Multi-temporal scale variations of suspended sediment transport from Yellow river estuary to open sea

The Bohai Sea near the Yellow River estuary is one of the highest turbidity regions in the world. Studying the suspended sediment transport processes at different time scales is of significant importance for the development of sediment dynamics and regional coastal zone management. This study based on multi-source remote sensing data and numerical simulation systems, explains the transport processes of suspended sediment at different time scales and quantitatively analyzes the contribution rates of various dynamic factors to suspended sediment output. The results show that suspended sediment in the Yellow River estuary is mainly transported seaward during the ebb tide of spring tide period, with this primarily occurring in winter and spring. From a long-term perspective, there was a significant decreasing trend in suspended sediment concentration (SSC) during the seaward transport process. The numerical experiments show that among the various dynamic factors influencing the transportation of suspended sediment from the Yellow River estuary to the open sea, wave action accounts for 38.02 %, which is greater than the tidal current (29.26 %). However, the Yellow Sea Warm Current (YSWC) is unfavorable to the transportation of suspended sediment from the Yellow River estuary outward, with a contribution rate of −3.57 %.