An observational study of the carrying capacity of suspended sediment during a storm event.

We measured the in situ suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and hydrodynamics (waves, currents, and sea level) concurrently during a storm event using self-recording instruments at offshore of the Shandong Peninsula in the Yellow Sea. We analyzed the temporal variation in suspended sediment carrying capacity and its correlation with wave, current, and water-level conditions. There was about 40% increase in SSC during the storm event. A 3-4-h lag was observed between the peak of wave height and SSC. The SSC increased in a fluctuating pattern up to the peak then decreased rapidly. This process was positively correlated with wave height and duration. The maximum SSC was 524.3 mg/l, which is about 10 times of that under normal weather conditions. This peak was observed after of a series of 1.8 m waves. The increased suspended sediments were the fine particles resuspended by the storm waves from seabed near the observation spot and transported by northward ebb currents from Shidao Bay.