Aeolian desert dust as a primary estuarine sediment source: Fine sediment transport and dynamics in the northern Arabian/Persian gulf

Abstract

Fluvial discharge and freshwater runoff are recognized as the main sediment sources in many estuaries worldwide. Precipitation is, however, limited in arid and semi-arid areas, allowing for high aeolian dust activity, and inducing limited river runoff. As such, aeolian dust could contribute to the estuarine sediment sources in such areas. Uniquely, the Northern Arabian/Persian Gulf (NG) is continuously loaded with vast amounts of aeolian desert dust annually. This study focuses on the role of desert dust in the distribution of suspended sediment in the Northern Arabian/Persian Gulf (NG), employing in-situ measurements of physical parameters (collected in 2015–2016), satellite imagery, and a flexible mesh hydrodynamic model (Delft3D-FM) coupled with a sediment transport model (Delft-WAQ). The model showed reasonable performance in representing the complex system of NG. The study revealed that more than 90% of the sediment along the NG is aeolian dust, with the remaining being fluvial. Owing to salinity-induced density gradients, estuarine circulation keeps the fluvial sediment confined to the estuarine zone of the Shatt Al-Arab even during the events of increased freshwater discharges. In the NG most of the suspended sediments have an aeolian origin. They were found in shallow zones within the 5 m isobath, including the estuary of Shatt Al-Arab where they are mixed with the fluvial sediment fractions. Tides were found to play a key role in sediment mixing and horizontal dispersion in the shallow area of the NG most of the time, while the Shamal increased the transport of fine sediment to offshore areas (seaward). Based on current knowledge, this study represents a rare instance where estuarine sediment dynamics are primarily governed by aeolian deposits from a nearby desert.