Sediment Dynamics of the Huanghe (Yellow River) Delta and Neighboring Gulf of Bohai, People's Republic of China: Project Overview

摘要

The objectives of the 1985 field program focused on: 1) Determination of the spectrum of sediment transport processes; 2) Definition of the relative frequency of various sediment transport modes; 3) Description of the process signatures in the sediments and bottom morphology. Accompanying papers provide initial results of the 1985 survey, including overall morphology and geometry of the subaqueous delta, combined with sediment textural distributions from the sampling program. The main components of the subaqueous delta include broad, shallow delta-front channels, disturbed sea floor resulting from subaqueous slope instability processes, and a distinct gently sloping distal delta apron or 'rise.' Calculations of sediment volumes in the delta region suggest that the progradation has resulted in a single 15-m-thick sediment lobe confined to within 30 km of the main Huanghe distributary mouth. Weakly hyperpycnal unchannelized plumes and indirect evidence of high-density underflows over the delta front are described. Measurements of suspended sediment off the delta and in the neighboring Gulf suggest the importance of Stokes drift northwestward from the delta area. Internal waves were observed acoustically over the delta front, and are believed to cause resuspension of delta-front sediments.