Effect of sediment-induced density stratification on capacity concentration

Suspended sediment transport is one of the crucial processes in shaping geomorphology. Therefore, understanding the governing physical mechanisms that drive suspended sediment transport is essential. In coastal and shelf environments, sediment-induced density stratification is hypothesized to be the primary regulating mechanism of maximum suspended sediment load. In contrast, fluvial sediment transport studies suggest that density stratification is significant only in alluvial rivers with mild bed slopes; otherwise sediment mass exchange at the bed regulates suspended sediment load. This study develops new relationships to quantify suspended sediment load and determine the conditions under which sediment transport is governed by density stratification versus sediment mass exchange at the bed.

The data shared includes scripts that generate the figures in Ozdemir et al. (2025)* and ancillary input and post-processing files that helped obtain the results.

*Ozdemir, C. E., Nieh, T-J., and Yue. L. (2025) Contrasting Controls on Suspended Sediment Load in Coastal and Fluvial Systems: Sediment-Induced Density Stratification vs. Mass Exchange at the Bed. Geophysical Research Letters (in review).