CHARACTERS OF THE SUSPENDED LOAD IN QINZHOU BAY

Owing to the specific characteristics of ocean dynamics, sediment sources and topographic features, the suspended load is differentiated from place to place in the Qinzhou Bay. In this paper, we studied the sediment source, the spatial distribution pattern and the transport trend and capacity of the suspended load through the measured data from 13 stations in 2007 and 2010 respectively. The results show that the sediments from the Qinzhou Bay are mainly coming from surrounding rivers, open seas and coastal erosion. Spatially, the distribution of maximum concentration of suspended load is in a pattern of "Outer bay > Inner bay > Neck", whereas the average decreases gradually from inner bay to the outer. In vertical sections, the average maximum concentration of suspended load appears in different positions. It tends to be consistent in the surface and bottom layers in the Inner Bay, but slightly higher in the middle layer. In the outer bay, however, it gradually increases from the surface to the bottom. Tidal current, topography and sediment source are the main influence factors. The transport of suspended load is mainly controlled by tidal current and the transport intensity decreases from the neck of the bay to the outer bay and inner bay. The overall trend of sediment transport is from the top bay towards the outer bay from north to south along the ebb and flow direction.