Seismic framework and the Holocene morphological evolution of the Changjiang River mouth, China

Acoustic profiling in combination with coring has been used to examine the recent evolution of river mouth of the Changjiang. Two acoustic facies are present. Petrologic, radiometric and seismic analyses show that the upper facies I of 10–20 m thick fine sand and silt represents the sandy shoals of late Holocene age in the distributary, and the 5–20 m thick lower facies II of fine-grained silty clay with abundant marine microfossils represents the mid-Holocene prodelta facies deposited as fillings in the former large estuarine valley of late Pleistocene to early Holocene origin. Rapid accumulation during the Holocene has led to some instability of unconsolidated sedimentary strata in the distributary, such as strata collapse and mud diaper formation. The existence of large cross beddings, such as tabular and trough stratification in facies I identifies the sediment transport as predominantly bed load, driven by runoff and tidal currents. Two sets of discrete flood-ebb flow troughs, oriented NW and SE reflect controls by tidal waves generated from the sea and the superimposition of runoff and ebb flows. Symmetrical sand waves that appear at the northern trough of one of the distributaries also indicate the balancing sediment dynamics between runoff-ebb and flood currents, whereas the asymmetrical ones in the southern trough indicate superimposed sedimentation by runoff and ebb flows. A large quantity of sediment has been deposited in the slack water region between the discrete flood and ebb flows to form sandy shoals — the principal mechanism of the evolution of estuarine islands in the Holocene Changjiang mouth. The morphology of the extended river mouth to the southeast possibly indicates an external driving force, such as the Coriolis Effect, NW-prevailing wind and longshore currents.