Floc size and aspects of flocculation processes of suspended particulate matter in the North Sea area

Abstract

Investigations on the size of suspended particulate matter in the North Sea and two adjacent estuaries were carried out using an in situ technique: image analysis of photographs from an underwater camera system. The results obtained from such an in situ method gave a new knowledge on the size distributions of particles formed in natural waters, which is essential for understanding flocculation as well as for verifying models proposed to describe and simulate its processes.