Influence of asymmetric tidal mixing on sediment dynamics in a partially mixed estuary

To investigate the influence of asymmetric tidal mixing(ATM) on sediment dynamics in tidal estuaries, we developed a vertically one-dimensional idealized analytical model, in which the M_2 tidal flow, residual flow and suspended sediment concentration(SSC) are described. Model solutions are obtained in terms of tidallyaveraged, and tidally-varying components(M_2 and M_4) of both hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics. The effect of ATM was considered with a time-varying eddy viscosity and time-varying eddy diffusivity of SSC. For the first time, an analytical solution for SSC variation driven by varying diffusivity could be derived. The model was applied to York River Estuary, where higher(or lower) eddy diffusivity was observed during flood(or ebb) in a previous study. The model results agreed well with the observation in both hydrodynamics and sediment dynamics. The vertical sediment distribution under the influence of ATM was analyzed in terms of the phase lag of the M_2 component of SSC relative to tidal flow. The phase lag increases significantly in estuaries with typical ATM(higher diffusivity during flood and lower diffusivity during ebb) for the case of seaward-directed net bottom shear stress(e.g., strong river discharge). In contrary, the phase lag is reduced by ATM, if the tidally-averaged bottom shear stress is landward(e.g., strong horizontal density gradient). The dynamics of sediment transport was analyzed as a function of ATM phase lag to identify the time of highest sediment diffusivity, as well as a function of the residual flow, to evaluate the relative importance of seaward and landward residual flows. In estuaries with relative strong fresh water discharge or weak tidal forcing(in case of flood season or neap tide), the near bottom SSC could be higher during ebb than during flood, since the bottom shear stress is higher during ebb due to seaward residual flow. However, landward net sediment transport can be expected in these estuaries in case of a typical ATM, because higher diffusivity causes higher SSC and landward transport during the flood period, while both SSC and seaward transport could be lower during ebb. On the contrary, seaward sediment transport can be expected in estuaries with landward tidally mean bottom shear stress in case of a reverse ATM,where sediment diffusivity is higher during the ebb.

Major and trace element composition of surface sediments from the Southwest Indian Ridge:evidence for the incorporation of a hydrothermal component

Hydrothermal materials in deep-sea sediments provide a robust tracer to the localized hydrothermal activity at mid-ocean ridges. Major, trace and rare earth element（REE） data for surface sediments collected from the ultraslow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge are presented to examine the existence of hydrothermal component.Biogenic carbonate oozes dominate all the sediment samples, with CaO content varying from 85.5% to 89.9% on a volatile-free basis. The leaching residue of bulk sediments by ~5% HCl is compositionally comparable to the Upper Continental Crust（UCC） in SiO_2, Al_2O_3, CaO, MgO, alkali elements（Rb, Cs） and high field strength elements（Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Ti）. These detritus-hosted elements are inferred to be prominently derived from the Australian continent by means of eolian dust, while the contribution of local volcaniclastics is insignificant. In addition, the residual fraction shows a clear enrichment in Fe, Mn, and Ba compared with the UCC. Combining the positive Eu anomaly of residual fraction which is opposed to the UCC but the characteristic of hydrothermal fluids and associated precipitates occurred at mid-ocean ridges, the incorporation of localized hydrothermal component can be constrained. REE mixing calculations indicate that more than half REE within the residual fraction（~55%–60%） are derived from a hydrothermal component, which is inferred to be resulted from a diffuse fluid mineralization. The low-temperature diffuse flow may be widely distributed along the slow-ultraslow spreading ridges where crustal faults and fissures abound, and probably have a great mineralization potential.

Analytical solutions for sediment concentration in waves based onlinear diffusivity

Two kinds of analytical solutions are derived through Laplace transform for the equation that governswave-induced suspended sediment concentration with linear sediment diffusivity under two kinds ofbottom boundary conditions,namely the reference concentration(Dirichlet)and pickup function(Nu-mann),based on a variable transformation that is worked out to transform the governing equation intoa modified Bessel equation.The ability of the two analytical solutions to describe the profiles of sus-pended sediment concentration is discussed by comparing with different experimental data.And it isdemonstrated that the two analytical solutions can well describe the process of wave-induced suspendedsediment concentration,including the amplitude and phase and vertical profile of sediment concentra-tion.Furthermore,the solution with boundary condition of pickup function provides better results thanthat of reference concentration in terms of the phase-dependent variation of concentration.

TURBULENT FLOWS AROUND SAND DUNES IN ALLUVIAL RIVERS

The sand dunes are typical bed forms of natural alluvial rivers. In this article, a vertical 2-D Reynolds stress model is established for the simulation of turbulent flows around sand dunes, and water-sand boundary conditions are set with particular attention. By numerical simulations, the following conclusions can be drawn. （1） The flow resistance in rivers with sand dunes could be divided into the sand-grain resistance and the sand dune resistance, and the sand-grain resistance coefficient mainly depends on Reynolds number, relative sand grain roughness and sand dune steepness. This coefficient in rivers with sand dunes would be larger than that calculated in a flat riverbed, and the steeper the sand dunes, the larger the sand-grain resistance coefficient. （2） The sand dune resistance coefficient mainly depends on the relative sand dune height and sand dune steepness, the steeper the sand dunes, the larger the sand dune resistance coefficient. （3） For the flat riverbed, the turbulent eddy viscosity coefficient and the sediment diffusion coefficient are approximately identical, but for the sand dune riverbed, in the vertical position, where the sediment diffusion coefficient reaches its maximum, it would be higher than the turbulent eddy viscosity coefficient.