Circulation and suspended sediment transport in a sediment starving ria: the Itapessoca

The Itapessoca estuary is part of the Itamaracá-Itapessoca Estuarine System, a ria-type located on northeast Brazilian shore, in state Pernambuco. Here we present an assessment estuarine circulation, suspended sediment dynamics, and its main transport mechanisms. We carried out field survey where water level, currents, salinity, temperature, concentration (SSC) were recorded at 10-minute intervals during two complete semi-diurnal tidal cycles under spring tide conditions. was conducted September (2012), which transitional period between wet dry seasons. level displayed symmetrical ebb-flood phases; however, currents ebb-dominated. freshwater contribution negligible, mean salinity ~35 g/kg, slightly lower than adjacent shelf values (36.5 g/kg). SSC driven by ebb-dominated with highest ~30 mg/l occurring peak current ebb. source erosion from bottom, much other similar estuaries (e.g., Caravelas). This observation suggests this system ‘sediment starved system’ sense that it presents low sediment.