Characterisation of the suspended particulate matter in a stratified estuarine environment employing complementary techniques

Abstract

The ability to predict the sediment and nutrient circulation within estuarine waters is of significant economic and ecological importance. In these complex systems, flocculation is a dynamically active process that is directly affected by the prevalent environmental conditions. Consequently, the floc properties continuously change, which greatly complicates the characterisation of the suspended particle matter (SPM). In the present study, three different techniques are combined in a stratified estuary under quiet weather conditions and with a low river discharge to search for a solution to this problem. The challenge is to obtain the concentration, size and flux of suspended elements through selected cross-sections using the method based on the simultaneous backscatter records of 1200 and 600 kHz ADCPs, isokinetic sampling data and LISST-25X measurements. The two-ADCP method is highly effective for determining the SPM size distributions in a non-intrusive way. The isokinetic sampling and the LISST-25X diffractometer offer point measurements at specific depths, which are especially useful for calibrating the ADCP backscatter intensity as a function of the SPM concentration and size, and providing complementary information on the sites where acoustic records are not available. Limitations and potentials of the techniques applied are discussed.