Detailed seafloor geomorphology of the western region of the North Yellow Sea, China: The result of Holocene erosional and depositional processes sculpting the offshore continental shelf
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Abstract: High-resolution multi-beam/single-beam bathymetric data and seismic profiling data from the latest surveys are used to map and interpret the detailed seafloor geomorphology of the western region of the North Yellow Sea (NYS), China. The mapping area covers 156 410 km2, and incorporates a flat shelf plain, subaqueous accumulation shoals, tidal scouring troughs, and tidal sand ridge groups. Offshore areas with water depths less than 50 m in the western region of the NYS are mainly covered by thick, loose sediments, forming wide spread accumulation geomorphological features; these include the Liaodong Peninsula subaqueous accumulation system containing shoals and rugged scouring troughs, and the large mud wedge of the Shandong Peninsula. In the central part of the NYS, there is a relatively flat residual shelf plain with coarser sediment deposits. This flat shelf plain has a water depth larger than 50 m and a thin layer of sediment, on which there is a large pockmark field caused by seafloor seepage. These geomorphological structures indicate that modern sedimentary processes are the main driving force controlling the sculpture of the current seafloor surface landform. Extensive strong tidal current systems and abundant sediment sources provide the critical external forces and essential conditions for the formation of seafloor geomorphology. The tectonic basement controls the macroscopic morphological shape of the NYS, but is reflected very little in the seafloor geomorphic elements. Our results provide a detailed seafloor geomorphological map of the western region of the NYS, an area that has not previously mapped and also provide a scientific framework for further research into offshore seafloor geomorphology, shelf sedimentary processes, and submarine engineering construction in this region.
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Key words:
- seafloor geomorphology /
- North Yellow Sea /
- geomorphic map /
- mud wedge /
- accumulative shoal
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Figure 1. Rivers flowing into the Yellow Sea together with the seawater circulation model (Yang and Liu, 2007; Su and Yuan, 2005; Qiao et al., 2017) (a); mean grain size (
$\varPhi $ ) of seafloor surface sediments in the North Yellow Sea (modified after Wang et al. (2009); Li et al. (2014)) (b). YSWC: Yellow Sea Warm Current; YSCC: Yellow Sea Coastal Current; NYSC: North Yellow Sea Circulation; LCC: Liaonan Coastal Current; BCC: Bohai Coastal Current; YLR: Yalu River; DYR: Dayang River; ZHR: Zhuanghe River; BLR: Biliu River; DSR: Dengsha River; DTR: Datong River; HJR: Hanjiang River; JJR: Jinjiang River; LHR: Luanhe River; HR: Haihe River; HHR: Huanghe River; WHR: Waste Huanghe River; CHJR: Changjiang River.Figure 3. Dynamic tidal geomorphological unit off the south coast of the Liaodong Peninsula. This image shows tongue- and mound-shaped subaqueous shoals developed to the southwest of the islands and scouring troughs surrounding the islands. The trend of the subaqueous shoals is consistent with the main current direction.
Figure 5. Seismic profile 1. This profile is NW–SE trending. The left side of this profile comprises two subaqueous clinoforms in close proximity, the Guanglu Island shoal and the Haiyang Island shoal, which have been connected as a whole. The right side of this profile extends towards the SE and reaches the shelf plain in the central region of the North Yellow Sea.
Figure 10. Accumulative shoal (mud wedge) around the Shandong Peninsula. This image shows that the mud shoal platform wraps around the eastern end of the Shandong Peninsula, extends from the Bohai Strait to Chengshantou, and turns to southwards into the South Yellow Sea. The overall trend of the subaqueous shoal is consistent with the coastal current.
Figure 12. Geomorphological map of the North Yellow Sea (NYS). This map was compiled by referring to existing geomorphological maps (Lin, 1989; Geng, 1981; Liu et al., 2005; Cai, 2013; Li et al., 2020); the data obtained herein were used in the construction of the western part of the NYS.
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