Abstract
Sedimentary dispersal systems with fine-grained beds are common, yet the physics of sediment movement within them remains poorly constrained. We analyze sediment transport data for the best-documented, fine-grained river worldwide, the Huanghe (Yellow River) of China, where sediment flux is underpredicted by an order of magnitude according to well-accepted sediment transport relations. Our theoretical framework, bolstered by field observations, demonstrates that the Huanghe tends toward upper-stage plane bed, yielding minimal form drag, thus markedly enhancing sediment transport efficiency.We present a sediment transport formulation applicable to all river systems with silt to coarse-sand beds. This formulation demonstrates a remarkably sensitive dependence on grain size within a certain narrow range and therefore has special relevance to silt-sand fluvial systems, particularly those affected by dams. 2017
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Article number | e1603114 |
| Journal | Science Advances |
| Volume | 3 |
| Issue number | 5 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 2017 |
Fingerprint
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General
Cite this
The exceptional sediment load of fine-grained dispersal systems : Example of the Yellow River, China. / Ma, Hongbo; Nittrouer, Jeffrey A.; Naito, Kensuke; Fu, Xudong; Zhang, Yuanfeng; Moodie, Andrew J.; Wang, Yuanjian; Wu, Baosheng; Parker, Gary.
In: Science Advances, Vol. 3, No. 5, e1603114, 05.2017.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - The exceptional sediment load of fine-grained dispersal systems
T2 - Example of the Yellow River, China
AU - Ma, Hongbo
AU - Nittrouer, Jeffrey A.
AU - Naito, Kensuke
AU - Fu, Xudong
AU - Zhang, Yuanfeng
AU - Moodie, Andrew J.
AU - Wang, Yuanjian
AU - Wu, Baosheng
AU - Parker, Gary
PY - 2017/5
Y1 - 2017/5
N2 - Sedimentary dispersal systems with fine-grained beds are common, yet the physics of sediment movement within them remains poorly constrained. We analyze sediment transport data for the best-documented, fine-grained river worldwide, the Huanghe (Yellow River) of China, where sediment flux is underpredicted by an order of magnitude according to well-accepted sediment transport relations. Our theoretical framework, bolstered by field observations, demonstrates that the Huanghe tends toward upper-stage plane bed, yielding minimal form drag, thus markedly enhancing sediment transport efficiency.We present a sediment transport formulation applicable to all river systems with silt to coarse-sand beds. This formulation demonstrates a remarkably sensitive dependence on grain size within a certain narrow range and therefore has special relevance to silt-sand fluvial systems, particularly those affected by dams. 2017
AB - Sedimentary dispersal systems with fine-grained beds are common, yet the physics of sediment movement within them remains poorly constrained. We analyze sediment transport data for the best-documented, fine-grained river worldwide, the Huanghe (Yellow River) of China, where sediment flux is underpredicted by an order of magnitude according to well-accepted sediment transport relations. Our theoretical framework, bolstered by field observations, demonstrates that the Huanghe tends toward upper-stage plane bed, yielding minimal form drag, thus markedly enhancing sediment transport efficiency.We present a sediment transport formulation applicable to all river systems with silt to coarse-sand beds. This formulation demonstrates a remarkably sensitive dependence on grain size within a certain narrow range and therefore has special relevance to silt-sand fluvial systems, particularly those affected by dams. 2017
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85037034059&partnerID=8YFLogxK
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85037034059&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1126/sciadv.1603114
DO - 10.1126/sciadv.1603114
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85037034059
VL - 3
JO - Science advances
JF - Science advances
SN - 2375-2548
IS - 5
M1 - e1603114
ER -