Turbidity maximum formation and its seasonal variations in the Zhujiang (Pearl River) Estuary, southern China

Real-time observations in the field and numerical simulations (with Delft3D) were combined to study the formation, distribution and the relevant influencing factors of turbidity maximum (TM) in the Zhujiang (Pearl River) Estuary (ZE). The spatial distribution pattern of the TM varies with the longitudinal distributions of salinity and suspended sediment concentration (SSC). The SSC is enhanced and the TM is intensified during dry seasons, whereas the center of the TM moves upstream by a distance of 10 km during wet seasons. The formation of the TM is influenced by a complex combination of numerous factors, including tides, river discharges and topography, wherein sediment resuspension and vertical circulation dominate the formations and variability of the TM.