into the origin and evolution of submarine canyon-channel systems along subducting ridges.

Correlation Study on Grain Size Characteristics and Geotechnical Properties of Surface Sediments in Qingdao Offshore Area

The comprehension of sediment grain size parameters and the corresponding sedimentary environment holds paramount importance in elucidating the engineering geological attributes of the subaqueous seabed.This study delineated the sedimentary environment zoning in the northern sea area of Qingdao through cluster analysis of grain size parameters derived from 123 surface sediment samples.The study analyzed the correlation between sediment geotechnical indices and grain size parameters across diverse sedimentary environments.A correlation equation was established for samples exhibiting a strong correlation.The study found four distinct sedimentary environments in the study area:coastal,transitional,shallow sea,and residual.Within the same sedimentary environment,the average grain size and sorting coefficient exhibit significant correlations with geotechnical indices such as water content,density,shear strength,plastic limit,liquid limit,and plastic index.However,notable disparities in the correlation between grain size parameters and geotechnical indices emerge across different sedimentary environments.

Inversion of Seabed Geotechnical Properties in the Arctic Chukchi Deep Sea Basin Based on Time Domain Adaptive Search Matching Algorithm

The chirp sub-bottom profiler,for its high resolution,easy accessibility and cost-effectiveness,has been widely used in acoustic detection.In this paper,the acoustic impedance and grain size compositions were obtained based on the chirp sub-bottom profiler data collected in the Chukchi Plateau area during the 11th Arctic Expedition of China.The time-domain adaptive search matching algorithm was used and validated on our established theoretical model.The misfit between the inversion result and the theoretical model is less than 0.067%.The grain size was calculated according to the empirical relationship between the acoustic impedance and the grain size of the sediment.The average acoustic impedance of sub-seafloor strata is 2.5026×10^(6) kg(s m^(2))^(-1)and the average grain size(θvalue)of the seafloor surface sediment is 7.1498,indicating the predominant occurrence of very fine silt sediment in the study area.Comparison of the inversion results and the laboratory measurements of nearby borehole samples shows that they are in general agreement.

Elemental Compositions of Clinopyroxenes from Southern Okinawa Trough Basalt:Implications for Magmatism and Structural Environment in an Initial Back-Arc Basin

The major and trace elemental compositions of clinopyroxene from basalt were used to characterize the nature of the primitive magma and structural environment beneath the southern Okinawa Trough(SOT),which is an initial back-arc basin at a continental margin.The clinopyroxenes in the basalt were augite with variable Mg^(#)contents(73.37-78.22).The regular variations in major oxide contents(i.e.,CaO,FeO,TiO_(2),and Cr)with decreasing Mg#implied that the clinopyroxenes evolved from being enriched in Mg,Ca,and Cr to being enriched in Fe and Ti.The clinopyroxenes had relatively low rare earth element concentrations(7.51×10^(-6) to 12.68×10^(-6))and negative Eu anomalies(δEu=0.67-0.95).The Kd_(cpx) values of clinopyroxenes(0.2-0.26),which were used to examine whether the clinopyroxene was equilibrated with its host basalt,demonstrate that these clinopyroxene phenocrysts were not captured crystals but were instead produced by crystallization differentiation of the magma.The calculated clinopyroxene crystallization temperatures showed a narrow range of 990-1061℃,and their crystallization pressures ranged from 2.0 to 3.2 kbar.The geochemistry features of these clinopyroxenes indicated that the parent magma belonged to the subalkaline tholeiitic magma series and suggested that the magma experienced crystallization differentiation of olivine,plagioclase,and clinopyroxene,where the crystallization of plagioclase occurred earlier than that of clinopyroxene.Combined with geophysical data,this research on primitive magma and its crystallization differentiation from clinopyroxene indicates that the SOT is in the stage of‘seafloor spreading’and that basaltic rocks produced from tholeiitic magma represent the generation of oceanic crust.

Geochronology and Geochemistry of the Xingxingxia Triassic A-type Granites in Central Tianshan,NW China:Petrogenesis and Tectonic Implications

The Triassic granitoids in Central Tianshan play a key role in determining the petrogenesis and tectonic evolution on the southern margin of the Central Asian orogenic belt.In this study,we present SHRIMP zircon U-Pb ages,Hf isotopic and geochemical data on the Xingxingxia biotite granite,amazonite granite and granitic pegmatite in Central Tianshan,NW China.Zircon U-Pb dating yielded formation ages of 242 Ma for the biotite granite and 240 Ma for the amazonite granite.These granitoid rocks have high K_(2)O with low MgO and CaO contents.They are enriched in Nb,Ta,Hf and Y,while being depleted in Ba and Sr,showing flat HREE patterns and negative Eu anomalies.They have typical A-type granite geochemical signatures with high Ga/A_(1)(8–13)and TFeO/(TFeO+MgO)ratios,showing an A_(2) affinity for biotite granite and an A_(1) affinity for amazonite granite and granitic pegmatite.Zircon ε_(Hf)(t)values of the granitoids are 0.45–2.66,with Hf model ages of 0.99–1.17 Ga.This suggests that these A-type granites originated from partial melting of the lower crust.We propose that Xingxingxia Triassic A-type granites formed under lithospheric extension from post-orogenic to anorogenic intraplate settings and NE-trending regional strike-slip fault-controlled magma emplacement in the upper crust.

Acoustic Velocity-Based Inversion of the Physical Properties of Sea Ice in the Central Arctic Region

Studying the Arctic sea ice contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the climate system in polar regions and offers valuable insights into the interplay between polar climate change and the global climate and environment.One of the key research aspects is the investigation of the temperature,salinity,and density parameters of sea ice to obtain essential insights.During the 11th Chinese National Arctic Research Expedition,acoustic velocity was measured on an ice core at a short-term ice station,however,temperature,salinity,and density were not measured.In the present work,we utilized a genetic algorithm to invert these obtained acoustic velocity data to sea ice temperature,salinity,and density parameters on the basis of the relationship between acoustic velocity and the physical properties of Arctic summer sea ice.We validated the effectiveness of this inversion procedure by comparing its findings with those of other researchers.The results indicate that within the normalized depth range of 0.43-0.94,the ranges for temperature,salinity,and density are -0.48--0.29℃,1.63-3.35,and 793.1-904.1 kg m^(-3),respectively.

Microstructure Features and the Macroscopic Acoustic Behavior of Gassy Silt in the Yellow River Delta

The morphological changes in isolated bubbles in gassy silt play a critical role in the microscopic structures between soil particles and bubbles and macroscopic physical properties.Based on X-ray CT scanning experiments under various vertical loads(four levels),self-designed acoustic macro experiments,and a series of formula revisions to the macro-air-bearing silt sound-velocity prediction model,this paper discusses the macro-and micro-scale features of gassy silts from the Yellow River Delta.The samples consisted of different proportions of silt from the Yellow River Delta and porous media,and they were used to form two types of aerosol silts with initial gas contents of 4.23%and 7.67%.The results show that the air bubble content and external load considerably affect the microstructural parameters and acoustic behavior of gassy silt in the Yellow River Delta.The macroscopic sound velocity showed a linear positive correlation with vertical load and relation to microstructural parameters in varying manners and degrees.Based on the traditional Biot-Stoll acoustic model,the gas-phase medium coefficient was introduced for the proper calculation and prediction of the sound velocity of air-bearing silt.The errors of the overall prediction varied between 5.6%and 9.6%.

Implementation of a particle-in-cell method for the energy solver in 3D spherical geodynamic modeling

The thermal evolution of the Earth’s interior and its dynamic effects are the focus of Earth sciences.However,the commonly adopted grid-based temperature solver is usually prone to numerical oscillations,especially in the presence of sharp thermal gradients,such as when modeling subducting slabs and rising plumes.This phenomenon prohibits the correct representation of thermal evolution and may cause incorrect implications of geodynamic processes.After examining several approaches for removing these numerical oscillations,we show that the Lagrangian method provides an ideal way to solve this problem.In this study,we propose a particle-in-cell method as a strategy for improving the solution to the energy equation and demonstrate its effectiveness in both one-dimensional and three-dimensional thermal problems,as well as in a global spherical simulation with data assimilation.We have implemented this method in the open-source finite-element code CitcomS,which features a spherical coordinate system,distributed memory parallel computing,and data assimilation algorithms.

The Marine Dynamics and Changing Trend off the Modern Yellow River Mouth

Topography around the Yellow River mouth has changed greatly in recent years, but studies on the current state of ma- rine dynamics off the Yellow River mouth are relatively scarce. This paper uses a two-dimension numerical model （MIKE 21） to reveal the tidal and wave dynamics in 2012, and conducts comparative analysis of the changes from 1996 to 2012. The results show that M2 amphidromic point moved southeastward by 11 kin. It further reveals that the tides around the Yellow River mouth are relatively stable due to the small variations in the tidal constituents. Over the study period, there is no noticeable change in the distribution of tidal types and tidal range, and the mean tidal range off the river mouth during the period studied is 0.5-1.1 m. However, the tidal currents changed greatly due to large change in topography. It is observed that the area with strong tidal currents shifted from the old river mouth （1976-1996） to the modem river mouth （1996-present）. While the tidal current speeds decreased continually off the old river mouth, they increased off the modem river mouth. The Maximum Tidal Current Speed （MTCS） reached 1.4 m s-1, and the maximum current speed of 50-year return period reached 2.8 m s-1. Waves also changed greatly due to change in topography. The significant wave height （H1/3） of 50-year return period changed proportionately with the water depth, and the ratio of Hi/3 to depth being 0.4-0.6. H1/3 of the 50-year return period in erosion zone increased continually with increasing water depth, and the rate of change varied between 0.06 and 0.07myr-1. Based on the results of this study, we infer that in the future, the modem river mouth will protrude gradually northward, while the erosion zone, comprising the old river mouth and area between the modern river mouth and the old river mouth （Intermediate region） will continue to erode. As the modem river mouth protrudes towards the sea, there will be a gradual increase in the current speed and decrease in wave height. Conversely, the old river mouth will retreat, with gradual decrease in current speed and increase in wave height. As more coastal constructions spring up around the Yellow River mouth in the future, we recommend that variation in hydrodynamics over time should be taken into consideration when designing such coastal constructions.

Facial Features of an Air Gun Array Wavelet in the Time-Frequency Domain Based on Marine Vertical Cables

Air gun arrays are often used in marine energy exploration and marine geological surveys.The study of the single bubble dynamics and multibubbles produced by air guns interacting with each other is helpful in understanding pressure signals.We used the van der Waals air gun model to simulate the wavelets of a sleeve gun of various offsets and arrival angles.Several factors were taken into account,such as heat transfer,the thermodynamically open quasi-static system,the vertical rise of the bubble,and air gun post throttling.Marine vertical cables are located on the seafloor,but hydrophones are located in seawater and are far away from the air gun array vertically.This situation conforms to the acquisition conditions of the air gun far-field wavelet and thus avoids the problems of ship noise,ocean surges,and coupling.High-quality 3D wavelet data of air gun arrays were collected during a vertical cable test in the South China Sea in 2017.We proposed an evaluation method of multidimensional facial features,including zeropeak amplitude,peak-peak amplitude,bubble period,primary-to-bubble ratio,frequency spectrum,instantaneous amplitude,instantaneous phase,and instantaneous frequency,to characterize the 3D air gun wave field.The match between the facial features in the field and simulated data provides confidence for the use of the van der Waals air gun model to predict air gun wavelet and facial features to evaluate air gun array.

Study on the Marine Sedimentary Environment Evolution of the Southern Laizhou Bay Under the Impact of Port Projects

The southern Laizhou Bay is mainly composed of silt-sandy coasts with diverse landforms, and its marine hydrodynamic environment is sensitive to human activities. Marine hydrodynamic and sedimentary environments of the study area have changed under the influence of large-scale port projects in recent years. In this paper, the evolution of hydrodynamic environment, deposition rate, and geochemical characteristics were studied based on sediment grain size, element analysis and ^(210)Pb dating of two cores, in order to analyze the influence of Weifang Port on marine environmental evolution, and provide theoretical and practical basis for protecting marine environment in developing marine resources reasonably. Results showed that sediments of the two cores were relatively coarser and mainly composed of silty sand. Sediments above 230 cm in core WF1 and 218 cm in core WF2 were deposited since 1855 when the Yellow River appeared to deposit its sediments within the modern active delta, and the average deposition rate was between 0.3 and 0.5 cm a^(-1). Implement of Weifang Port projects in 1997 and 2007 created great influence on the sedimentary environment evolution in the surrounding waters, and the deposition rate was significantly increased. The average annual deposition rates were 5.1 cm and 3.5 cm in WF1 and WF2 respectively between 1997 and 2007. Content of heavy metals in sediments showed no obvious change in the vertical, indicating that the heavy metals were less affected by human activity and there was no significant accumulation of such metals in the study area.

Crystals of suspended marine barite in the eastern equatorial Pacific:processes of dissolution and effects on crystal morphology

Suspended particulate substances were sampled in the eastem equatorial Pacific in water column from surface to near bottom in five stations in 2005, from which 868 barite crystals were recovered. The barite crystals were examined under scanning electron microscopy. About 61% of the total barites crystals contained detectable Sr by energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry. Barite crystals could be classified into four groups based on their morphology： 1） bladed; 2） ovoid or rounded; 3） arrow-like; and 4） irregularly shaped. The arrow-like barite crystals in natural environment has never been reported before. In addition, about a half of the studied crystals showed features of dissolution as cavities or holes inside of the crystals or around their edges. We found that differential dissolution of barite crystals is consequence of heterogeneous Sr distribution in barite crystals. Our results would help in understanding the biogeochemical processes of marine barite formation and preservation in seawater and marine sediments.

Relation of Submarine Landslide to HydrateOccurrences in Baiyun Depression,South China Sea

Submarine landslides have been observed in the Baiyun Depression of the South China Sea. The occurrence of hydrates below these landslides indicates that these slope instabilities may be closely related to the massive release of methane. In this study, we used a simple Monte-Carlo model to determine the first-order deformation pattern of a gravitationally destabilizing slope. The results show that a stress concentration occurs due to hydrate dissociation on the nearby glide surface and on top of a gas chimney structure. Upon the dissolution of the gas hydrate, slope failure occurs due to the excess pore pressure generated by the dissociation of the gas hydrates. When gas hydrates dissociate at shallow depths, the excess pore pressure generated can be greater than the total stress acting at those points, along with the forces that resist sliding. Initially, the failure occurs at the toe of the slope, then extends to the interior. Although our investigation focused only on the contribution of hydrate decomposition to submarine landslide, this process is also affected by both the slope material properties and topography.

Estimation of Extreme Marine Hydrodynamic Variables in Western Laizhou Bay

Laizhou Bay and its adjacent waters are of great importance to China＇s marine oil and gas development. It is therefore crucial to estimate retttrn-period values of marine environmental variables in this region to ensure the safety and success of maritime engineering and maritime exploration. In this study, we used numerical simulations to estimate extreme wave height, sea current velocity and sea-level height in westem Laizhou Bay. The results show that the sea-level rise starts at the mouth of the bay, increases toward west/southwest, and reaches its maximum in the deepest basin of the bay. The 100-year return-period values of sea level rise can reach 3.4-4.0m in the western bay. The elevation of the western part of the Qingdong Oil Field would remain above the sea sur- face during extreme low sea level, while the rest of the oil field would be 1,6-2.4m below the sea surface. The return-period value of wave height is strongly affected by water depth; in fact, its spatial distribution is similar to the isobath＇s. The 100-year return-period values of effective wave height can be 6m or higher in the central bay and be more than 1 m in the shallow water near shore. The 100-year return-period values of current velocity is about 1.2-1.8 ms-1 in the Qingdong Oil Field. These results provide scientific basis for ensuring construction safety and reducing construction cost,

Submarine canyons on the north of Chiwei Island:influenced by recent extension of the southern Okinawa Trough

Based on new multibeam bathymetric data and about 300 km long single seismic profiles, three topographic units were identified： the canyons, fractural valley and submarine terrace on the north of Chiwei Island where is a structural transition zone between the southern trough and the middle trough. The Chiwei Canyon and the North Chiwei Canyon are two of the largest canyons in the East China Sea （ECS） slope. Topographic features and architectures of them are described. The study shows that both of them are originated along faults. The evolution and spatial distribution of topographic units in the study area are controlled mainly by three groups of faults which were formed and reactive in the recent extensional phase of Okinawa Trough. The Chiwei Canyon was initia- ted during the middle Pleistocene and guided by F4 that is a N--S trending fault on the slope and F1, a large NW--SE trending fault on the trough. The pathway migration from the remnant channel to the present one of Chiwei Canyon is the result of uplift of tilted fault block that is coupled to the recent extension movements of the southern trough. The submarine terrace is detached from the ECS slope by the NEE -trending fault. The North Chiwei Canyon, developing during the late Pleistocene, is guided by FS, a N-S trending fault, diverted and blocked by the submarine terrace.

Coupled δ^(15)N_(TN) and δ^(13)C_(TOC) Insights into Methane Seepage Activities in Bulk Marine Sediments of the Qiongdongnan Basin, South China Sea

Recently,methane seepage related to the dissociation of natural gas hydrates has attracted much attention,which has a significant impact on the study of the global carbon and nitrogen cycles.Based on the detailed geochemical analyses of sediments(core Q6)from the Qiongdongnan Basin,South China Sea,three methane seepage activities were identified and the exact horizons of anaerobic oxidation of methane(AOM)were defined.Furthermore,organic carbon isotopic(δ^(13)C_(TOC))levels ranged from−23.6‰–−20.6‰PDB;nitrogen isotopes(δ^(15)N_(TN))of the same sedimentary samples ranged from 1.8‰–5.3‰.We also found obvious simultaneous negative excursions of organic carbon isotopes(δ^(13)C_(TOC))and nitrogen isotopes(δ^(15)N_(TN))in the horizons of methane seepages.Compared with the normal sediments,their maximum negative excursions were 2.6‰and 2.5‰,respectively.We discuss in detail the various characteristics ofδ^(15)N_(TN) andδ^(13)C_(TOC) levels in sediments and their coupling responses to methane seepage activities.We believe that the methane seepage events changed the evolution trajectory ofδ^(15)N_(TN) andδ^(13)C_(TOC) levels in sediment records,which resulted in the simultaneous negative excursions.This phenomenon is of great significance to reveal the historical dissociation of natural gas hydrates and their influence on the deep-sea carbon and nitrogen pool.

Mineralogical and Geochemical Constraints on the Mantle Source Characteristics of Basaltic Lavas from the Central Mariana Trough

The composition of mantle-derived basalts reflects the nature of their mantle source regions,which constrain magma generation and composition.Here we present a new whole rock major and trace elements and phenocryst composition of the basaltic lava in the central Mariana Trough.These data provide insights into the mantle source characteristics affected by subduction components.The rocks range from basalts to basaltic andesites,which have high subduction-mobile element contents(e.g.,K,U,Th,LREE)related to N-MORB.The calculated temperature and depth of magma generation are about 1300℃and 30 km,respectively.Although the results above suggest that the addition of hydrous fluid and/or a melt derived from a slab decreases the temperature of mantle partial melting and mildly modifies the composition of a mantle source,the mantle source lithology from which primary magma is generated remains to be peridotite.

Assessment and Application of Beach Quality Based on Analytic Hierarchy Process in Yangkou Beach, Qingdao

The whole-beach quality assessment is the basis of building and preserving beautiful beaches.The beach quality assessment index system and assessment standard have been established based on the attributes of beaches(including the width,slope,landform,and types),sorting coefficient,and softness degree of surface sediment.The assessment weight of each index for quality evaluation was analyzed using the analytic hierarchy process,and comprehensive scores of selected beach profiles were calculated in accordance with the light assessment standard.A beach quality evaluation model based on index weight and scores was established in this paper.The factors of 12 profiles of Yangkou Beach in Qingdao City were surveyed to carry out a quality assessment,and the comprehensive scores of each profile were calculated in accordance with the evaluation model.The results showed that the quality of Yangkou Beach can be divided into four ratings:excellent,good,medium,and poor.The excellent-quality area includes a wide and flat dry beach zone and soft,flat,and clean intertidal and subtidal zones covered with well-sorted fine sand,and leisure sports,such as volleyball,running,and swimming,are suitable for tourists.The good-quality area features a slightly narrow and dry beach zone,moderately soft and uneven intertidal and subtidal zones covered with fine sand and a small tidal gully,and a small amount of foreign matter;leisure sports,such as walking and running,are suitable for tourists.This study recommends the building of fixed drainage ditches or underground culverts to reduce the tidal gully.The medium-quality area consisted of a narrow and dry beach zone,moderately soft and uneven intertidal and subtidal zones covered by poorly sorted medium sand,a tide ditch,and a small amount of foreign matter.In this area,walking is suitable for tourists.Sand should be supplemented in the intertidal zone.The poor-quality area contained a very narrow and dry beach zone covered with poor-sorted gravel,a very chaotic intertidal zone with a considerable amount of foreign matters,such as bricks and rocks,wide tidal ditches,and an uneven subtidal zone with some reefs;leisure sports are unsuitable here.Thus,foreign matter and reefs should be removed,and the dry beach zone should be supplemented with sand.Therefore,the beach quality assessment is a very useful tool for building beautiful beaches.