Morphodynamics of a tidal ridge system in the southwestern Yellow Sea: HF radar study

• Published in: Estuarine, coastal and shelf science coastal and shelf science, 2018-06, Vol.206, p.27-37
• Main Authors: Zhong, Yao-Zhao, Li, Yan, Wu, Xiong-Bin, Gao, Shu, Zhou, Tao, Wang, Ya Ping, Gao, Jian-Hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: HF radar; Morphodynamic processes; Southwestern Yellow Sea; Tidal channels; Tidal ridges
• ISSN: 0272-7714; 1096-0015
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ecss.2017.08.025

A radial tidal ridge system is present throughout the coastal waters of the southwestern Yellow Sea (China) with varied and complicated ridges and channels between them. A newly designed ground-wave high-frequency (HF radar), with full-coverage and high spatial-temporal resolution, was employed in this study to measure the surface currents and bathymetric features correlated wave celerity in the study area from July 17 to August 6, 2011. We found that the spatial distribution pattern of the tidal channels is generally stable with periodic adjustments during a spring-neap tidal cycle and with higher degree of spatial orderliness from neap to spring tides than from spring to neap tides; the nearshore part of the channels is most stable in lateral, the middle part is relatively lateral unstable, and the offshore part changes complicatedly; flood-dominated channels and ebb-dominated ridges are identified using HF radar signals. The horizontal Kelvin number (Keh) is workable in lateral stability evaluation. This study reveals the potential of HF radar in morphodynamic studies on shallow coastal waters. [Display omitted] •HF radar is a new technique for morphodynamics study on shallow water areas.•Spatial pattern of tidal ridge system adjusts in a spring-neap tide cycle.•Flood dominated channel and ebb dominated ridge are found.•Tidal channels tend to be stable with small horizontal Kelvin number.