Suspended Sediment Transport in the Coastal Area of Jinhae Bay—Nakdong Estuary, Korea Strait

Abstract Hydrodynamic measurements and analysis of suspended sediments were conducted in the coastal area to reveal the source and dispersal processes of muds accumulating in Jinhae Bay, one of the largest bays in the Korea Strait. A number of hydrographic stations in the bay were occupied in order to obtain time series of suspended sediment concentrations, currents, water level, temperature, and salinity for one or two tidal cycles. The results, measured in May through October, suggest that a slight net influx of suspended sediments into the bay occurs consistently under low-wave, microtidal conditions. They also show a passageway of suspended sediments selectively through an entrance facing the open sea. The hydrodynamic measurements, together with tidal current pattern and landsat image of the suspended plume in the Korea Strait, indicate that the mud in Jinhae Bay has been fed largely by the adjacent Nakdong River, rather than by offshore sources.