Summary
Sediment grain size is considered one of the most important tools for the interpretation of depositional environments in estuaries (Das, 2009). Sorting indicates the
process of modification of the sediments, whereas graphic
mean size reflects the environment of sediment accumulation. Rigorous flow transports the sediments in the depositional environment causing poor sorting of sediment
particles. Sediments are skewed in selective transportation, and a particular sediment population is characterized
by inclusive graphic kurtosis (Davis, 1983).
Grain size of estuarine sediments reflects the nature of
source sediments and their hydrodynamic condition of
deposition. Generally erosion dominates along the seaward reach of the estuary, with high wave energy and
deposition predominating in the landward reaches of relatively quieter environment. Thus finer muddy sediments
are deposited on the estuarine banks and flanks of the
mid-channel bars and point bars, with low depositional
energy.
Bibliography
Benson, D. J., 1981. Textural analyses with Texas instruments
59 programmable calculator. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology,
51(2), 61–62.
Blott, S. J., and Pye, K., 2001. GRADISTAT: a grain size distribution and statistics package for the analysis of unconsolidated sediments. Earth Surface Process – Landforms, 26, 1237–1248.
Coulter Electronics Inc., 1989. Coulter Multisizer AccuComp Color
Software: Reference Manual. Florida: Hialeah.
Das, G. K., 2009. Grain size analysis of some beach sands from the
Indian coasts. Geographical Review of India, 71(1), 10–18.
Davis, R. A. D., 1983. Depositional Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.
Folk, R. L., and Ward, W., 1957. Brazos river bar-A study in the significance of grain size parameters. Journal of Sedimentary
Petrology, 27, 3–26.
Friedman, G. M., 1967. Dynamic processes and statistical parameters compared for size frequency distribution of beach and river
sands. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 37, 327–354.
Jones, S. B., and Simpkin, P., 1970. A computer program for the
calculation of hydrometer size analyses. Marine Geology, 9,
M23–M29.
Kane, W. T., and Hubert, J. F., 1962. FORTRAN program for the
calculation of grain-size textural parameters on the IBM 1620
computer. Sedimentology, 2, 87–90.
Krumbein, W. C., and Pettijohn, F. J., 1938. Manual of Sedimentary
Petrography. New York: D. Appleton – Century.
Moiola, R. J., and Weiser, D., 1968. Textural parameters: an evaluation. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 38, 45.
Muerdter, D. R., Dauphin, J. P., and Steele, G., 1981. An interactive
computerized system for grain size analysis of silt using electroresistance. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 51, 647–650.
Poppe, L. J., Eliason, A. H., and Fredericks, J. J., 1985. APSAS:
An Automated Particle-Size Analysis System. U.S. Geological
Survey Circular, vol 963.
Rigler, J. K., Collins, M. B., and Williams, S. J., 1981. A high –
precision digital recording sedimentation tower for sands.
Journal Sedimentary Petrology, 51, 642–644.
Sawyer, M.B., 1977. Computer Program for the Calculation of
Grain-Size Statistics by the Method of Moments. U.S. Geological
Survey Open File Report 77–580.
Schlee, J., 1966. A modified woods hole rapid sediment analyzer.
Journal Sedimentary Petrology, 30, 403–413.
Schlee, J., and Webster, J., 1967. A computer program for grain-size
data. Sedimentology, 8, 45–54.
Syvitski, J. P. M., Asprey, K. W., and Clattenburg, D. A., 1991. Principles, design and calibration of settling tubes. In Syvitski,
J. P. M. (ed.), Principles, Methods and Applications of Particle
Size Analysis. New York: Cambridge University Press, pp. 3–21.
Visher, G. S., 1969. Grain size distributions and depositional processes. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 39(3), 1074–1106.
Wentworth, C. K., 1932. The mechanical composition of sediments
in graphic form. University of Iowa Studies in Natural History,
14(3), 127.
Zeigler, J. M., Whitney, G. G., Jr., and Hayes, C. R., 1960. Woods
hole rapid sediment analyzer. Journal Sedimentary Petrology,
30, 490–495.
Zeigler, J. M., Hayes, C. R., and Webb, D. C., 1964. Direct readout
of sediment analyses by settling tube for computer processing.
Science, 145, 51.
Cross-references
Sediment Sorting
Sediment Transport
SEDIMENT RESUSPENSION
Tian-Jian Hsu
Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of
Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
Definition
Sediment resuspension is the suspension and redistribution of previously deposited sediment particles in the
water column due to hydrodynamic forcing.
Sediment suspension is the mobilization and entrainment of sediment particles from the bed due to hydrodynamic forcing.
Introduction
Sediment resuspension plays a critical role in estuarine
sediment budgets. Sediment fluxes in an estuary can be
contributed from both marine and terrestrial origins.
Resuspension of marine sediments, mainly sand, by nearshore waves, currents, and wave-induced currents, shapes
coastal landforms (Dean and Dalrymple, 2002). Often,
marine sand can also enter (or reenter) an estuary facilitated by tidal asymmetry and estuarine circulation
(MacCready and Geyer, 2010). A significant amount of
terrestrial sediment is fine-grained, such as clay and silt.
Fine-grained sediments become cohesive in estuaries and
form floc aggregates (also called mud) through flocculation (Winterwerp and van Kesteren, 2004). Flocs are vehicles of organic carbon, nutrients, and pollutants, which
further leads to many ecological and geochemical outcomes in the water column and benthic boundary layer
(Santschi et al., 2005). When terrestrial sediments are
delivered to estuaries or river mouths, significant trapping
558
SEDIMENT RESUSPENSION
Sediment grain size is considered one of the most important tools for the interpretation of depositional environments in estuaries (Das, 2009). Sorting indicates the
process of modification of the sediments, whereas graphic
mean size reflects the environment of sediment accumulation. Rigorous flow transports the sediments in the depositional environment causing poor sorting of sediment
particles. Sediments are skewed in selective transportation, and a particular sediment population is characterized
by inclusive graphic kurtosis (Davis, 1983).
Grain size of estuarine sediments reflects the nature of
source sediments and their hydrodynamic condition of
deposition. Generally erosion dominates along the seaward reach of the estuary, with high wave energy and
deposition predominating in the landward reaches of relatively quieter environment. Thus finer muddy sediments
are deposited on the estuarine banks and flanks of the
mid-channel bars and point bars, with low depositional
energy.
Bibliography
Benson, D. J., 1981. Textural analyses with Texas instruments
59 programmable calculator. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology,
51(2), 61–62.
Blott, S. J., and Pye, K., 2001. GRADISTAT: a grain size distribution and statistics package for the analysis of unconsolidated sediments. Earth Surface Process – Landforms, 26, 1237–1248.
Coulter Electronics Inc., 1989. Coulter Multisizer AccuComp Color
Software: Reference Manual. Florida: Hialeah.
Das, G. K., 2009. Grain size analysis of some beach sands from the
Indian coasts. Geographical Review of India, 71(1), 10–18.
Davis, R. A. D., 1983. Depositional Systems. Englewood Cliffs, NJ:
Prentice-Hall.
Folk, R. L., and Ward, W., 1957. Brazos river bar-A study in the significance of grain size parameters. Journal of Sedimentary
Petrology, 27, 3–26.
Friedman, G. M., 1967. Dynamic processes and statistical parameters compared for size frequency distribution of beach and river
sands. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 37, 327–354.
Jones, S. B., and Simpkin, P., 1970. A computer program for the
calculation of hydrometer size analyses. Marine Geology, 9,
M23–M29.
Kane, W. T., and Hubert, J. F., 1962. FORTRAN program for the
calculation of grain-size textural parameters on the IBM 1620
computer. Sedimentology, 2, 87–90.
Krumbein, W. C., and Pettijohn, F. J., 1938. Manual of Sedimentary
Petrography. New York: D. Appleton – Century.
Moiola, R. J., and Weiser, D., 1968. Textural parameters: an evaluation. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 38, 45.
Muerdter, D. R., Dauphin, J. P., and Steele, G., 1981. An interactive
computerized system for grain size analysis of silt using electroresistance. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 51, 647–650.
Poppe, L. J., Eliason, A. H., and Fredericks, J. J., 1985. APSAS:
An Automated Particle-Size Analysis System. U.S. Geological
Survey Circular, vol 963.
Rigler, J. K., Collins, M. B., and Williams, S. J., 1981. A high –
precision digital recording sedimentation tower for sands.
Journal Sedimentary Petrology, 51, 642–644.
Sawyer, M.B., 1977. Computer Program for the Calculation of
Grain-Size Statistics by the Method of Moments. U.S. Geological
Survey Open File Report 77–580.
Schlee, J., 1966. A modified woods hole rapid sediment analyzer.
Journal Sedimentary Petrology, 30, 403–413.
Schlee, J., and Webster, J., 1967. A computer program for grain-size
data. Sedimentology, 8, 45–54.
Syvitski, J. P. M., Asprey, K. W., and Clattenburg, D. A., 1991. Principles, design and calibration of settling tubes. In Syvitski,
J. P. M. (ed.), Principles, Methods and Applications of Particle
Size Analysis. New York: Cambridge University Press, pp. 3–21.
Visher, G. S., 1969. Grain size distributions and depositional processes. Journal of Sedimentary Petrology, 39(3), 1074–1106.
Wentworth, C. K., 1932. The mechanical composition of sediments
in graphic form. University of Iowa Studies in Natural History,
14(3), 127.
Zeigler, J. M., Whitney, G. G., Jr., and Hayes, C. R., 1960. Woods
hole rapid sediment analyzer. Journal Sedimentary Petrology,
30, 490–495.
Zeigler, J. M., Hayes, C. R., and Webb, D. C., 1964. Direct readout
of sediment analyses by settling tube for computer processing.
Science, 145, 51.
Cross-references
Sediment Sorting
Sediment Transport
SEDIMENT RESUSPENSION
Tian-Jian Hsu
Civil & Environmental Engineering, University of
Delaware, Newark, DE, USA
Definition
Sediment resuspension is the suspension and redistribution of previously deposited sediment particles in the
water column due to hydrodynamic forcing.
Sediment suspension is the mobilization and entrainment of sediment particles from the bed due to hydrodynamic forcing.
Introduction
Sediment resuspension plays a critical role in estuarine
sediment budgets. Sediment fluxes in an estuary can be
contributed from both marine and terrestrial origins.
Resuspension of marine sediments, mainly sand, by nearshore waves, currents, and wave-induced currents, shapes
coastal landforms (Dean and Dalrymple, 2002). Often,
marine sand can also enter (or reenter) an estuary facilitated by tidal asymmetry and estuarine circulation
(MacCready and Geyer, 2010). A significant amount of
terrestrial sediment is fine-grained, such as clay and silt.
Fine-grained sediments become cohesive in estuaries and
form floc aggregates (also called mud) through flocculation (Winterwerp and van Kesteren, 2004). Flocs are vehicles of organic carbon, nutrients, and pollutants, which
further leads to many ecological and geochemical outcomes in the water column and benthic boundary layer
(Santschi et al., 2005). When terrestrial sediments are
delivered to estuaries or river mouths, significant trapping
558
SEDIMENT RESUSPENSION