Indication of size distribution of suspended particulate matter for sediment transport in the South Yellow Sea

Abstract

The Yellow Sea is a key area for studying source-to-sink sediment transport systems in East China shelf seas. However, the sediment transport and dispersal patterns in the Yellow Sea are not fully understood because of the significant seasonal variation in ocean circulation. In this study, we identify the ocean circulation patterns in the South Yellow Sea based on temperature, salinity and depth data collected from 52 hydrographic stations during the winter of 2016. The mass concentrations and particle size distributions of suspended particulate matter are also determined to decipher the sediment transport pattern in the South Yellow Sea. The results show that particles from the Yellow Sea Coastal Current and Shandong Peninsula Coastal Current display a bimodal size distribution, with peaks at approximately 2.5 μm and 32–64 μm, while particles from the Yellow Sea Warm Current and residual Yellow Sea Cold Water Mass display a trimodal size distribution, with peaks at 2.5 μm, 32–64 μm and 391 μm. The fine and medium particles (<256 μm) are mainly inorganic particles, while the coarse particles (>256 μm) include organic materials. The peak at 391 μm is dominated by organic particles and reflects the influence of the Yellow Sea Warm Current in the surface layer. The Yellow Sea Warm Current enhances the nutrient and temperature conditions in the South Yellow Sea, which facilitates phytoplankton growth under appropriate light conditions. The content of inorganic particles with sizes of 64–159 μm decreases sharply in the central South Yellow Sea, which reflects the transport of suspended particulate matter from the southern study area to the central Yellow Sea mud area. The synthesized evidence suggests that the Yellow Sea Warm Current, as the main driving force, transports particles from the Jiangsu coast or the Changjiang River into the central Yellow Sea mud area in winter.