Bottom water hydrodynamic provinces and transport patterns of the northern South China Sea: Evidence from grain size of the terrigenous sediments

Sediment transport in the source-to-sink systems of the northern South China Sea (SCS) has been of increasing interest during the past few decades. However, the mechanisms for sediment redistribution remain unclear. Sources and transport patterns in the northern SCS were investigated in this study based on grain size analyses of 205 surface sediment samples. Detailed characterizations of hydrodynamic conditions and sediment transport have been made using the log-ratio method to partition grain size components of surface sediments in the northern SCS. Results reveal that sediment dispersal patterns in the region generally contain traction, saltation, graded and uniform suspension modes. Based on the spatial distribution characteristics, the study area can be classified into three hydrodynamic provinces. Province A contains high traction concentrations that are exposed to the longshore current and topographic features, which are distributed in the Taiwan Shoal, Dongsha Islands and extends from the Pearl River estuary to the southeast of Hainan Island. Province B is characterized by higher values of saltation and graded suspension, which are widespread along the northern slope of the SCS, and its formation is interpreted as the result of interactions between down- and along-slope processes. Province C reaches its greatest concentration in the abyssal areas, particularly in the vicinity of Luzon Island, which settles only under calm conditions. Combined with previous data concerning magnetic susceptibility distributions of surface sediments from the northern SCS, the sediment transport route near the mainland is traced. Furthermore, based on distribution pattern of sortable silts and hydrodynamic provenance of the terrigenous sediments, the sediment transport route in the deep water region of the northern SCS is outlined. It flows along marginal channels which cut across the continental slope along isobaths. Taken together, the combination of grain-size components and sortable silts of surface sediment used here is a promising tool to better assess the modern variability of hydrodynamic conditions and transport processes in marine environments.