Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 16 November 2020 doi:10.20944/preprints202011.0414.v1 Characteristics of underwater topography, geomorphology and sediment source in Qinzhou Bay Chao Cao1,2,3*, Feng Cai1,2, Hongshuai Qi1,2,3, Huiquan Lu1, Yongling Zheng1, Xiangjin Pan3, Kai Zhu3, Xiaojing Zhu3 1 Third Institute of Oceanography, Ministry of Natural and Resources, Xiamen 361005, China 2 Fujian Provincial Key Laboratory of Marine Ecological Conservation and Restoration, Xiamen 361005, China 3 School of Civil Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350108, China * Correspondence:
[email protected]; Tel: +86-592-2195306 Highlights: 1. Human activities for exploitation and utilization of coastal zones have transformed coastline morphology and severely changed regional flow fields, underwater topography, and sediment distribution in the sea. 2. Together with the channel effect where the velocity of ebb tide is greater than that of flood tide, the underwater topography is characterized by increased scale and height difference of troughs and ridges as well as enhanced offshore deposition. Abstract: Human activities for exploitation and utilization of coastal zones have transformed coastline morphology and severely changed regional flow fields, underwater topography, and sediment distribution in the sea. In this study, single-beam bathymetry coupled with sediment sampling and analysis was carried out to ascertain submarine topography, geomorphology 1 © 2020 by the author(s). Distributed under a Creative Commons CC BY license. Preprints (www.preprints.org) | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 16 November 2020 doi:10.20944/preprints202011.0414.v1 and sediment distribution patterns and explore sediment provenance in Qinzhou Bay, China. The results show the following.