title: Seismologically determined bedload flux during the typhoon season.
abstract: Continuous seismic records near river channels can be used to quantify the energy induced by river sediment transport. During the 2011 typhoon season, we deployed a seismic array along the Chishan River in the mountain area of southern Taiwan, where there is strong variability in water discharge and high sedimentation rates. We observe hysteresis in the high-frequency (5-15 Hz) seismic noise level relative to the associated hydrological parameters. In addition, our seismic noise analysis reveals an asymmetry and a high coherence in noise cross-correlation functions for several station pairs during the typhoon passage, which corresponds to sediment particles and turbulent flows impacting along the riverbed where the river bends sharply. Based on spectral characteristics of the seismic records, we also detected 20 landslide/debris flow events, which we use to estimate the sediment supply. Comparison of sediment flux between seismologically determined bedload and derived suspended load indicates temporal changes in the sediment flux ratio, which imply a complex transition process from the bedload regime to the suspension regime between typhoon passage and off-typhoon periods. Our study demonstrates the possibility of seismologically monitoring river bedload transport, thus providing valuable additional information for studying fluvial bedrock erosion and mountain landscape evolution.
authors: Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
authors: Wei-An
authors: WA
authors: Chao
authors: Department of Geosciences, National Taiwan University, Taipei 10617, Taiwan.
authors: Yih-Min
authors: YM
authors: Wu
authors: Institute of Earth Sciences, Academia Sinica, Nankang, Taipei 11529, Taiwan.
authors: Li
authors: L
authors: Zhao
authors: Seismological Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena, CA 91125, USA.
authors: Victor C
authors: VC
authors: Tsai
authors: Central Geological Survey, MOEA, Taipei 23568, Taiwan.
authors: Chi-Hsuan
authors: CH
authors: Chen
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