Recent Sedimentation Dynamics Indicated by ^sup 210^Pb^sub exc^ and ^sup 137^Cs Records from the Subtidal Area of Bohai Bay, China

• Published in: Journal of coastal research 2016-03, Vol.32 (2), p.416
• Main Authors: Wang, Fu, Zong, Yong Qiang, Li, Jian Fen, Tian, Li Zhu, Shang, Zhi Wen, Chen, Yong Sheng, Jiang, Xing Yu, Yang, Ji Long, Yang, Biao, Wang, Hong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Coasts; Cores; River discharge; River flow; Rivers; Sediment transport; Sedimentation & deposition; Sedimentation rates; Sediments
• ISSN: 0749-0208; 1551-5036
• DOI: 10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-15-00074.1

To determine sedimentation rate changes across an open marine area along the west coast of Bohai Bay, more than 50 short sediment cores were collected and analyzed with their sedimentation rates estimated by excess ^sup 210^Pb (^sup 210^Pb^sub exc^) and ^sup 137^Cs in the sediment. The surveys enabled the authors to explore the relationship between sediment supply changes from the rivers and the spatial/temporal deposition patterns in the shallow marine areas. Several core records show that sedimentation rates can be overestimated by the conventional constant initial concentration model based on the ^sup 210^Pb^sub exc^ curves alone. The overestimation was caused by a change of ^sup 210^Pb^sub exc^ in the top layers of these cores and this is confirmed by comparing ^sup 210^Pb^sub exc^ curves with the respective ^sup 137^Cs curves. The sedimentary boundary where sedimentation rate changed is largely comparable with the timing of sediment supply change according to the river discharge data, which can be used as a local time marker for sedimentation rate comparison.