{"id":{"repo_id":"east-anglia","oai_identifier":"oai:ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk:53376"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/east-anglia/oai:ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk:53376","repository":{"repo_id":"east-anglia","name":"University of East Anglia","base_url":"https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/cgi/oai2"},"display":{"title":"ADVANCING METHODS FOR APPORTIONING THE SOURCES OF SEDIMENT IN RIVERS: COMBINING SPECTROSCOPY AND STABLE ISOTOPES WITH BAYESIAN MIXING MODELS","abstract":"Sediment fingerprinting is a commonly employed technique for estimating sediment contributions from various eroding terrestrial sources to fluvial sediment load via a mixing model approach. However, there remain significant shortcomings in sediment fingerprinting practice, specifically relating to difficulties in producing high-temporal resolution apportionment estimates, inconsistencies in mixing model uncertainty representation, and a lack of attention given to organic matter provenance. Addressing these deficiencies, a combined X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRFS) and diffuse reflectance infra-red Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) approach is developed to rapidly, accurately and non-destructively analyse suspended particulate matter (SPM) geochemistry directly from sediment covered quartz fibre filter (QFF) papers at masses as low as 3 mg. An improved Bayesian source apportionment mixing model is then developed which allows for full characterisation of spatial geochemical variability, instrument precision and residual error, to yield a realistic and coherent assessment of the uncertainties associated with sediment fingerprinting estimates. Lastly, a novel application of a coupled molecular and δ2H and δ13C compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of leaf wax n-alkane biomarkers is conducted to demonstrate the apportionment of plant-specific organic matter contributions to streambed sediments. Employing these developments in conjunction with automatic water samplers, high-temporal resolution SPM source apportionment estimates are derived throughout the progression of numerous storm events in a lowland agricultural catchment, revealing significant temporal variability in SPM provenance at 60- and 120-min resolution. Lower resolution, weekly, baseflow sampling is also performed, revealing distinct seasonal cycles in SPM geochemistry and sediment source apportionment over a 23-month period. Collectively, the developments presented in this thesis significantly advance sediment fingerprinting research by enabling organic and inorganic fluvial sediment fractions to be quantitatively apportioned at both low- and high-temporal resolution within realistic levels of uncertainty, thereby enhancing our understanding of sediment dynamics under a range of instream hydrological conditions.","abstract_html":"Sediment fingerprinting is a commonly employed technique for estimating sediment contributions from various eroding terrestrial sources to fluvial sediment load via a mixing model approach. However, there remain significant shortcomings in sediment fingerprinting practice, specifically relating to difficulties in producing high-temporal resolution apportionment estimates, inconsistencies in mixing model uncertainty representation, and a lack of attention given to organic matter provenance. Addressing these deficiencies, a combined X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRFS) and diffuse reflectance infra-red Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) approach is developed to rapidly, accurately and non-destructively analyse suspended particulate matter (SPM) geochemistry directly from sediment covered quartz fibre filter (QFF) papers at masses as low as 3 mg. An improved Bayesian source apportionment mixing model is then developed which allows for full characterisation of spatial geochemical variability, instrument precision and residual error, to yield a realistic and coherent assessment of the uncertainties associated with sediment fingerprinting estimates. Lastly, a novel application of a coupled molecular and δ2H and δ13C compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of leaf wax n-alkane biomarkers is conducted to demonstrate the apportionment of plant-specific organic matter contributions to streambed sediments. Employing these developments in conjunction with automatic water samplers, high-temporal resolution SPM source apportionment estimates are derived throughout the progression of numerous storm events in a lowland agricultural catchment, revealing significant temporal variability in SPM provenance at 60- and 120-min resolution. Lower resolution, weekly, baseflow sampling is also performed, revealing distinct seasonal cycles in SPM geochemistry and sediment source apportionment over a 23-month period. Collectively, the developments presented in this thesis significantly advance sediment fingerprinting research by enabling organic and inorganic fluvial sediment fractions to be quantitatively apportioned at both low- and high-temporal resolution within realistic levels of uncertainty, thereby enhancing our understanding of sediment dynamics under a range of instream hydrological conditions.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Cooper, Richard"],"institution":"University of East Anglia","degree_name":"phd","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2015,"date_issued":"2015-05","date_published":"2015-05","updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:12:08Z","subjects":[],"languages":["en"],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":null,"outbound_label":null,"outbound_source":null},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Cooper, Richard"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2015-05"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2015-05"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["School of Environmental Sciences"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of East Anglia"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby","values":["https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/53376/"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["phd"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language","label":"Dc Language","values":["en"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/53376/1/Richard_James_Cooper_3520021_PhD_Thesis_2015.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["Sediment fingerprinting is a commonly employed technique for estimating sediment contributions from various eroding terrestrial sources to fluvial sediment load via a mixing model approach. However, there remain significant shortcomings in sediment fingerprinting practice, specifically relating to difficulties in producing high-temporal resolution apportionment estimates, inconsistencies in mixing model uncertainty representation, and a lack of attention given to organic matter provenance. Addressing these deficiencies, a combined X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRFS) and diffuse reflectance infra-red Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) approach is developed to rapidly, accurately and non-destructively analyse suspended particulate matter (SPM) geochemistry directly from sediment covered quartz fibre filter (QFF) papers at masses as low as 3 mg. An improved Bayesian source apportionment mixing model is then developed which allows for full characterisation of spatial geochemical variability, instrument precision and residual error, to yield a realistic and coherent assessment of the uncertainties associated with sediment fingerprinting estimates. Lastly, a novel application of a coupled molecular and δ2H and δ13C compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of leaf wax n-alkane biomarkers is conducted to demonstrate the apportionment of plant-specific organic matter contributions to streambed sediments. Employing these developments in conjunction with automatic water samplers, high-temporal resolution SPM source apportionment estimates are derived throughout the progression of numerous storm events in a lowland agricultural catchment, revealing significant temporal variability in SPM provenance at 60- and 120-min resolution. Lower resolution, weekly, baseflow sampling is also performed, revealing distinct seasonal cycles in SPM geochemistry and sediment source apportionment over a 23-month period. Collectively, the developments presented in this thesis significantly advance sediment fingerprinting research by enabling organic and inorganic fluvial sediment fractions to be quantitatively apportioned at both low- and high-temporal resolution within realistic levels of uncertainty, thereby enhancing our understanding of sediment dynamics under a range of instream hydrological conditions."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["application/pdf"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["ADVANCING METHODS FOR APPORTIONING THE SOURCES OF SEDIMENT IN RIVERS: COMBINING SPECTROSCOPY AND STABLE ISOTOPES WITH BAYESIAN MIXING MODELS"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:creator":["Cooper, Richard"],"dc:date":["2015-05"],"dc:date.issued":["2015-05"],"dc:description.abstract":["Sediment fingerprinting is a commonly employed technique for estimating sediment contributions from various eroding terrestrial sources to fluvial sediment load via a mixing model approach. However, there remain significant shortcomings in sediment fingerprinting practice, specifically relating to difficulties in producing high-temporal resolution apportionment estimates, inconsistencies in mixing model uncertainty representation, and a lack of attention given to organic matter provenance. Addressing these deficiencies, a combined X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy (XRFS) and diffuse reflectance infra-red Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) approach is developed to rapidly, accurately and non-destructively analyse suspended particulate matter (SPM) geochemistry directly from sediment covered quartz fibre filter (QFF) papers at masses as low as 3 mg. An improved Bayesian source apportionment mixing model is then developed which allows for full characterisation of spatial geochemical variability, instrument precision and residual error, to yield a realistic and coherent assessment of the uncertainties associated with sediment fingerprinting estimates. Lastly, a novel application of a coupled molecular and δ2H and δ13C compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) of leaf wax n-alkane biomarkers is conducted to demonstrate the apportionment of plant-specific organic matter contributions to streambed sediments. Employing these developments in conjunction with automatic water samplers, high-temporal resolution SPM source apportionment estimates are derived throughout the progression of numerous storm events in a lowland agricultural catchment, revealing significant temporal variability in SPM provenance at 60- and 120-min resolution. Lower resolution, weekly, baseflow sampling is also performed, revealing distinct seasonal cycles in SPM geochemistry and sediment source apportionment over a 23-month period. Collectively, the developments presented in this thesis significantly advance sediment fingerprinting research by enabling organic and inorganic fluvial sediment fractions to be quantitatively apportioned at both low- and high-temporal resolution within realistic levels of uncertainty, thereby enhancing our understanding of sediment dynamics under a range of instream hydrological conditions."],"dc:format":["application/pdf"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/53376/1/Richard_James_Cooper_3520021_PhD_Thesis_2015.pdf"],"dc:language":["en"],"dc:publisher.department":["School of Environmental Sciences"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of East Anglia"],"dc:relation.isreferencedby":["https://ueaeprints.uea.ac.uk/id/eprint/53376/"],"dc:title":["ADVANCING METHODS FOR APPORTIONING THE SOURCES OF SEDIMENT IN RIVERS: COMBINING SPECTROSCOPY AND STABLE ISOTOPES WITH BAYESIAN MIXING MODELS"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["phd"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T02:12:08Z"}