Effects of storm events on the shelf-to-basin sediment transport in the southwestern end of the Gulf of Lions (Northwestern Mediterranean) (original) (raw)
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Progress in Oceanography, 2023
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Deep Sea Research Part I: Oceanographic Research Papers, 2009
Shelf to basin sediment transport Downward particle fluxes Storms Dense shelf-water cascading Northwestern Mediterranean Gulf of Lions a b s t r a c t Downward particle fluxes and hydrodynamics in the northwestern Mediterranean basin were measured by a sediment trap and a current meter deployed at 2350 m depth, 250 m above bottom, from November 2003 to April 2005. During the winter of 2003-2004 there were high river discharges, two strong E-SE storms and several moderate storms and short periods of moderate dense shelf-water cascading during which dense shelf water did not reach the deep basin. Downward particle fluxes at the basin site were low during most of this winter but increased above one order of magnitude as a consequence of the strong storm and moderate cascading event that occurred in late February 2004. During the winter of 2004-2005, neither important river floods nor strong storms occurred but there were very intense and persistent dense shelf-water cascading events from February to April 2005. Dense shelf water, mixed with offshore convection water, reached the basin site in early March 2005, increasing downward particle fluxes by more than two orders of magnitude for more than 1 month. These observations indicate that events of significant sediment transport to the northwestern Mediterranean basin can be caused by severe winter E-SE storms associated with moderate cascading events or by exceptionally intense and persistent dense shelf-water cascading episodes alone. On the other hand, river floods, severe storms during water column stratification conditions (without cascading) and moderate storms concurrent with moderate dense shelf-water cascading did not generate sediment transport events able to reach the basin.
Dynamics of suspended sediment delivery to the Eastern Mediterranean continental shelf
Hydrological Processes, 2013
This study provides data on the fluvial sediment transport at the Eastern Mediterranean, an area in which the regional importance for comparative study has often been raised by investigators but the data are rather scarce. We analysed long-and short-term hydrologic and sedimentological data from one of the largest coastal streams of Israel, Qishon River (1100 km 2 ), and its estuarine environment. The results indicate that during 65 years ), a total 140 floods have contributed to the sea an amount of approximately 2.58 Â 10 6 tons of sediment. During this period, (i) the number of floods with a return period of more than 10 years has almost doubled during the last 30 years, and (ii) the mean annual discharge during last 10 years increased by approximately 175%. The analysis of the short (2 years) hydrological and sediment data revealed that approximately 30% of the upstream channel loads do not reach the river mouth and are deposited along the channel bed, even during major flood events. This observation was attributed largely to the facts that the lower river bed is incised below sea level, to the very low slopes and to the correspondingly low stream power and transport capacity. The results of this study highlight the effect of interchannel dynamics as well as the constraints of interaction between fluvial system and estuarine processes on sediment transport.
Continental Shelf Research, 2005
A 1-month survey, comprising moored instruments and high-frequency sampling, was carried out in a shallow Mediterranean embayment during the autumn of 1999, to assess the effect of strong and unpredictable meteorological events on the near-bed, fine-grained sediment dynamics. A 1DV Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) model for the wave-current boundary layer . 1DV bottom boundary layer modeling under combined wave and current: turbulent separation and phase lag effects. Journal of Geophysical Research 108(C1), 3016] is tested, against the recorded suspended sediment concentration data (SSC); it is used then to determine the sediment resuspension and flux in the embayment.