Local human activities overwhelm decreased sediment supply from the Changjiang River: Continued rapid accumulation in the Hangzhou Bay-Qiantang Estuary system

We investigate the morphological responses of the Hangzhou Bay, China, located immediately south of the Changjiang Estuary, to the drastic reduction of the sediment load from the Changjiang River and the large-scale coastal embankment schemes over past decades. The spatial patterns of deposition and erosion, sediment volume changes, and the...

Morphodynamic modeling of a large inside sand bar and its dextral morphology in a convergent estuary: Qiantang Estuary, China

We investigate the evolution of a large-scale sand body, a unique type of sandbars in a convergent estuary. Specifically, we analyze and simulate the sand deposition system (defined as an inside bar) in the Qiantang Estuary (QE) in China. The deposit is 130 km long and up to 10 m thick, and is characterized by a dextral morphology in the lower...

The variations of sediment transport patterns in the outer Changjiang Estuary and Hangzhou Bay over the last 30 years

The research objective is to investigate the variations of sediment transport in outer Changjiang Estuary and adjacent Hangzhou Bay, induced by the decline of Changjiang River sediment discharge and massive land reclamation in the last three decades. A synchronous hydrographic survey was conducted along two transects (at the bay-mouth and outer...

Is “Morphodynamic Equilibrium” an oxymoron?

Morphodynamic equilibrium is a widely adopted yet elusive concept in the field of geomorphology of coasts, rivers and estuaries. Based on the Exner equation, an expression of mass conservation of sediment, we distinguish three types of equilibrium defined as static and dynamic, of which two different types exist. Other expressions such as...

Investigation of Lagrangian coherent structures in a wake-induced boundary layer transition

The evolution of coherent structures in a flat plate boundary layer transition induced by the cylinder wake is investigated using the particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. The finite-time Lyapunov exponent (FTLE), which characterizes the amount of stretching about the flow trajectory, is used to extract the Lagrangian coherent structures....

Deriving root zone storage capacity from Earth observation

Turbidity maximum formation in a well-mixed macrotidal estuary: The role of tidal pumping

Traditionally, vertical circulation (induced by gravity circulation and tidal straining), tidal pumping, and resuspension are suggested as the major processes for the formation and maintenance of the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM). Due to strong mixing, tidal pumping is considered as the dominating process in macrotidal estuaries. To analyze...

Metagenomic insights into the bio-functionality of 21 anaerobic biogas reactors (abstract)

Numerical study of transient harbor resonance induced by solitary waves

Study on mechanism for water pricing

Water resources contribute greatly to human well being, both directly and indirectly. Water resources are irreplaceable natural resources, and are limited. However, due to a growing population and related economic development, the water demand from urban, industry and agriculture has increased dramatically. Water shortage has become one of the...