Morphological Characteristics and Control Factors of Bedforms in Southern Gyeonggi Bay, Yellow Sea

Abstract

Morphological surveys of southern Gyeonggi Bay in the Yellow Sea were conducted for2 years (2006 and 2007) by using multibeam echosounder for investigating the morphological features of bedforms. The subaqueous dunes are shown in various shapes (A~F type) and continuous spectrum of heights and lengths of transverse-to-current dunes on the wide range of sedimentary types. The height-length power-law correlation of dunes is Hmean=0.0393L (r=0.66). The comparison between Flemming (1988)'s correlation and height-length correlation of this study indicates that the subaqueous dunes in the study area are equilibrated in the present hydrological and sedimentary environment. The major controlling factors to thedevelopment and maintenance of subaqueous dunes are both strong tidal currents and the abundant availability of sand. Marine sand mining, artificial impact, changes from the original shape to an irregular shape of the subaqueous dunes with a shorter wavelength and lower height, which has influence on the development and maintenance of bedform because it causes a decrease of the availability of sediment. Water depth and sedimentary characteristics, and othercontrolling factors seem to play limited roles in the development and maintenance of subaqueous dunes.