A Field Observation on the Suspended Sediment Concentration in the Han River Estuary Affected both by Tide and River Runoff

Abstract

Measurements of velocity and turbidity were undertaken near the Jullyu gauging station (37o41.863' N, 126o39.902' E) on the Han River Estuary in July 1-16 (6th month 2-17 according to the lunar calendar), 2003. A continuous fixed-point data of turbidity was acquisited by the OBS (Optical Backscatter Sensor) and calibrated by pumped suspended sediment samples in the laboratory. The maximum suspended sediment concentration was 1.70 g / l at a flood tide and its mean value over the entire period was 0.14 g / l . The suspended sediment concentration in the outflow is much larger than that in the inflow, with the transport phase tending to depend upon the tidal range. River runoff results in increase of the suspended sediment concentration in the outflow and seems to suppress the suspended sediment concentration in the recession of that. Longer period of observation is needed to understand more clearly the mechanism of suspended sediment transport in the Han River Estuary.