Sources, sinks and resuspension of suspended particulate matter in the eastern English Channel

Autor: Jean-Paul Dupont, Marie-Francoise Huault, Michael Collins, C. Bishop, E.K. Oikonomou, Jean-Claude Salomon, Robert Lafite, Adonis F. Velegrakis, M. Lecouturier, D. Michel
Přispěvatelé: Morphodynamique Continentale et Côtière (M2C), Université de Caen Normandie (UNICAEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Normandie Université (NU)-Institut national des sciences de l'Univers (INSU - CNRS)-Université de Rouen Normandie (UNIROUEN), Normandie Université (NU)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Ocean and Earth Science [Southampton], University of Southampton-National Oceanography Centre (NOC), Laboratoire Kastler Brossel (LKB (Lhomond)), Fédération de recherche du Département de physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure - ENS Paris (FRDPENS), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS-PSL), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS), Université Pierre et Marie Curie - Paris 6 (UPMC)-Fédération de recherche du Département de physique de l'Ecole Normale Supérieure - ENS Paris (FRDPENS), École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-École normale supérieure - Paris (ENS Paris), Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Université Paris sciences et lettres (PSL)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)-Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (CNRS)
Jazyk: angličtina
Rok vydání: 1999
Předmět:
Zdroj: Continental Shelf Research
Continental Shelf Research, 1999, 19 (15-16), pp.1933-1957. ⟨10.1016/S0278-4343(99)00047-3⟩
Continental Shelf Research, Elsevier, 1999, 19 (15-16), pp.1933-1957. ⟨10.1016/S0278-4343(99)00047-3⟩
ISSN: 0278-4343
1873-6955
DOI: 10.1016/S0278-4343(99)00047-3⟩
Popis: Seasonal observations on the nature and concentration of suspended particulate matter (SPM) are presented for a cross-section of the English Channel, between the Isle of Wight (UK) and Cotentin peninsula (France) i.e. the western boundary of the eastern English Channel. The highest concentrations of suspended material are found adjacent to the English coastline, whereas the offshore waters are associated with low concentrations. Seasonal variations in the concentration and nature of suspended material are identified, with highest concentrations in winter. At this time, the suspended particles are characterised generally by peaked grain size spectra and an enrichment in coarse silt particles; in summer, the distributions are generally flat. The diatom communities found within the suspended matter indicate that material resuspended in the coastal zone and the estuarine environments is transported offshore. SPM fluxes (based upon the observed SPM concentrations and the output from a 2-D hydrodynamic model) from the western Channel through the Wight–Cotentin Section, ranged between 2 and 71×10 6 t a −1 with a mean of around 20×10 6 t a −1 over the period of the observations (1994–1995). These fluxes are comparable to the order of magnitude and mean value reported as output through the Dover Strait. Therefore, it is possible that the eastern English Channel may be characterised as an area of fine-grained sediment `bypass'. This interpretation is corroborated by: (a) the absence of fine-grained sediment deposits over the area; and (b) correlation between the potential resuspension time of the fine particles and the seabed sediment distribution.
Databáze: OpenAIRE