DETERMINATION OF PRESERVATION POTENTIAL IN TIDAL FLAT SEDIMENTARY RECORDS: A FORWARD MODELING APPROACH
潮滩沉积记录正演模拟初探*

A forward modeling method to obtain information on sediment preservation potential in tidal flat sequences is proposed and an example from the middle Jiangsu coast is provided to illustrate its application. The model output shows that under the condition of constant sediment supply the shoreline progradation is associated with a decreasing prograding rate, a decreasing sediment accumulation rate, and an increasing thickness of mud layer that represents the upper part of the intertidal flat sequence. Calculations for the preservation potential of sediment layers demonstrate that the potential is the highest near the high water level or in the lower parts of the sub-tidal zone, with a maximum of more than 80% ; it is the lowest over the lower part of the inter-tidal zone, with a minimum below 20%. These results are consistent with the observations made by other researchers. The model may be further improved by taking into account the effects of variability of bed slope and sediment distributions, hydrodynamic forces of waves and storms, and tidal creek migration. In combination with inverse methods, the forward modeling method may be beneficial to a better interpretation of sedimentary records.