Characteristic Numbers of Suspended Sediment Concentration (independent of tides)

A graphic sketch for the definition of the various tidal characteristic numbers of suspended sediment concentration is not available. Due to the fact that they are defined in complete analogy to salinity we do refer here to the respective graphical representations of the characteristic numbers of salinity (independent of tides) for further insight.

Motivation

Calculation and graphic display of several tide-independent characteristic numbers of suspended sediment concentration can yield additional insight into suspended sediment concentration related phenomena of natural coastal and/or inland waters. In contrast to the computation of the tidal characteristic numbers of suspended sediment concentration the tide-independent numbers can be preferable used for

• natural waters which are not dominated by the tides, e.g. like the coastal waters and estuaries along the Baltic Sea coast of Germany, or in
• extreme situations, like for example periods of high or low fresh water runoff, when suspended sediment concentration may deviate strongly from the average (tide-dominated) conditions, as well as for the
• determination of characteristic values of suspended sediment concentration for an arbitrary long (or short) period of time.

In particular there are several useful applications possible for this type of data analysis:

• In addition to informations about the highest and lowest suspended sediment concentration values which occur during an arbitrary period one can calculate also the maximum suspended sediment concentration difference for this time span. This is a good indicator for the natural variability of suspended sediment concentration.
• Maximum values for the (rate of) increase and (rate of) decrease of suspended sediment concentration are an additional measure for the characterization of e.g. extreme runoff situations.
• From the computed times for the duration of high suspended sediment concentration and the duration of low suspended sediment concentration one can draw conclusions with respect to the impact of suspended sediment concentration on organisms living in the water or along the beaches.
• The variance of the time-dependent suspended sediment concentration evolution with respect to mean suspended sediment concentration can be used as an indicator for the dynamics of a natural water system.

An automatic analysis of all tide-independent characteristic numbers of suspended sediment concentration is carried through by the computer programs LZKSF and NCANALYSE.

Definitions for the tide-independent characteristic numbers of suspended sediment concentration

Program NCANALYSE

Maximum Value of Suspended Sediment

Highest (local) value of suspended sediment within the period of data analysis.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Minimum Value of Suspended Sediment

Lowest (local) value of suspended sediment within the period of data analysis.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Mean Value of Suspended Sediment

Mean value of suspended sediment within the period of data analysis.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Maximum Suspended Sediment Difference

Difference in suspended sediment between maximum and minimum value within the period of data analysis.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Standard Deviation of Suspended Sediment

Standard deviation of suspended sediment within the period of data analysis.
Computed for permanently flooded areas only.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Variance of Suspended Sediment

Variance of suspended sediment within the period of data analysis.
Computed for permanently flooded areas only.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Duration of High Suspended Sediment

Time span for which suspended sediment lies above a certain threshold within an arbitrary period of time.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Duration of Low Suspended Sediment

Time span for which suspended sediment lies below a certain threshold within an arbitrary period of time.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Relative Frequency Distribution of Suspended Sediment

Relative frequency of suspended sediment within given suspended sediment intervals.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Cumulative Frequency Distribution of Suspended Sediment

Cumulative frequency of suspended sediment within given suspended sediment intervals.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Exceedance Frequency of Suspended Sediment Limits

Exceedance frequency of suspended sediment limits within the period of data analysis.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Underflow Frequency of Suspended Sediment Limits

Underflow frequency of suspended sediment limits within the period of data analysis.
Data analysis: NCANALYSE.

Quantiles of Suspended Sediment

suspended sediment value of a time series which is not exceeded of a certain percentage of suspended sediment values in the serie.
Computed for permanently flooded areas only.